I spent a little over a year with the Volaar and can attest to their incredible skill with stone, steel, and any number of rarer substances. The Volaar have been away from “our” world for many years but they have sages as intelligent as any I have found within Morgrave. They are fully devoted to their Empire and this goes beyond their families, their friends, and themselves as individuals. Within Kech Volaar, and the little bit I’d seen of Kech Shaarat (Bladebearers) this is unwavering and is true for each and every member. This differs from the general goblinoids of…
Volaar Draal, the Wordbearers, and the Sword
Olarune, 998 – Dravago, 999 YK Volaar Draal is a small city of under 10,000 inhabitants. It is carved into the Seawall Mountains and has been here for thousands of years. It is here that I finally meet Jhazaali’s clan, Kech Volaar, or the “Wordbearers.” Kech Volaar are the keepers of the lore of the ancient Dhakaani Empire, and though one of the smallest Kechs, its armorers and stonemasons are unmatched in all of Darguun, and possibly all of Khorvaire. This great skill has allowed their fortifications to hold against more aggressive clans. Again, the Dhakaani clans have isolated themselves…
Off to Darguun
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Zarantyr – Olarune, 998 YK It becomes apparent that Jhazaali has a good deal of resources. She gets us (Goth and Maasha included) to Zilargo on an elemental galleon at which point we’re to board a regular galleon to get the rest of the way to Darguun. The elemental galleon is called the Sea Tiger and its captain is Etrigan d’Lyrandar. I hear that they had last come from Xen’drik so I make a couple inquiries about Brook. As coincidence would have it, Captain Sora’vel was in Stormreach at the same time as the Sea Tiger and Captain Etrigan actually…
Darguun and My Time with Kech Volaar
I do go to Darguun with Jhazaali but not before getting things settled in Sharn first. Goodbyes to friends and professors proceed. I get my thesis plan put together with a very envious Prof. Galrith. And finally, I say my goodbyes to Kat. We spend as much time as possible together but it’s a tight timeline. I honestly don’t know how long I’ll be gone, and she’s set to graduate this next year with plans to return to Aerenal soon after. This could be the last we see of each other for a while, so we make sure to make…
Ja’shaarat—There ARE Better Vacation Spots
Zarantyr, 998 YK Getting through Malleon’s Gate and the Cogs with this crew was not a problem. A minor scuffle here and there but Goth and Maasha were Dhakaani stock with all the training that went with it and proved themselves completely capable against some of the riffraff that thought they might be able to take us. Once we were past that we really didn’t have any issues. We found Ja’shaarat, at least the outskirts, and managed to acquire some artifacts that I know Prof. Galrith would love to get his hands on, but was sworn to silence about them…
I Get a Degree and Then Get Convinced to Go for More
Vult, 997 YK With the end of my final semester coming up I was deep into studying for finals and had gotten a little put off my search for Ja’shaarat (it’s a wonder what getting stabbed can do to your resolve). I was thinking about finding Jhazaali but didn’t really have the time, so I just hoped she’d still be around after graduation. Finals went well and graduation night was a blast. Kat had another year left at MU but Jhanni and Sid graduated as well. The whole area of Upper Menthis Plateau (where MU resides) was opened up and…
I Go to Malleon’s Gate—Yes it was a Stupid Idea
Lharvion, 997 YK There really is SO much I could talk about in Sharn. Suffice it to say I got around most of Upper, Middle and Lower Menthis. Never got up to Skyway. Found a few of the different shrines to the Traveler and paid my respects. Had some interviews with adventurers from the Wayfinder’s Guild who wanted info on Xen’drik. I gave them my dad’s info and apparently, he turned a pretty copper getting them around with their treasure hunting there. I met a Droaamite expatriate, an Ogre named Karg. He was at MU studying Xen’drikan history and I…
Shava House, Speaking, and Studies
Barrakas – Sypheros, 994 YK The first week is a whirlwind tour of the Morgrave University (MU) campus with speaking engagements at some of the lecture halls there and even one evening’s “talk” at the Ten Torches Theater in the Torchlight district. This was fun, embarrassing, and a great introduction to one of my favorite places to go in Sharn on a weekend evening. It turns out that some theater students at MU put together a musical comedy based on some of the more story-like entries in our book, which apparently is closer to what my writing is like as…
To Sharn and Beyo… No, Just to Sharn
Lharvion, 994 YK The University is happy about Gwen’s decision and arranges for our transport on a Lyrandar galleon (a non-flying one this time) and has rooms prepped for us at Shava House. I briefly mentioned it before, but a little more info: Shava House has developed into more of an intentional community: the residents share meals heavily laden with academic discourse, and generally share an interest in the history of Xen’drik (Baker & Wyatt, Sharn: City of Towers, 2004). Two weeks and some sad goodbyes to friends and family later and we’re off to Sharn. Unlike on the airship,…
Professor Gwendolyn and I Write a Book
Aryth, 993 – Nymm, 994 YK Over the next few months Gwen and I work on getting our notes together and writing a few papers to be published and I actually get included as a coauthor due to my “creative and intellectual contribution to the work.” The first three were huge successes (Gwen is a much better writer than I am, but I do take extensive and detailed notes) and she’s asked repeatedly to return to Sharn to speak. She says no for now but it’s now on her future agenda. As we start on our fourth paper Gwen decides…
Back to Stormreach and Back to My Studies
Near the end of day three, we make it back to Stormreach. This is also cool to see from above and we proceed to dock at Falconer’s Spire. The Winds Pleasure was going to be in town for about a week for the crew to get some R&R and for them to get their cargo loaded before heading back to Khorvaire. Gwen, Jerrold, and I head to the university to lock up our notes and several little artifacts that we’d gained (various mineral and flora samples from Khyber). That done, we all say our goodbyes and start heading off to…
As Below, So Above — Xen’drik is Dangerous
The next day was going smoothly until the late afternoon. I was enjoying the scenery with Gwen and Jerrold and the skies were just opening up from the daily rain shower. That’s when we hear a shout from the crow’s nest “Sun-side attack! Looks to be two wyverns!” Oh boy. I run over to that side and can just make them out as one crashes into the crow’s nest and quickly sends the watchman flying out with a slash of its claws. The crew quickly takes up arms and begins to defend the ship as best they can, but the…