Notes from a Gap Year - part one Take a year out they said! Go find a way to learn how to express yourself more naturally… as if there was an issue with the way I handle my studies! Nothing but straight A’s through my first year, Dean Mistcoiler herself said my grades were among the best she’d ever seen and yet still she advised that I might be *too* focussed on study with “not enough world experience displayed in my craft”. Even though I told her that **all** my family are Prismari alumni, she insisted that I’d benefit from some time out on the Savage Frontier. To hear her talk about this place, you’d think there would be great minds or fantastical art everywhere… but there’s nothing except dull (and frightened) townspeople in Hope! After a few days or so here, it became obvious that the only people who come here are those looking to head out beyond the walls into the unknown wilds beyond… Perusing the local “bounty board”, it seems there are many, many opportunities for adventure here. Despite my eyes being drawn to several water based options, Pris seemed excited by a slightly charred parchment asking for help rounding up some horses. It seemed a simple enough place to start although I was unsure about the “organiser” to be honest. Word around town seemed very mixed on this “ Blaze ” character… to some people, he was a damned hotheaded menace, while others credited him for “getting stuff done”. Hearing he was a Genasi sealed the deal for me though, I suspected that most of the negative comments were those who don’t understand our ways. Blaze in person is suitably impressive. A confident (and arrogant) Fire cousin, he wears the scars of battle proudly and seems to love a showy gesture of fire. He wasn’t really one for detail though… several times I tried to press him for details of a “plan” and I don’t think he had any idea! Luckily, there was a delightful Drow in attendance by the name of Uriel who seemed more thoughtful. A man with a real knowledge of the arcane albeit a fascinating focus on the whims of time. I made sure to note that I should observe him for the best course of action! Xhadahn , a Githzerai druid, seemed an interesting chap. Quiet and thoughtful but I swear I saw him scratching himself like a dog when he thought nobody was watching. Bean is a delightful Tabaxi who seems 90% fur. It was difficult to get a read on her at first as she seemed vaguely uninterested in everything. Rounding out the party, Otto proclaimed a proud military history. I’m not sure if the Human felt the need to compete but he certainly wove a wonderful tale of his exploits until I think even Blaze was impressed… We arrived at our camp for the evening. I could see a ruined small settlement away to the East although Blaze was quick to point out it wasn’t important. Pressing him for details on the plan, he gave me a whistle and told me to blow it if I saw horses… when I asked what would have happened if I had seen horses earlier, he seemed to find other stuff to focus on! At least Pris was enjoying herself playing with Bean . They spent quite a while chasing each other round the campfire - although I did have to warn Bean not to use her claws! Apart from that it was with a sense of ease that I retired to my tent after the first watch was uneventful (despite Blaze ’s infuriating refusals to plan!). I awoke to the sound of chaos! Poking my head out of the tent, I could see (and hear) Ogres everywhere! Blaze roared a challenge but I saw Uriel sneaking away to safety behind the tents and so I slipped out to follow him. Pris buried herself in the bedroll sensibly! Cowering beyond the tents, I could see we were in real trouble. There were so many of them and I felt sure that we’d negotiate a peaceful understanding any moment but then one of them grabbed Bean and that seemed to trigger madness! Otto hurled a javelin with a cry of “assholes” and Uriel unleashed a powerful lightning bolt that fried a couple of the brutes. Xhadahn morphed into a giant wolf and mauled another, dragging it to the ground. Blaze summoned some sort of fiery spirit (I thought I heard him call it “Rachel” but I can’t be sure) and seemed locked in a battle with a Shaman. Peering round the corner of the tent, I could see the one holding Bean looked a little worse for wear so I threw a ray of frost towards it. I think it might have distracted it slightly for the next moment, Bean was free and running. I heard a thump and noticed Otto had fallen down. I willed Pris to his side but she couldn’t help him. Luckily Blaze soon had him back on his feet. I fired an orb of cold at the Shaman and was rewarded with a devastating crunch. Somehow he was still standing but not for long as I think Bean took them down with some sort of ale smelling spell. Uriel exploded one of their skulls with a thunderous boom and seemed to wither another, they seemed to age before my eyes until they crumbled. Xhadahn savaged another and like that, the night fell quiet again… I may have thrown up at this stage. Despite coming through unscathed, I don’t think I’ve ever been so terrified… The following morning, we set off again. Nobody seemed bothered by the fact we’d very nearly died a few hours earlier! Maybe people were a little quieter but there was almost an acceptance of the insanity we’d been through. On the plus side though, surely that was the most dangerous thing we could have encountered? Blaze muttered something about a “Ragemaw” but he may just have been talking about his fiery spirit again? A couple of friendly Trollkins interrupted any further chance to ask though. The Trollkins were leading a cow away from a farm they said had been raided by Orcs. Forewarned is forearmed they say and surely we would use this knowledge to help us barter a peaceful surrender of the farmstead? Who are these people?? Xhadahn barged into the farm and set off some sort of alarm that riled everyone up. I had a brief glimpse of a small Goblin throwing something at us before the world exploded in fire and then darkness…. I was woken up by Bean and for a minute I thought maybe it had all been a horrible dream until the sounds of *battle* reached my ears! I staggered to my feet and dashed to hide behind a well. Utter chaos reigns. Blaze and Uriel vanished in a fiery mist and shouts then came from inside the farmhouse, followed by explosions! Xhadahn turned into a giant ape and pummelled a giant Orc. Another (even bigger Orc) came out wiping a blade clean and a second later, Blaze and Uriel were back outside with Uriel not moving. Otto was taking aim at one of the Orcs and the farmhouse was on fire… I darted to the side of the house and fired off a few rays of frost and one of the Orcs went down. Then another Goblin appeared and dropped another bomb! Bean and Otto went down and Xhadahn reverted to his normal form before a savage blow from the biggest Orc put him down too. Suddenly Blaze summoned a pair of giant Octopi inside the house and the tide was turned. Or so I thought… the Orc’s final act was to cleave into Blaze and down he went, the Octopi vanishing with it. As the Orc fell, Uriel healed Blaze with a goodberry and that reminded me I also had one. Rushing forward, I saw the fallen form of Otto and fed him my goodberry and he got shakily to his feet. Blaze helped Xhadahn (who I hadn’t even noticed was lying bleeding too!) and he promptly turned into a giant spider and skittered after the remaining Goblin before it could bomb us again! Meanwhile, I turned my attention to putting out the fire… much to the obvious disgust of Blaze There’s a number of Orcs holed up in the upstairs of the building but I’ve got no idea what they hope to achieve here! Blaze has a stubborn, angry look (even angrier than normal if you can believe that!) and he seems to have convinced Bean and Xhadahn spider to push on with the assault. I’m sorely wounded but nowhere as rough as Uriel and Otto look so it looks like we’re parting ways here… Istishia’s blessings to them, they are going to need it - the lunatics!
