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3rd Seojungsday of High Winter, Second Age 1854

The Longest Night

by Isenara Eiryant

5th Respitesday of High Autumn, Second Age 1854: We faced the first trial within the mountain shrine of Bri’Inis, a test set by a guardian—once a druid, now transformed into a living barrier. She posed riddles, sharp and demanding, with answers of Moon, Snow, and Mountain Streams. Solving them felt like a blade cutting through fog, clearing the way forward. We struggled a little on the first one, with multiple answers sounding equally viable, but the second and third were no match for our sharp intellects. The druid guardian instructed us to follow the cold air, warning against straying into forbidden areas. Tempting as it was to explore, I know better than to defy divine decrees; action must be disciplined, not reckless. We pressed on, focused and ready. At last, we entered a chamber guarded by a winter tree spirit, its essence tainted by the shadow realm’s corruption. Words flew about winter deities and shadow planes, but I cared more for the task at hand. We resolved to pull the spirit back to winter’s domain, as we did at the temple in Hithfaer. The spirit argued against it, but didn't act to protect itself, almost as if it was forbidden to act to change its own fate, but not forced to prevent others from acting on its behalf. The attempt was messy but effective; we drew out shadows and fought them head-on, blades flashing until we stood victorious. With the spirit cleansed, we placed the Scrolls of Araneth in their rightful place, and the shrine’s magic teleported us out of the mountain before anyone but Malakar were able to ask the spirit further questions, perhaps his connection to Winter allowed him little leeway.
 
We departed Bri’Inis on the 1st Qindirsday of Autumn's Edge and returned to Hithfaer by the 3rd Vaeraleusday, the sea journey smooth and without incident; a rare gift that let us regroup and prepare. Back home, I dove into work, delivering my Bri’Inis notes to Drin, trusting his alchemical mind to aid our efforts to heal the land. I pushed him toward poisons for the undead, though he rambled about bombs. With a nudge, he focused on direct methods, which suited my need for practical results and I received a little something for it-a bomb that strikes undead.
Weeks in the lab followed, crafting elixirs at Talindra’s request. The Elixirs of Life came together smoothly, as did a batch for myself, but the Camouflage Dye and Soothing Elixir hit snags; unstable materials for the dye and delayed shipments for the tonic. I adapted, worked through the setbacks, and got it done. My skills in the alchemical lab have certainly grown since weve arrived in Hithfaer. Makes me wpnder sometimes how much of of it is new skill, and how much is old memoroes coming back. It is impossoble to tell them apart more often than not.
 
Atanesi wanted to look further into Sol Variar, so we spent a week in Eglasil’s archives, but it turned out to be a dead end, frustrating but not surprising. Zaelith and Talindra took on the same assignment, heading to other elven kingdoms. I'm hoping their searches in the summer and spring lands yield more.
 
Meanwhile, I turned to the dream tree sap, experimenting with its properties. It’s showing promise, and I’m eager to see where hands-on testing takes it. It is showing qualities of a mild hallucionogen, but the visions it shows are also real more often than not. The application of this substance could be a breakthrough we need in finding where Luthais is holed up.
 
Zhyrissa agreed to join me at the masquerade, a bright spot in my plans. The Longest Night festival quickly turned to chaos though; assassins crashed the celebration, aiming for the Summer Speaker’s crown. We stopped them cold, but Luthais showed his face, taunting us before teleporting away. We need traps in the castle to block that trick next time. Worse, the uninvited Imperial delegation used the distraction to raid our vault, stealing the chisel. Zaelith sprinted after the lone escapee, tracking his magical trail. Thankfully the pursuit was successful and the chisel returned, but now new safeguards must be put in place so it does not happen again.

Continue reading...

  1. The Expedition
    2nd Judicday to 4th Respitesday of Spring's Birth, Second Age 1852
  2. Mystery of the Winter Temple
    4th Respitesday to 5th Judicday of Spring's Birth, Second Age 1852
  3. Night of the Dead
    5th Vaeraleusday of Spring's Birth, Second Age 1852
  4. The Beginning
    5th Amerysday of Spring's Birth, Second Age 1852
  5. Home
    5th Respitesday of High Spring, Second Age 1853
  6. Ghosts and Dead Trees
    2nd Judicday of Fading Spring, Second Age 1853
  7. Far Afield
    5th Respitesday of Fading Spring, Second Age 1853
  8. Dead
    3rd Quindirsday of Summer's Dawn, Second Age 1853
  9. Wreckage
    1st Judicday of Summer's Twilight, SA 1853
  10. The Truth Revealed
    4th Amerysday of Summer's Twilight, SA 1853
  11. Of Ratmen and Skeletons
    3rd Brahmarusday of Rising Autumn, Second Age 1853
  12. The Neighbors
    1st Judicday of High Autumn, Second Age 1853:
  13. Eglasil, the Moon Elf neighbor
    3rd Respitsday of High Autumn, Second Age 1853
  14. Flames and Storms
    2nd Respitesday of High Autumn, Second Age 1853
  15. Island Ruins
    3rd Seojungsday of Autumn's Edge
  16. Ancient Discoveries
    4th Judicsday of Autumns Edge, Second Age 1853
  17. Visitors from across the Sea
    3rd Vaeraleusday of Winters Chill, Second Age 1853
  18. Lothithil Estate
    5th Seojungsday of Winters Chill, Second Age 1853
  19. Tirion Anor
    3rd Brahmarusday of High Winter, Second Age 1853
  20. Darkness Ended
    3rd Qindirsday of High Winter, Second Age 1853
  21. Unwelcome Visitors
    1st Respitesday of Winter's End, Second Age 1853
  22. War at our Doorstep
    3rd Seojungsday of Winter's End, Second Age 1853
  23. Conquest in the Dark
    5th Amerysday of Winter's End, Second Age 1853
  24. Terrors Beneath
    1st Qindirsday of Spring's Birth, Second Age 1853
  25. The Journal Entry’s title
  26. The Journal Entry’s title
  27. Winter Dryad
    2nd Seojungsday of Spring's Birth, Second Age 1853
  28. The Journal Entry’s title
  29. The Journal Entry’s title
  30. Thief!
    3rd Brahmarusday of High Spring, Second Age 1853
  31. Griffons
    3rd Respitesday of Rising Autumn, Second Age 1854
  32. The Journal Entry’s title
  33. The Journal Entry’s title
  34. The Voyage
    4th Judicday of High Autumn, Second Age 1854
  35. Bri'Inis
    5th Brahmarusday of High Autumn, Second Age 1854
  36. The Journal Entry’s title
  37. The Journal Entry’s title
  38. At war with nature
    5th Amerysday of High Autumn, Second Age 1854
  39. The Longest Night
    3rd Seojungsday of High Winter, Second Age 1854
  40. The Journal Entry’s title
  41. The Journal Entry’s title
  42. Dark Ahead
    5th Vaeraleusday of High Winter, Second Age 1854
  43. The Journal Entry’s title
  44. The Journal Entry’s title
  45. The Long Death
    1st Qindirsday of Winter's End, Second Age 1854
  46. The Journal Entry’s title
  47. The Journal Entry’s title
  48. Alone among enemies
    5th Amerysday of High Spring, Second Age 1855
  49. The Journal Entry’s title
  50. The Journal Entry’s title
  51. Beneath the Waves
    5th Judicday of Summer’s Dawn
  52. Temple of Storms
    2nd Brahmarusday of High Summer, Second Age 1855
  53. Summer Games
    3rd Vaeraleusday of High Summer, Second Age 1855
  54. Energy hijacking
    3rd Qindirsday of the High Summer, Second Age 1855

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by 3 Armored Kittens · Prodromos v.1.1 - World Anvil 0.9.15.045 © 2017-2025 [en] | Anvil Time: 01:39, Dec 21 2025