Temple of Traps, Honey, and Poor Decisions
Fifth-ish of Kythorn, after the bugs, before the bees.
(Filed under: Bugs, cults, traps, and unsolicited pixie commentary.)
Zardic had a lead on some old ruin. I tagged along. Two days through the woods. No idea who sent us, but the place was definitely cursed.
Deep in the forest, we found a sunken ziggurat, ancient and half-swallowed by trees. At the top: three statues—
A man holding scales and lightning
A child wrapped in snakes
A woman offering wheat
Zardic did puzzle things. Door opened. A dead hobgoblin was wedged inside like a warning sign.
Inside: ladder up, ladder down. I climbed up first. Got shot in the back by a bolt trap for my trouble. Zardic pulled it out—laughed the whole time. I kept going.
That’s when I heard a voice—someone asking for help. Said they were locked in a cage. We went down instead.
Zardic slipped off the ladder. No injuries. Just dignity loss.
Next chamber: four giant fire beetles. Two on the ceiling, two rushed us. I crushed mine, Zardic blasted his. Bug guts everywhere. Smelled like lightning and vinegar.
Tracked the voice to a cell. Inside: half-elf named Cy Anders. Claimed we should know him. We didn’t. Said his jailer in blue robes hadn’t shown up in days. We freed him.
Next room: jailer, dead. Cy kicked the corpse. Overhead: scourges clinging to the ceiling, sleeping. I snatched a bag of gems off the desk and got out without waking anything.
Further on: an old forge. Cult symbols on the fresco. Took a silver and orichalcum bar. Down the corridor, I triggered a blade trap—bad step, not the ingots. Realized the gem bag was a bag of holding mid-dodge. Rearranged everything. Felt blessed.
Ran into pixies—Wenly, Weenly, and Wally. Cy tried Elvish. They mocked him. I joined in. Gave them a bottle of rum—they dropped it and cackled. They've followed us ever since. I’m choosing to believe they’re allies.
Found a corpse coated in honey. I tasted it. Felt better. Bottled more using the rum bottle. Emergency paladin medicine.
Next: a cage of coins under a beehive. Tried to rip it open. Failed. Bees stared. We moved on.
Stumbled into a cult ceremony. Blue-robed figures with strange masks. Their leader, Kanadius, welcomed us like we were expected. Cy asked how they got the bees in the cage—turns out it’s food. Weird cult, weird rules.
Turns out the temple was once a city. It sank. They built on top. Then it sank again. Rinse, repeat. Now it’s layers of history and bad decisions.
Four groups in the ruins:
Followers of Gorm (the ones we met)
Cult of Zargon
Madarua’s warriors
Mages of Usamigaras
They offered us shelter for the night. Seemed peaceful. For now.
---
Inventory:
Boots: still blessed
Bag of Holding: confirmed
Honey bottle: healing-grade
Silver & orichalcum: one of each
Pixies: rude
Zardic: smug
Cy: suspicious
---
Closing Thoughts:
I got shot. Found a locked elf. Stole some relics. Befriended aggressive forest spirits.
Still not the weirdest day I’ve had.
(Still not a journal. This is divine recon. With garnish.)
Too Many Crates, Not Enough Ale
Second dawn of early Kythorn
Woke up on the Wind Rose. Everything hurt, and I was somehow more sober than I wanted to be. We found 40 gold, some spare weapons, and rum I regret not drinking sooner.
In the captain’s quarters: a log, a note about “darkness downstairs,” and a name—Earl Renfeld.
Below deck, one ghoul was impaled on the mast, and the darkness felt thick. A locked chest gave me an excuse to break something—inside were some odds and ends, and a fine pair of boots. Took them. They haven’t exploded. Yet.
John found a magic ring, stuffed a crate inside it. Clever trick. We rowed back to shore. Air smelled like honeydew—either cursed or mocking. Didn't like it.
On the way back to town, saw an angry dwarf in the forest. We ignored him. Probably for the best.
---
Baron’s Keep:
Zardic and John did the talking. I stood there, radiating consequence.
500 gold reward. I got a bottle of Firebellies Brew. Strong. Clean. No explosions—disappointing.
The Magister nearly had a fit over the crate. Mentioned a Courier Service and Tournament. Whatever’s coming, they ain’t ready.
---
Captain’s Tavern:
Challenged the Captain to an arm wrestle. Lost 2–1. Better than I expected.
Met Brandy, a halfling with sharp eyes. Gave me a card with a demonic grin. Didn't explain. Just smiled.
I kept it. Might be important. Might be cursed. Might be both.
---
Closing Statement:
Still hungover. Richer. Suspicious. Wearing great boots.
(Still not a journal. Just the thunder talking.)
Downstairs Was a Mistake
Second dawn of early Kythorn. Definitely hungover.
(Filed under: Ghouls, Ghosts, and Getting Bit. This is still not a journal.)
The Wind Rose was empty when we boarded—empty in the way a haunted bottle is empty: something had clearly spilled out. Deck was wrecked. Blood everywhere. Bits of crates, scattered tools, smashed barrels, and not a single sailor in sight. Not a good sign unless you’re into ghosts. Or breakfast.
We checked the captain’s quarters first. Standard noble mess—big desk, decent furniture, nothing too fancy unless you count the blood. Found a map and a manifest, which I took, obviously. Kord provides, but He appreciates good cartography.
Kapher—who was a cat the first time I saw him and is now only cat-shaped—took a hat. Looked pleased about it. I said nothing. A man’s got to have his mysteries.
The manifest listed foodstuffs, reagents, and the usual shipping nonsense. But then there it was: “Duke’s cargo – x6,” crossed out in angry ink, and a note—“DO NOT OPEN.” Which, as we all know, is fancy noble code for extremely worth opening later.
Then we went below.
That’s where we met our first ghoul. Slouched over a crate like it had just finished vomiting evil. Pale skin, bad posture, the whole rotting package. I tossed a light hammer before introductions. Hit solid. It snarled. I smote it. Hammer got lodged in its spine, but the damn thing kept crawling, twitching like a drunk crab on holy ground.
John finished it with Toll the Dead. Efficient. Creepy. Nice reverb.
Then the others came.
Kapher peeked through a door and hissed. Zardic, always the showman, blasted a hole straight through with eldritch flair. Two more ghouls came rushing out, limbs flailing, teeth like regret.
It all gets a bit messy from there.
I smashed one in the face, then got bit on the wrist. Didn’t hurt. More annoying than anything, like being nibbled by a sin. One of the ghouls—I swear this is true—tried to chew on my shin. Zardic cleaved into another one like he was chopping firewood made of meat. Kapher summoned an ice knife, which looked impressive, even if it missed.
Then we met Eric—the ghoul we arbitrarily named mid-fight for no reason at all. Gets up like he’s got something to prove, charges in, and makes a mess of the moment. I hit him so hard with my warhammer he exploded into the wall. Whole room lit up. Radiant flash, big boom, bits of Eric all over the place. That one felt personal.
Then we heard the banging.
Heavy slams against the big door on the far side of the hold. Wood cracking, metal groaning. Something was coming. Something big.
Door burst open at the top, stayed sealed at the bottom—real dramatic. That’s when the real trouble showed up. A towering wight, part-giant by the look of her, wearing the tattered coat and insignia of a captain, with a longbow and a long list of grievances.
She put an arrow in me. Rude.
John dropped a blessing on me, good lad, and I returned fire—with a hammer. I think it hit something. Might’ve been the wall. Maybe a ghoul. Not picky.
Kapher summoned a flaming sphere. Rolled it into the hallway like a flaming bowling ball of divine intent. Wight walked right through it like it was Tuesday, still flaming, still shooting.
We all focused fire. Zardic landed a critical with his greatsword—split a ghoul in half like it owed him money. John kept his ghost bell ringing, and Kapher kept the fire rolling like it was a party trick.
The wight didn’t stop.
She drew twin blades after dropping her bow, still aflame, half-frozen, and moving with grim purpose. Hit Zardic hard. Real hard. Blood-on-the-floor hard. But Zardic took it like a champ and returned the favor.
John, gods bless him, tried to stop me from delivering the killing blow. Said we might want to “talk” to it.
I made a formal counterargument by flipping him off and turning the wight’s skull into radiant confetti. Big boom. Satisfying thud. Final words were probably static.
And that was that.
No more ghouls. No more arrows. No more undead with opinions.
Just us. Covered in blood, surrounded by smoke, blessedly alive.
Thinking about taking a nap on some crates. If they bite, I’ll smite them.
(Still not a journal. This is faith-based documentation. With style.)
Inventory (Post Ghoul Removal)
On-Person
Warhammer – Faithful. Recently redecorated with wight face.
Chainmail – Punctured, scorched, probably blessed.
Light Hammers (x4) –
Regret (returned to belt, slightly gooey)
Regret Again (used on ghoul #1, might still be in the spine)
Unnamed #1 (thrown at something, maybe wall)
Unnamed #2 (unaccounted for, presumed holy)
Backpack – Contains:
Slightly blood-soaked Captain’s Map
Folded Ship Manifest (with angry ink)
One (1) mug – still half-blessed, now also haunted
Rations – squashed, untouched
Bedroll – will be used immediately after this
Candles (x3) – unlit, still smelling vaguely of regret
Holy Symbol of Kord – currently around neck, faintly glowing or maybe just sweaty
One (1) Gold Coin – Emotional support and financial plan
Battle Additions
Captain’s Hat – Technically Kapher’s, but I touched it first
Zombie Blood – Unintentional, now part of skin care routine
One (1) Lifelong Memory of John Trying to Be Sensible – Will bring up later at inappropriate times
Burn Marks – Courtesy of fireball-adjacent positioning
Possible Bite Mark – Left wrist, minor. Didn’t even break the flask.
Shipboard Curiosities Not Yet Claimed
“Duke’s Cargo” – Seen, untouched. Still sealed. Still ominous.
Various tools – Hammer-shaped, but not religiously significant.
Remaining light hammer? – May have ascended.
Crates marked “Reagents for Guild” – Possibly flammable. Possibly cursed.
THE GILDED DEBT & THE FOG THAT AIN’T WET
First sober breeze of early Kythorn. Maybe.
Supplies (Post-Alepocalypse):
Mug (half-blessed)
Chainmail (still functional, mostly)
Four light hammers (two named Regret, two yet to be named)
Backpack (mildly scorched)
Warhammer (faithful)
One gold coin (emotional support currency)
Things I Am Definitely Not Journaling:
I’ve been in this town a month. Long enough to outdrink every keg from the harbor to the high street and short enough to forget that Mira—the stone-hearted stool-counter from the Guilded Goblet—keeps track of what I owe in furniture. (Five stools. Maybe six. One imploded.)
Was trying to buy just one more mug of ale when Mira decided I’d volunteered for a quest. Said I “looked like I needed work.” Rude. Also true.
Next thing I know, there’s a Tiefling (Zardic) yelling about killing ten goblins. Mira said it was six. I like her honesty.
Then this human lad—John—starts chatting with Zardic like they’re old drinking buddies. Mira says the quest needs four people. John and Zardic say “we’ll go alone.” Mira says “you won’t.” Then the cat volunteers.
Yes, a cat. Was sitting behind me on a barrel like it owned the room. Turns out it’s a druid named Kapher. Still calling him “the Cat.” Fits better.
Anyway, I tried to buy ale, ended up in a party. That’s how these things go.
Quest Details (What I Remember):
Mission’s from a baron named E. Van. Fancy, not too pompous.
Ship called the Wind Rose went missing. Big one—black wood, black sails, gold roses.
Last seen heading west then up the coast. Cargo? Classified. Probably dangerous or stupid. Maybe both.
We’re to find it or bring back news. 150 gold each. Bonus if we recover a special crate. “Tournament-related,” whatever that means.
I owe Mira stool money, so 150 gold sounds like redemption.
Travel Highlights:
Horses cost too much. I have one gold after paying for one, dumb beast.
The Cat said the fog “isn’t wet.” That’s when I knew we were in danger.
Something about a tree talking to him. I don’t trust trees that whisper unless they’re on fire.
We found a boat near Crescent Cove. Blood everywhere. I tasted it. Rotten. Not wine. Definitely a bad sign.
Zardic and I shared a look. One of those “welp, here we go” looks.
Climbed into the rowboat. Cargo net’s still up on the ship. The other lifeboat’s gone.
By the time we reached the wreck, I realized something horrifying:
I was sobering up.
Kord save us all.
This is NOT a journal.
This is tactical recollection. For legal, divine, and stool-related purposes.
Catch Lightning, They Said…
Last thunderstorm of Mirtul, give or take a dare and a lightning bolt
Supplies After the Incident:
Ale stock: evaporated (see: divine spark + open bottles)
Eyebrow: pending regrowth
Warhammer: slightly magnetic
Pride: surging
Local reputation: unstable, possibly legendary
Lightning in a bottle: previously real, now “airborne”
Stool: broken (again—expected)
Things I Am Definitely Not Journaling:
It started with ale. (They always do.)
The Broken Nail was its usual hymn of spills and shouting when some half-elf lad—Rillan, I think—decided to challenge me. Not to a fight, mind you. No, he asked if I could catch lightning. Which is either blasphemy or foreplay, depending on the region.
Naturally, I took it as a divine dare. Kord heard. Kord answered.
I walked out into the storm with prayer in one hand and my hammer in the other. Don’t remember much—just a lot of thunder and the smell of burning heroism. Woke up smelling like toasted courage and holding a bottle fizzing like a thundercloud’s bad idea.
Returned the next night looking like a divine hazard. Told Rillan “your turn.” Opened the bottle.
Lightning escaped like it had beef. Zapped the elf, a moose head, and a whole shelf of expensive regrets. Bar’s got an open skylight now, whether they wanted one or not.
Someone muttered “by the Forgefather.” I’m pretty sure he ducked under a table shaped like Kord’s fist. That counts as worship.
Rillan’s fine. Singed, wiser, maybe a little holier.
Me? I’m keeping the bottle cork as a holy relic.
This is NOT a journal.
This is storm documentation, divine in nature, mildly flammable.
Supplies for a Divine Encounter (which was definitely not a religious awakening)
4th Stormwane, Year of the Staggering Goat
Filed under: Post-storm inventory recovery and divine accident assessment
Inventory at the Time of Incident:
Ale (half a keg, two-thirds holy by then)
Salted pork (spoiled—might’ve attracted the lightning)
Cracked helmet (not from battle, from falling over laughing before the strike)
Holy symbol of Moradin (slightly melted, not returned)
One tent (in theory; reality said otherwise)
Jerky (still edible, not spiritual)
1 suspicious goat (don’t ask)
Zero umbrellas (never trusted them)
Items to Replace After Incident:
Boots (vaporized mid-sprint)
Beard braid rings (one embedded in a tree 40 ft away—impressive)
Map (now a very artistic ash smear)
Skepticism (no longer in stock)
THINGS I AM NOT JOURNALING:
It was supposed to be a hunting trip. Me, the lads, some smoked meat, and something to hit with a hammer. Clear skies when we left. Mostly. Maybe some rumbling.
They ran for shelter when the clouds came in. I stayed out, dared the storm to try me. Swore I heard someone laughing in the thunder.
Then it hit. A bolt right to the chest like the gods were playing darts and I’d mouthed off too loud. Heart stopped. Beard sizzled. For a second, I saw him—not with eyes, with something behind the ribs. Huge. Laughing. Loud as war drums. Offered me a drink or a challenge—I forget which, took both.
Woke up two days later in a crater full of steam and regret, holding a warhammer I didn’t own and a new sense of purpose I didn’t ask for. Still don’t know if I died or just got smited into a better version of myself.
Either way, I started shouting prayers and swinging the hammer after that. Kord hasn’t corrected me once.
This is NOT a journal.
This is a retroactive divine encounter log with attached restock notes. Totally normal.
The Pint-Sized Paladin of Redglen (She wasn't a paladin. She was worse.)
A few tankards before the last thunderstorm I remember.
Inventory:
Ale (running low—not because I drank it, but because it was weaponized)
Coinpurse (lighter than my head after round six)
Pride (bruised, but structurally sound)
Respect for mortals with iron stomachs (newly acquired)
Hangover cure (see: divine intervention or another drink)
Boot (retrieved from rooftop—don’t ask)
Things I Am Definitely Not Journaling:
Was challenged in a tavern outside Redglen by a barmaid named Mira. Said she could “outdrink any dwarf north of the Spine,” and she meant it. Thought I’d humor her. For Kord. For glory. For ale.
Big mistake.
By tankard three, I knew I was in trouble. By tankard five, I was praying mid-chug. By tankard eight, I thought I was Kord. She just kept grinning like the ale owed her money.
I woke up on the roof. No memory of how I got there. One boot missing, beard braided into knots that spelled “loser” in Giant. (I only know because I insulted someone using the same word once.)
Told Mira she had the strength of a storm and the grace of a lightning bolt through my liver. She called me “sweet.” Not sure if I’m insulted or in love.
No smiting today. Only respect. And maybe a nap.
This is NOT a journal.
This is a written warning to future me: never trust anyone who can carry six mugs in one hand and remember what you said after round eight.
Operational Log: Divine Logistics & Ale Priorities
7th of Kythorn, in the season of thunder and bad decisions
Ale (for prayer, hydration, and charm checks)
Bread (weapon-grade preferred)
Cheese (aged, or unreasonably aggressive)
Jerky (something that’ll last longer than a moral debate)
Soap (Kord willing)
New stool (won’t last a day, but tradition matters)
Bandages (for civilians, not me)
Chalk (for tracking, marking, or drawing rude helmets on statues)
Things I Am Definitely Not Journaling:
Got kicked out of last town. Again. Third time this month. Chair snapped mid-blessing. They said it was a disturbance. I said it was a divine message. We agreed to disagree. Loudly.
Tavern keeper said “maybe sit on the floor next time.” Floor cracked. That’s not on me.
Sleeping outdoors again. Stars are nice. Wolves are louder. One growled during my evening prayer—took it as applause.
No signs from Kord lately, but I found a stump shaped like a fist and tripped over it. That counts. Probably.
Still haven’t found a cause worth smiting. Starting to think the next one will find me.
This is NOT a journal. This is a battle ledger with snacks.
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