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Ms. Hortense Smithwise Hall of the Children The Delvin
My ever-dearest Mistress Hortense.
I write hoping with all my heart the horrors of the last week have passed over our beloved City. If The Delvin has been struck as well, I hope you and our charges are well. I am fine, though I am afraid I have added another substantial scar to my collection.
Needless to say, my planned meetings with the International Brotherhood of Puppeteers - and our long sought goal of launching an inaugural Quelmar Global Festival of Puppetry was utterly blown off course.
I did spend one day at Seglock University. The campus is lovely. I spent most of the day with Beatrix Witherwonder - with whom I have long corresponded on the subject of political street puppetry. She suggested we join some additional colleagues at a local street carnival and do some “drop in” busking before the formal plenary sessions began in the evening.
It was a lovely carnival. I made a few coins busking and won some novelty gifts playing Ring Toss. But then, plans changed.
I am sure reports of “the eruption” in the Snowy Mountains and some of the events which followed have preceded my letter, but I have a need to record my experience which remains confusing to me even now.
I was performing when “the Eruption” occurred. There was a general upset among the audience (Not thankfully due to my performance) so I gained the rooftop to better see. I can only describe what I saw as otherworldly or cataclismic. The top of a mountain far on the horizon was sheered away and boiling clouds of purple darkness were filling the sky above it. A series of minor quakes and tremors passed from the mountain to Seglock. I joined a few others in working to calm down upset patrons at the carnival. I sent them home with tasks they could accomplish. I did this side by side with a remarkable Elephantine Barbarian and an Owlin who I later came to learn is an accomplished artificier. Lovely people. I hope they survived.
From the rooftop I could not only see the quickly spreading opaque purple clouds, I could see what appeared to be fires and smoke nearby. By now I had become separated from Beatrix. I still have not found her But in the hope of being helpful I joined a group of local citizens setting out to respond to the fires. Besides the Elephantman and Owlin, there was Tiefling riding a great Scarab Beetle, a Paladin named Sly and an Asimar who had lovely diction.
We quickly learned a local Kobold Gang (of the ruffian sort) had been setting the fires - as well as theatrenning/harming locals. I attempted to speak with the ruffians, but they were rather hostile toward any diplomatic overtures. A bit of a brawl ensued, and I am afraid I participated. I will have to atone for many lives I have taken someday. But this day - in a highly disordered and uncoordinated way we did stop these Kobold Arsonists. Killing some, driving others away, Sly captured one. I then turned to helping put out the fires and comfortingt the afflicted. Sly and the Owlin (Ona) asked me to assist them on another matter. The sky was growing almost black from the cloud overhead at this point. I agreed. And had a great surprise in store.
And oh the Wonders of the World. I did not run, nor ride, nor sail - but by some magical means which is still unclear to me Sly, Ona the tiefling riding his giant insect and I stepped into a shimmering portal - I was oddly excited by this having never done such a thing before. I can report it is a remarkable and efficient way to travel. Each of us were separately transported without any effort or apparent means, and it was done very quickly. I did not see nor hear my companions while we transited. It was dark but comforting. All of the air smelled of a spring morning and though I believe the transport was only a few seconds of time, it was as if I had a full and wonderful afternoon nap in the process Which was fortunate. As we burst out of this brief restful spring into a flaming hellscape.
On all sides after this wonderful transport were scenes of horror. I had seen a true and living dragon before. I thought it a most massive thing. But now I have seen one vastly larger. A truly massive Dragon. I and my companions were so struck with awe at is presence we froze and stared. I off course closed my eyes and calmed my clear my mind from this awe. We were in a town square. The Huge and Ancient Red Dragon had set alight all of the building facing the square and smashed all statuary and merchant stalls that had been there. As we arrived the Dragon was in the process of swallowing a brave man who was fighting it feverishly even while being swallowed whole. I have never imagioned I would live to see such a thing. Apparently this poor man was one of several the Dragon had swallowed before our arrival. The Great Dragon was also attended by a number of Draconic Minions. I am uncertain of how many exactly, but as a whole the group had laid waste to dozens of souls.. The bodies of dwarves, humans and many others were strewn about. The blood of the Dead and screams of the Dying and broken reminded me of the meat-puppet war from so many years ago. It was that bad.
The Paladin (bless his brave heart) and the Asimar had immediatlely charged the Dragon. I, now fleet of foot and fully clear of mind began rushing about as fast as possible bringing help to the harmed. Within a minute of our arrival the Great Red Dragon and it’s minions grew angry and left us. In part my efforts reviving the fallen may have been partly the reason. I revived several fallen warriors and a sorcerer of some kind. I provided medical care to many others and unfortunately realized I had brought too few of my finer healing potions.
As the last of the wounded were revived a Dwarf lord who I believe to be deranged appeared in huge distress with urgent demands. It was only then I learned we were in GammelGard, and the earthquakes we had felt in Seglock had done even greaert harm to this place. Including to a place called the Arrow Crystal Factory (?) The mad dwarf was surly, even by dwarven standards, giving curt orders. “Get to the factory, grind up some crystals, manufacture something called a “float stone” and then shut the factory down.” It all sounded bizarre and fantastical to me.
Being a clown, medical clinician and puppeteer I had no idea how I could possibly be useful in such a venture and no idea how to respond to this anxious and clearly wonky dwarf. He then claimed his entire family had just been killed, and raged to us that if someone failed to make these “float crystals” and shut down the reactor, “Half of Gammelgard - and possibly the entire world” - would be destroyed. As I said, clearly deranged.
Though perhaps I can believe this dwarf was speaking from a place of grief, rather than being hyperbolic and untruthful. And yes, I am also aware I have trust issues regarding dwarves after all the Roblixian Betrayals . In any case, I pushed back on his absurd statement and noted asking a street clown to run a complex factory filled with machinery sounded like an absurdly bad idea. However the Owlin I had mentioned earlier hooted up that she was quite certain she could operate the machinery - and believed the dwarf’s story.
As I mentioned I liked the Owlin, and agreed to assist her. The Paladin, the Bug Rider and several of the other adventurers who I helped revive after fighting the Dragon also came along. While I noted earlier how the Dragon had set alight dozens of buildings, I was becoming aware the darkness of the city was not only the smoke of these many fires, but also we were under the great purple clouds I had seen in the distance. It had the unpleasant odor which reminded me of Ronnie the Halflings farts after he has drunk too many meads and gone with all Bean Tacos on Taco Tuesdays. You can imagine.
In any case we followed a winding map through the nearly ruined city of Gammelgard. I was taken by the quality of the architectural stonework - though much of it had been smashed earlier in the day the quality of the workmanship was still obvious. When we arrived at the Crystal Factory we found another unpleasant surprise. It was occupied byhighly unpleasant two headed creatures who were just completing the task of kiling all, or nearly all, of the Dwarven workforce. I am uncertain what these dark creatures were - and I don’t want to upset you or the children too much - but the ensuring brawl was memorable. I did my part, and as I mentioned added a scar to remember the day by.
My new found helpmates and I eventually dispatched these horrors (possibly Eldritch Horrors I might note) and found our way to the Crystal manufacturing area. The Owlin Artificer truly was the hero of the day. I helped as I could but she used this giant array of baffling machines to grind up crystals and fabricate floating stones. We affixed these to chains like strange circus balloons and Paladin and a Ranger who had joined the party agreed to take them to…somewhere called the Sneerwell Port, which I thought at the time was nearby.
I was asked to help with the wounded and did so, but shortly thereafter the Owlin informed me the Paladin had been waylaid entering the Sneerwell - and perhaps I could go assist. I was sent for the second time through a shimmering and restful springrim tunnel - which again came out into a scene of horrors.
The Paladin was there, among others, as were dark beasts of various sorts and handers making them. Apparently he crystals we had made were to be connected to an airship of sorts which was the site of much conflict. I quickly assessed one of the Beast handlers was near where I had appeared and without having time to change my outfit to something more appropriate for a dockside brawl I engaged him. I believe I did well for my friends, though apparently soon thereafter the situation grew worse. I am unclear how, but I was again pulled by my allies into portal while in the midst of fighting the beast-handler and found myself again - back in Seglock - once again on the same field of battle as the Great Red Dragon. My allies lay strewn and broken about the beast, though I noted it was no longer attended by minions and the great Dragon was itself wounded in multiple places. I sprinted and flew about, providing aid and comfort. I also collected several vials of the Dragons blood - which I have long been told carries various medicinal and medical benefits.
Finally though, not only did I realize my Ki was exhausted, I was myself afflicted by some malaise. A Great Rabbit Priestess who was also aiding in the battle believed I had been infected by “Darkness Itself” when I was in the Sneerwelll, which I then gathered is a magical and infernal place.
But with that infection upon me, all of my healing potions given to others, all of my medical kit empty and my Ki exhausted, I was unable to stay awake - and as will not surprise you in the slightest - found a small place to curl up and rest my mind and body.
When I came out of meditation and sleep - I believe I had both - I was sitting at the edge of the now destroyed campus of Seglock University. I spent two days urging the hundreds of wounded, and trying to find out the fate of Beatrix and my new found battlefield companions. I did in time find Sly the Paladin. He is rightly proud of his acts and promised to send word if he found out the fate of my old friend Beatrix any of my new friends Ona the Owlin Artificer or Cider the Asimar. I also told him I was uncertain how I could be of further help, but to let the authorities know I would offer any aid I could.
Again. I hope this finds you and all the many children and friends of The Delvin well. Please tell Emmerrel he was right - he should have come along. I though I was going to a puppeteers conference, instead I could have used his DragonBorn Martial Skills. I will write soon with my plans. While here I think it best I simply be known by my Bosco the Clown street name. But to you… I will always be, our beloved:
Fred.
PS - I am hoping still to find a good place for street Burritos, but needless to say given the situation I am doing what I can to help. I am getting in solid work outs.
PPS - I witnessed dozens of acts of bravery and heroics throughout these events, I am uncertain in many cases who exactly conducted them, nor their final fates - but perhaps I will one day know more and will share more. I am certain every account you are hearing is different and filled with wonders. I am uncertain if the full events of this strange day will ever be fully known.
