Overzealous companions will be the death of me yet. Trying to negotiate with the Goblin Shaman may not have been one of my best ideas but, they could have at least waited until I was a bit closer to attack him. As it was he caught us bunched up in the corridor and unleashed a huge ball of flame against us. Thankfully, we had all seen enough of similar casters in our travels and managed to surround him forcing him into melee combat. He did attempt to cast while we were adjacent to him but, thanks to speedy reflexes and quick thinking on all our parts we managed to avoid the worst of him. Gregg, may the gods bless him whether he likes it or not, was the true hero of the encounter though as he nearly single-handedly turned the Shaman into a smear upon the floor.
After the enemy was finished off we caught our breath and made a thorough search of the room recovering the “famed” Skull Totem.

We then set off back to Loudwater to clear our names and claim the promised rewards. Upon the way we decided to take the Portal Stones we had found previously back with us. In aide of this task Belgarath conjured up a floating disk which he trailed behind us.

Upon arrival in Loudwater we were treated as heroes by some and with derision by others.

We received an invite to Lady Moonfire’s masquerade ball and cleared our name with the Captain of the Guard.

We visited with Cala at the general store and picked out outfits that would do for such a gathering in this part of the world. I spent sometime wishing for more modern styles and trying to hold in laughter at what a few of the others had chosen to wear. I can’t help it; I suppose even with my willingness to help those in need I’ll always be a bit of a snob. Perhaps I get that from my mother’s side of the family. Maybe one day I will find out.
After our shopping we went our separate ways. With Zyanne and I engaged in business of our own the others went about trying to settle our account with the Wizard over the retrieval of the Skull Totem and spoke to him about the Portal Stones.

We met up in the tavern and discussed recent events amongst ourselves over a few drinks. There is something entirely uncouth occurring in this little town between the shopkeepers and someone known as “The Lady of the Shadows”. Although there are a couple of suspects the overall investigation I fear will be infuriatingly slow. To use such a fancy moniker and waste it on a protection racket seems so mundane. I tried without success to come up with a brilliant plan to engage in to settle the matter and even opened up the planning to the others. I can’t work out whether we were all too distracted by trying to wrap up lose ends from the Goblin Barrow or whether we just had too much to drink but, it seems when it comes to planning ahead we just aren’t very good yet.

Whether the rest of us had imbibed too much or not Gregg certainly had as he became lost while travelling about town and may have gotten quite seriously hurt when he stumbled upon some stairs in the dark and accidentally broke down the door to some abandoned and derelict building. If it had been occupied I may have seen my way to offering recompense but, as it was falling down anyway I simply felt no need.

In his drunkenness Gregg was determined to break all the doors he found in the cellar down. If I had not managed to tackle him and explain that this was not the appropriate time for such action he may very well have done it.

Eventually, we all went to Lady Moonfire’s. After checking our weapons and Gregg’s armour at the door we entered the ball.


- Delamor Campion


‘Note to self: The wizard we spoke to was able to tell me that the Shaman we fought below the barrow was foolish enough to think he was awakening his old master. When in fact he was making a futile attempt at awakening a dead demon that had been after some kind of power to the north. I wonder where this leaves the Skull totem, and its broken horned piece carried by our Rogue? I must remind myself to discuss this with the others, or maybe I will see the old Wizard later on at the party.’

Aradon Thrall