Editing Journal - The Heart of Karmana (section)

==The Lost Saloroc Clan==

I arose as early as I could, meditated for a few hours to restore myself, and then traveled east, tracking the cliffs. I could see things flying around the tops of the peaks to my left, but nothing seemed to approach from that direction. As I made progress towards the narrowing of the land between cliffs and mountains, I could see that the land was becoming increasingly barren and drained of life. After a few miles there was no life left, with shriveled remains of the scrub all that was left, and I jumped back suddenly as I unexpectedly sensed energy beneath my foot just before I put it down. I had a sense that whatever had that energy had noticed me too. I stood on a rock and tried reaching out telepathically, but there was no response. I decided to do the sensible thing and fly above the ground, rising to about ten feet and then continuing, still tracking the cliff edge. From my new vantage point, I noticed ripples in the ground like the ones I had seen with the huge serpent in the earth before, so I increased my height (remembering that they could get to at least twenty feet long). It was a good job I did so, because a couple of the creatures leapt up at me but fell short by about ten yards or so.

I carried on, ignoring them now, and eventually found myself over greener ground once more. I took this as a sign that I had passed their territory and descended to about six feet about the ground to carry on. After an hour or so I reached an area of heavily churned up ground, as if the ground itself had been attacked by axes all over the place, which was odd. There were no obvious footprints that I could determine, but I was no tracker. I kept moving forward in the air, getting close now to where the rocky slopes met the cliff edge. As I neared this natural ambush point, I started trying to detect evil, as I had thought I'd seen movement in the rock to the left on the approach. Sure enough, I eventually sensed that there was an evil presence in the rocks, so I flew close to the cliffs and watched as I neared it. I wasn't expecting a fucking massive spider to leap about thirty feet in the air, arcing towards me from above with its sharp legs all aimed at me!

One leg penetrated, with a couple more sliding off my armour, but it was enough to bears me down to the ground, taking the wind from me as we landed heavily. Its legs thudded into the ground, suddenly explaining the disturbance in the area. Luckily I wasn't completely pinned, and was able to roll to my feet. I could see that there were at least two more of the things out there, although they weren't my primary concern right then! I managed to draw both swords (one was still as if another hand was upon it), and hacked at the spider. It seemed to be alive, although tainted by my father's realm, but I was distracted by its horrendous arachnid appearance and hacked wildly into it, cutting chunks out of it and killing it before I even began to think. Then I realised that its death might open a portal! I quickly flew out to sea, leaving the other spiders stamping the ground angrily at the edge of the cliff, and dipped down to progress below their level. I flew back up after about four hundred yards, trying to distract the spiders that were tracking me with dweomer, but it only affected one of them. Instead I climbed much higher, about fifty feet up, where I was forced to stay above the land because the wind over the sea was noticeably stronger.

Once I was past the narrowest part, I started to leave the spiders behind. They preferred to hide amongst the rocks, it seemed. I flew on until they were out of sight and then angled down towards the ground again. Back at about six feet up, I carried on until my dweomer expired then walked on, thankfully with no spiders in sight. I made best speed east for a couple of hours until I could see the ruins of a great bridge up ahead. There was a spear of rock sticking straight up, although broken up with time and weather, and a similar formation on the far side of the straight. As for the bridge itself, only the beginning of the span remained, with the rest completely gone. It was strange, though, because there still appeared to be a spectral bridge that completed the span, about a mile long and more than ten yards across, but insubstantial. The stone definitely ended quite close to the remains of the tower.

As I drew closer, I could see movement on the spectral bridge, all headed towards my side and all spectral in nature. It seemed like it was some place (or perhaps, I thought later, time) other than my own. The figures looked humanoid and when I was within a hundred yards or so I was able to focus on one, although it took great effort, and I noticed that it kept going onto the bit of stone bridge that was still there. When it entered the tower, though, I lost track of it - and realised just how hard it had been to focus on an individual up to that point. I walked right up to the steps that led up towards the tower, and felt a chill. The dead were crossing, and stepping off onto the island!

I stepped back and used a protective prayer to shield myself from the spirits, then stepped forward again and climbed the stairs. At the top, there was an Elvrahum figure facing away from me that was extremely reminiscent of Aklan. In fact, he was set in the same waiting pose that Aklan had used when I left the city to search for Falcor's soul. I concentrated my mind, sensing an ancient history here, and immediately got a sense of a deep aching sadness pervading the place. Then I saw a figure, though - it was my father! Kraldar strode up the stairs and onto the bridge, drawing what was clearly Aramat, but also a large hammer with a star symbol and embedded gems. He drew the hammer back above his head and spoke... well, I never got to find out, as Kraldar in the present interjected his mind and stopped the vision abruptly. He clearly didn't want me to know what he did here; did this used to be the path for the souls of the dead to return to Karmana? Did the Elvrahum Lord Protector (leader of the Ma'ardus - warriors of light) guard the path and guide the souls? My father might have been the one that broke the bridge in the first place, then.

I stepped up to the edge and touched the spectral bridge... and I was surprised to feel a resistance! I stepped out, a little nervously, but found that I could walk upon it. In fact, I was able to cross the bridge, despite it seeming to be incorporeal. I was walking away from "death", and it did seem as if the world was a little lighter after I crossed, although I don't think it actually was, and I just felt slightly better about myself. A rare occurrence! Just as I was stepping onto the stone on the far side, I got my first sense of a connection with Karmana in a long time. It was distant, but definitely there, but again it was lost as Kraldar shut down the connection. He was too powerful here!

There was grassland on this side, but a sparse forest lay just a few hundred yards away. I paused to dedicate the remains of the stone bridge here to Karmana, stressing that it was blessed to her, only to her and to no other. I held Falcor's soul against my chest to try and make a connection with Karmana. As I completed the ceremony, I sensed that the essence of Falcor wanted to leap across the bridge to join with Karmana... but in that moment I saw the image of Kraldar standing on the bridge waiting to take Falcor's soul for himself, and I just about managed to snap the connection closed in time to stop Falcor. Dismayed, I could do no more than continue my journey into the forest.

It was a wild forest, with much more undergrowth and protruding roots than I remembered from Borarla, but it was at least full of life. The going was difficult, but not dangerous, at least for the first half an hour or so. It was then that I noticed there was an unnatural stillness, and that the bird song had stopped. I crouched by a tree, scanning around for any threats, but it was the tree I should have been wary of - it started moving and reached out to grab hold of me! I tried to communicate with it, but when an answer came it was from somewhere else, and it said: "it can't understand you, it just wants to eat you - you should not be here".

I tried to say that I was not as bad as I appeared, asking for a chance to explain myself. I had to dodge a massive flint sword that the tree had pulled from the ground, though. The answer from the unknown mind was that I would have to get away from my attacker first. I used dweomer to summon a spray of colour that thankfully stilled the tree, so I started running (I knew it would not last long). I soon stopped, though, as an arrow thudded into the ground in front of me. A second arrow landed inches in front of me, so it was a good job I stopped. I crossly flashed a message that "I was just trying to get away", but the response was that I had to "appease the forest or go no farther".

A number of smaller creatures had emerged from the trees, like miniature treemen - a little comical in appearance, but in numbers I had no doubt they could be a threat. They did give me an idea, though. I used dweomer to change my form, becoming like one of the smaller creatures, and once I had done so the things blended back into the forest, apparently satisfied - at least for now. I asked whether the forest had been appeased now, and in response an Elvrabor jumped down from the branches up ahead, saying with some trace of amusement: "sleeping maybe, rather than appeased". The Elvrabor was not as well dressed as others I had seen, although the outfit he wore fitted perfectly with the wild forest around us. He admitted that I "intrigued" them (I had no doubt that there were others, unseen), and had not killed so I had earned the chance to speak.

I explained that I needed to travel past the mountains to try to save an Elvradrak, seeking the Saloroc Dragon clan, and showed him the diamond that held Falcor's soul. I had to be honest with him, this close to Borarla, and he seemed satisfied - I was granted permission to continue, but had to agree not to harm anything that was of the forest... and to kill anything that was not. With that he disappeared into the trees again, so I wasted no time in continuing. At first I stayed in the strange, tree-like form, but then changed back into my own form to continue more comfortably (and speedily).

A while later, I head Saloroc voices up ahead, perhaps raised in argument, although I didn't know enough of the language to tell what was being discussed. When I was closer and caught a glimpse of a couple of figures, I shouted out a greeting and asked what clan they were. The figures reacted by moving out of view behind a thick clump of trees. I heard bits of chanting as I moved around to get closer, so I said a prayer of my own for protection. I worked my way completely around to the other sided of them, seeing a group of half a dozen or so, but knew that I had been tasked with killing what was not of the forest. I wasn't sure whether they qualified, but they were certainly not the sophisticated Dragon Clan that I sought - more like the Wolf Clan due to their barbaric and hostile demeanor.

I aimed my bow at them, but noticed that the forest was coming alive around me, trying to grab at my legs. Thankfully it was unable to find purchase, so I loosed at the largest of the foe, who was deliberately shielding the shaman behind him. The warriors in front of him shouted excitedly when they saw me, turning back to ensure they were heard and pointing towards me, although I thought there was an edge of fear in what they were saying as well. I moved sideways, hoping to break line of sight with the Shaman, but I was intercepted by two of the Saloroc and forced to fight. The light changed around where the Shaman was standing, becoming brighter than a lantern with a warm light, but it was too hard to see exactly what he was doing.

I struck two good blows on my first attacker, but suffered an axe blow to my side in return. I was able to finish him with my next stroke, though, and wounded the other before his companions joined the fight. I was worried about the body becoming a portal, so I shared my blows between the others whilst keeping an eye on the fallen one. There was no change, at least in the couple of minutes I could keep them at bay by dodging or deflecting most of their blows. I was forced to kill two more, though, as I heard the shaman shouting urgently. A portal had opened, but not through a body - the shaman had summoned Ilianna's dark elves. Shit, this was getting out of control again! I sheathed one sword and grabbed the stave of the planes, using it to slam the portal shut just as Ilianna's attention started to focus on me.

I finished the last Saloroc near me and engaged the elves instead. I managed to cut one down, although I had a gash across my midriff in return, but then another portal opened. Ilianna wasn't going to give up that easily, it seemed. Thankfully two elves were cut down in a hail of arrow fire from the forest, so I might not have to fight them alone. I did notice a miasma forming over the dead bodies, though, so I concentrated on closing that (and it worked, thank goodness), before facing the last dark elf. I struck with one blow, but that wasn't enough to put him down, and then Ilianna stepped out of the portal! No, it was just a projection - phew! That was dangerous enough, though, and my foe's swords clanged on my armour as he redoubled his efforts to take me down.

Unusually, Ilianna was ignoring me and focusing on her fallen troops. She was absorbing their souls - I saw the wraith form of one rush right into her. I ignored my foe, getting slashed across my back as I ran towards the portal. I grabbed a waterskin, stabbing it so that it leaked, and threw it into the portal whilst using the staff to force it closed despite Ilianna fighting me. After that, I was able to turn and kill the last dark elf before rushing at the big Saloroc. My first cut only seemed to make him angry, though, and he swung a massive axe that connected heavily, staggering me but somehow not penetrating my armour. I struck with another good blow as the shaman finished his chanting, but there was no discernable effect so I just kept fighting. I cut into the big one with another two blows, and he slowly sank to his knees and fell.

I shouted that M'ret comes, hoping that he would see that it was futile to fight. I got an unexpected response, though, when he said: "not M'ret, it is Amat; save me mistress"! I turned to see that a massive Elvradrak head had started to emerge from where one of the dark elves had fallen. This was the Death of the Elvra. I suppose it made sense that it would be an Elvradrak, but I hadn't been prepared for the sheer size of the thing. I tried to will it to return, but it just laughed at me, and I sensed it scoffing "YOU would try to control ME? I don't think so". I had one other option to try, though. I took the serpent staff from my back, and used its most powerful ability - to force Elvradrak away from it. To my great relief it worked! Amat was forced back through the portal as I planted the staff and spoke the command word. That would buy us some time at least.

I spoke to the shaman again, whose name was "Ralek". I learned that their clan respected the trees, even though they were not strictly of the trees themselves they were able to live here in peace. It was Ilianna that had saved their clan from the death of their homeland, and in return all she had asked was to be told when they saw me, which is why the dark elves had come. I could not convince him that Ilianna was anything other than a saviour, and I could understand why - she used people by offering them something they desired that wasn't hers to give, asking for small favours in return. I was at least able to trade a scroll for some healing ointment, which I then used to help close the portal that Amat had emerged from. Another portal opened, of course, but even though it took some time I was able to close that one safely before Amat could return.

When I was sure that there would be no further intrusion into the forest, I left Ralek and continued my journey, sad that I had not known they were friends of the trees. The whole encounter could have been avoided if I had. I would have to try and learn Saloroc! The rest of the day passed without incident, and when I was too tired to continue I found some cover to rest under a bivvie. I knew that a fire would not be welcome, so I just ate what I already had and slept. It wasn't that cold, and surprisingly the night seemed to pass uneventfully. Perhaps here, as I was nearing the mountains, was an area that was not controlled by any one faction? I was able to meditate in the morning without disturbance, although I sensed that there was a transition that was more significant that simple territorial boundaries here.

I carried on regardless, with no other options open to me, and waled east until I was past the mountain range (it took about three hours or so), before turning south. I was still in an old forest, but it seemed to be increasingly better kept, or at least less wild. I felt a bit more comfortable knowing that disorder was lessening, as if I was getting closer to the Creator. After four or five miles I again noticed that the normal forest sounds had reduced and started to scan around for any threat. I also noticed that, for the first time in a very long time, I could not feel my Father's realm intruding - had I passed beyond his reach for now? I stopped and said a quick prayer to the Creator, hoping that he might hear me, and when I looked up I noticed that there was a snake-like creature, about ten feet long, wrapped around a branch above and ahead of me, just resting its head and watching. It was quite iridescent, with a predominantly blue head although slightly multi-hued, and a semi-metallic coppery body.

I first tried reaching out with telepathy, and it moved its head slightly and flicked its tongue out, but otherwise provided no response. I tried speaking a couple of words I had picked up in Saloroc: "Prite" (a formal hello) "Durg" (a rather generic form of "friend"). I got a reponse to this, in perfect Common, as it commented that my Saloroc was TERRIBLE. Which was fair, although I had started to learn some vocabulary before the world went to shit. I apologised, in Common this time, and said that I sought the Dragon Clan. It seemed to raise its hackles (scales? pointy bits on its back?) and asked why. I explained that it was to seek help to save the soul of "He", and that I was a friend to him. He was worried that I brought death (the usual), and I asked if he spoke of Aramat Gendrossin (the sword). He knew that this was death to the Gods, although I was quick to point out that none had died by my hand, but then noted that it belonged to Nidhil (Death of the Divine), which was interesting.

He was more worried about "Zmayashtoroz", though. I established that this was the name of the serpent staff that I had been carrying around since the swamp encounter in Rozdyrevdoy (the Saloroc homeland). He admitted that he held the key to the path that I sought, but said that he would not allow Zmayashtoroz to enter. I said that I would gladly give it up to the Dragon Clan for their aid with Falcor's soul. He said that this was a powerful offer, but asked if there was a trusted second party that I knew who might hold the staff until he kept his end of the bargain by giving me access to the true path to the Dragon Clan. I immediately though of Aergarnion, as there was none I would trust as much with Falcor's future. He knew of the Lord of Air, and seemed to be willing to trust him as well, so he asked me to wait and began to withdraw.

I saw him twist and coil into the foilage and then just disappear, so I sat and meditated calmly, mentally thanking the Creator for bringing me such a fortunate encounter. It must have been about an hour before he returned, and just a moment later I heard the familiar beating of wings as Aldemot (not Aergarnion, but a trusted agent that I had met before) landed next to me. He explained that Aergarnion was not willing to leave Falcor's body unattended, so he had been sent to act on his Lord's behalf in this matter. The serpent stated the terms clearly - exchange of the staff for passage to the Dragon Clan, to be kept by the agent of the Lord of Air until his path had been proved true, and we both formally agreed to the terms in front of Aldemot. For his part, Aldemot took the staff and departed with it, after which the serpent did as he had promised.

A wall about forty feet across and about thirty feet high appeared between a couple of the trees to the south. It was misty in appearance, but sharply defined, and I could not see through it in the way I had for other portals, although it was definitely a transition to another place. He also warned that, whilst he could guarantee that I would be on the true path, he could offer no guarantees as to what reception I would find. I had no choice but to continue, though, and I stepped into the portal. I was surprised to find that what had seemed like a deep mist was actually only paper thin, and I immediately found myself on the other side. What was disconcerting, though, was that the other side appeared to be identical to the forest that had already seemed to be there! I looked back, and sure enough the serpent was still in the tree branches, although he did not look metallic now (the colouring was the same, but not with the same sheen to it). I spoke to him to ask what would have happened if I had continued without his blessing, but his response was to ask if he knew me! When I explained what had just transpired, he said that I had spoken to his brother, but that he was glad that I had arrived with his brother's blessing.

There were apparently those that had arrived by other means, and I asked if it was the Elvradheramat (dark elves), which it was. No surprise there after the last encounter with them! He asked that I did not wield Aramat in this place unless my life threatened, or if it was to directly oppose the agents of chaos. They had only been here a matter of days, it seemed. I placed an empty waterskin, with his permission, on the ground as a marker to help me find this place again, and then used some dweomer to shield myself from being easily found (again with his blessing - protective dweomer was acceptable, it seemed). As I did this, though, I became aware that I had no connection with this place - it was as if there was no life at all to draw on, even though I was clearly surrounded by it. When I commented on this sensation, the serpent said that it was because I was nowhere now. That made no sense to me, of course.

I was resolved to travel onwards, so I stepped forward and noted that the portal closed as soon as I had taken a few steps. The place was disconcerting, because of that lack of sensation I was used to having, even though the forest seemed quite pleasant to all my other senses. The energy did feel like Karmana's, though, even though it felt different in some way. I was glad that there was no sense of my Father's realm at all, at least. I walked south, tracking the mountains, for three hours or so until I noticed that the forest sounds were more subdued, and had a feeling that I might be being watched. I casually reached out towards a tree that I was passing and half-turned to look back, just managing to catch a glimpse of something roughly cat or dog-sized flying into the branches of a tree. I saw greens and yellows in terms of colour, but that was all I could see before it was out of sight. I tried walking back towards it, but heard a burst of movement from the far side of the tree, and it was gone and out of sight by the time I reached it. I carried on walking for a bit, turning again but seeing nothing, but then caught a glimpse of something a couple of hundred yards to the east - humanoid this time.

I muttered some dweomer to disguise myself as one of the dark elves and then moved to the west to reach one of the larger trees, peering back and waiting to see if anything moved. For a few minutes there was nothing, but then I saw another flying thing in the tree canopy to the east - the same or similar as the first one I'd seen. I continued my attempt at deception, studying the ground and then indicating to the south. I saw the flying thing a bit more clearly, and it did look a bit chaotic in nature, and then I saw one of the dark elves. Yep, it looked like they were after me again! I used some dweomer to protect myself from evil and then sprinted east towards them. I saw another flying creature, which disappeared as I approached, but lost track of the elf as well.

It felt like I was chasing shadows, so I used dweomer to get as far away as possible, then jogged to the south east for ten minutes or so before slowing to a walk. I went this way for a good five or six hours, until the light started to fade slightly, sure that I had lost my pursuers for the time being. The trees started to thin out to the east, and I could eventually see the sea beyond the forest, so I turned south. As I was doing so, though, I noticed a flying creature about a half a mile away to the north west, flying above the trees. I kept going, though, until it began to get dark when I found what cover I could and laid down to rest.

Remarkably, I was able to sleep undisturbed. I meditated a little in the morning and then headed south for a few hours. I began to get a sense that the forest was better tended at this point, so I turned south west to head into the forest in the hope that I might encounter someone. About a half hour afterwards, though, I heard the screech of an animal in distress somewhere off my right shoulder. I turned towards it, jogging forwards to see if I could help. I noticed birds flying away as I closed to within a few hundred yards of where the cry had come from. It wasn't the encounter I had hoped for, as I found the party of dark elves butchering a deer. Hoping to get the drop on them this time, I sprinted forwards and managed to close to melee. They did notice me, but it was too late to easily escape and they drew swords or daggers, ready for the fight. I went straight for what appeared to be their leader, and Aramat drew first blood, but he deftly dodged Ulric's sword and drew blood himself with some artful blade work.

There were three on me in total, with the one I was facing clearly the best swordsman. There was another in the tree nearby tracking me with a bow, but he seemed unwilling to fire into the melee, at least for now. Again we traded blows, like for like, until I finally struck with both swords as his riposte slide across my armour. Ulric's sword drew blood again, and this time he staggered, but I was hurt too. I had been ignoring the others, recognising the greatest threat, but had suffered some nicks from them too. I had to make a decision - to stay and try to finish him quickly, or escape before I was overwhelmed. I gritted my teeth and pressed the attack, and thankfully it was Aramat that connected first. As he fell, he simply disappeared - before he even hit the ground. I couldn't ponder this, though, as more blows rang against my armour from the other two.

I focused on the one wielding swords, and found him easier to land blows on. After a couple of minutes he fell, again disappearing, but it did mean I was struck in the back with a dagger. It might have been poisoned, but I didn't notice any effect so I turned and struck a decent blow in return. His daggers scraped off my armour this time, but I felt a stabbing pain in my neck as one of the flying creatures appeared out of nowhere. Again, although painful, I felt no further effects, and I swung at both the foes, connecting with both. The flying creature disappeared, but I had a sense of where it might be so chanced a swing with Aramat and felt a connection. It appeared as it fell from the air, it's body landing on the ground and staying there. I turned my full attention to the dark elf, quickly cutting him down, and then looked up to find that the archer had already gone (at least it seemed that way).

All of the bodies had disappeared except for the flying creature, which lay crumpled on the ground. At least it didn't appear to be touched by death. It had an unusually large body compared to its wing size, suggesting that dweomer kept it in the air. It was certainly otherworldly, and didn't seem to belong to this place, or anywhere like it. Something was holding it here, though, and I could sense an energy around it that might be preventing it from returning to its home. I wondered whether, if I did find the Dragon Clan, they might know more about it. I used a sack to wrap around part of its tail and dragged it behind me as I continued walking southwest, as best as I could reckon from the mountains I could see. After about half an hour, though, the body suddenly disappeared, leaving my hand with an empty sack. I dropped it in surprise, scanning around for any threats. As I did that, another of the flying creatures became visible - it was very close, in a tree right in front of me.

I tried speaking to it, but it didn't seem to acknowledge my words, instead dropping to the floor lightly. Its stance was odd, though, with its wings dropped low to the ground, and its arms limp by its side. I backed away and it shuffled forward until it reached the sack I had dropped, pointing at it and looking up at me sheepishly. I eventually decided that it just wanted to go home, and was hoping that I could help. I took another sack out of my pack and gingerly started to wipe its wing, noticing that there was some oily residue on it. It offered no resistance, and by the time I had wiped both wings it disappeared, just like the body had. That left me with two dirty sacks, so I placed those into a third sack and returned them to my bag... I didn't want to litter!

I continued my journey southwest for several hours more, but then came across a small clearing where an unusually well dressed Saloroc sat on a low-lying tree branch reading. He nodded as I entered, politely, but a larger, more brutish Saloroc stood by him. This one was still well dressed, but was armed with sword and spear, as well as a hand axe, and glared at me suspiciously. A leather pack was placed on the floor nearby.