A note on Malagar

Dear journal (diary sounds a bit gay)

After accidentally stumbling over my friend Crosby’s backpack, by chance his diary fell open on the last page entry, which I couldn’t help reading, I noticed some rather odd references to me.

I thought that I might take the opportunity to explain myself a bit. I felt bad about what happened to Arnie, so I think some flashbacks are in order.

As a young child on the streets, abandoned by my mother who I never really knew, and with a vague idea that my father was human’ish, I had to make my own way. I realised early on that my strength was not really an option for making my way in life. I remember once trying to impress a girl by flexing my biceps, which looked like two peas in a straw, and from that point on I knew that what I wanted and needed to survive was more in the skulk around and borrow when no one is looking category. After some false starts and some very close calls with the local town fuzz, I thought it might be prudent to disappear for a while.

I made my way to the town of Waterdeep, where I learned most of what I know from the local pirates and thieves. At first I was put to work as a pickpocket and beggar. After only a short while my esteemed elders realized that my talents might lie else ware, as they realized that my hunger for possessions caused me to lash out at those poor fools who gave me small change. I was causing some interest by the city watch, which the bosses decided was not good for business. They thought to train me in burglary, but again my fingers usually found those things which are most precious and well guarded. This caused a lot of trouble for them and I decided that to stop myself from getting the legendary Waterdeep ruby necklace (a slit throat) I should maybe travel else ware and look for my fortunes in a smaller more independent town.

I travelled for many months, being around 16 at the time (I never knew my birth year), I finally found a small town called Green meadow. Here I decided is the place to hone my skills in appraising and acquiring the more valuable and expensive things that other people owned. I met up with some of the locals, which turned out to be exactly what I needed. They were forming a merchant company for trading with other towns, and after some serious fast talking and some bribery, I convinced them to take me in.

I will not fill this journal with my ranting about the poor childhood I had or the reasons for me being what I am, I just thought that if I could explain myself in this journal, I might be able to tell the others, especially Tara, about why I do certain things, and hopefully they will be able to understand me better. I don’t do this to be charitable or because I’m pathetic (I hope) but because I think I can be a valuable part of the party. With some guidance and a strong nudge in the right direction every now and again, I might actually turn out OK.

Once again, sorry Arnie, I have learnt my lesson. Next time we raid a dragon’s hoard, I will inspect it most closely before touching anything. Oh and we must find a reliable cleric for reincarnations. Can you imagine the horror of a female badger barbarian?

Thank you for listening

Malagar the hand, trouble maker and connoisseur

Oh P.S. Thanks for putting up with a newbie :-)

Treasure and Trials

The wizards journal, such a valuable find, showed me the way to the others, through an ice portal. On the other side of the portal I found Malagar, hiding from something. It turned out to be the most terrifying and colossal creature I have ever seen: a elder white dragon. Malagar escaped back through the portal with me, but the others had run down another tunnel.

Malagar and I, believing the portal to be a door, investigated an ice wall further up from the cavern where I found the wizards remains. Behind the ice wall we found the rest of the Maiden Kings archaeological party, but we gave them the slip and headed back through the portal.

This time the dragon was gone and we managed to find the others, who had made short work of some orcs and found a heap of valuable treasures. We decided to rest up, but our rest was cut short by the return of the dragon and a smaller dragon, perhaps one of its spawn. We fled back down some tunnels, but the smaller dragon, still larger than a house, bore down upon us. I attempted to converse with it, but it would not hear me, or simply could not understand my dialect of Draconic. We fought bravely against it, but Arnie was badly wounded in the fight. (Personal note: my magic had no effect against the dragon, I will have to research ways to improve my magical ability against such creatures.)

With the dragon slain, we made for the exit, but the larger dragon cast a spell that sealed us in. Luckily we could use the opportunity to rest and prepare new spells. The druid was then instrumental in cutting a way through the ice for our escape.

Before leaving the ice caves, we discovered a vast dragon horde: many magical artefacts and gems beyond our wildest imaginings, though perhaps not Malagar, he seems to have a wild imagination when it comes to wealth, but I digress. We managed to gain some magical items and books, but Arnie was attacked by strange creatures that looks like a coin. There were swarms of these creatures and Arnie was overcome. Our poor barbarian friend had died.

Malagar, the Druid (I forget her name) and myself made a daring rescue of the skeleton of Arnie. It was my finest moment of the entire adventure so far, and I'm considering a new career as a fighter, perhaps. For it was I who grabbed the ankle of our departed friends corpse and ran, while being bitten by a swarm of the coin-scarabs. I was nearly overcome, but for my great stamina and athletic ability, and the help of Malagar to some extent.

Needless to say, we left the caves, and after a run in with some of the Maiden King's guardsmen, we made for civilization, to get Arnie and the wizard regenerated. Arnie was successfully regenerated to some extent, although his body is now that of a female. Malagar and myself agree that it is a change for the better, although the males in the party are out now numbered. The wizard was not as lucky, for although he was returned to life, and is still male (the druid assures me), he now has the body of a badger.

In all this entry covers roughly 4 days.

Crosby of Green Meadow, Friend Rescuer, Lore Master and Dragon Botherer.