Stone Stand

Year: 1491, Month: Mirtul, Date:18th

We watch over the side of the Airship as we approach Stone Stand.  Leo says legend has it that the oak tree at the centre of Stone Stand is a cutting from the Grandfather Tree.  Who knows?  These oak trees all look the same to me.

Once again Captain Zook manoeuvers the Airship and hovers close to the tree.  Rope ladders are thrown over the side, and we climb down.  Celery continues to mutter about Dryads, who apparently attacked her without provocation.  Leo rolls his eyes and strides off, and I follow quickly, not wanting to have to listen to Celery anymore.

As we approach the oak tree I see a ghost of, what I presume is, a barbarian, "Hail, Barbarian of Uthgard".

Leo continues striding towards the ghost. I keep up and quietly pray to Tyr for protection and the familiar shimmering field appears around my body.  Out of the corner of my eye, I see Captain Zook race past us towards the ghost.   Leo lifts up his arm, and five glowing darts streak from his outstretched finger and strike the ghost.

I look at the ghosts face.  I can imagine some people might find it's features frightening, but they just seem normal to me.  Celery is following us, shield raised towards the ghost, beseeching Lathandar to make it flee, but nothing happens.  I wonder if Lathandar is displeased with Celery for killing those Dryads yesterday?

Leo raises his arm once more, and this time, a frigid beam of blue-white light streaks towards the ghostly barbarian and strikes it.  The ghost seems to absorb the energy from Leo's magic.

I close the distance, and loudly proclaim a vow of enmity towards the ghost.  Tyr responds, and I strike it once with my sword, infusing my blow with the his might.  I attack a second time, once again infusing the blow with Tyr's strength and the ghost dissipates.

Captain Zook walks around the other side of the tree, and as he does so, a second barbarian ghost rises from the ground. Again, I am unaffected by its hideous visage.

Celery turns to face this new threat, once more raising her shield towards the ghost.  I sense the sunlight dims as is drawn to Celery before a violent pulse of energy radiates from Celery striking the ghost.

Leo begins an incantation, and I recognise the syllables that summon a Fireball.  Moments later a bright streak flashes from Leo's finger directed towards the ghost.  It travels behind the ghost before blossoming with a low roar into an explosion of fire and flame, engulfing the ghost, but dissipating just before it reaches Leo and I.

I feel invincible with the power of Tyr coursing through me.  I attack this new threat with vigour, striking it twice. Each time the power of Tyr strengthens my muscles, and once more the ghost dissipates.

Before we can catch our breath, a third ghost rises from the ground close to Celerity.  This ghost's face is ruined, and parts look like they are hanging off.  The ghost seems to enter Celery's body. Her face goes sallow, her eyes change colour to a dull grey blue and she moves towards us, holding her Mace aggressively in our direction.  Leo shouts that Celery has been possessed, and we must get the ghost out of her.

Captain Zook  carefully approaches the possessed Celery and attacks her.  She Celery waves her Mace in his direction, and creates a small flash of light. Leo also invokes an incantation, and the might seems to be snuffed out like a candle flame starved of oxygen.  Captain Zook closes his fingers into a fist and strikes Celery in the face, and she seems momentarily stunned.  Captain Zook punches her twice more, and I wince for Celery, even though I know she's possessed by the ghost.

Leo performs another incantation, holding a black worm which dangles limply from one hand.  Although a different colour, it reminds me of the arms from the tentacled demon on the Grand Dame in Yartar.  Ebony coloured arms spring from the ground and writhe all around Celery, some wrap themselves around Celery's limbs and prevent her from moving.  Heeding Leo's warning, I wade through the writhing mass of ebony arms, and with no honour at stake, thrust my sword into Celery's back.  As she sags limply, still held fast by the ebony arms, the ghost phases out of her body and is immediately surrounded by the writhing arms.  I grab hold of Celery and try to pull her to the edge of the writhing mass.  Initially I struggle, but with a massive heave I manage to pull her clear.  



The ghost glides smoothly out of the area covered by the ebony arms and moves threateningly towards Leo.  Captain Zook peers from behind the tree concealing him to get a better view of what is occurring.  Leo lifts the wand I gave him off his belt, and at point blank range, eight  glowing darts silently thud into the ghost's tattered forehead.  Leo lowers the wand, but the ghost glides onwards towards him.  He shakes his head, then in an instant moves some distance from the ghost.

I gently place Celery on the ground, and use the power of Tyr invested in me, to heal some of her injuries, then step between her and the ghost, sword held at the ready, to prevent the ghost from causing any further harm.  There is a blur of movement, and Zook races past me and leaps at the ghost punching its face.  His fist goes through the ghost which dissipates away.

As that ghost is banished, yet another one appears, just behind Leo.  Before I can shout a warning the ghost tries to merge with Leo.  Some sort of internal conflict occurs in his body, before the ghost's life force is repelled by Leo.  Celery gets to her feet groggily, and whispers a prayer to Lathandar.  Many of the slashes, cuts, and bruises on her skin stop bleeding and close up as if the injuries had never occurred.   

Leo pivots towards the new ghost, and five glowing darts burst forth from his fingers and strike the ghost.  He glances at the field of writhing arms which then disappear - the ground returning to its state before the ebony arms had burst forth, as if they had never been there.  I move to the ghost, and strike quickly without finesse, but infused with the power of Tyr.  The second impact slices through the ghost which evaporates out of existence.

I glance at Celery, who glowers at me for some unfathomable reason.  I cannot help but feel that Lathandar allowed her to be possessed in punishment for attacking those Dryads.

We investigate around the tree trunk, but can find nothing.  I ask Celery if i can borrow her mace to help dig around the ground, but all i receive in return is a frosty silence. She turns her back on me, and I can still see the hole in her armour where I pierced it with my sword.

I yell up to the airship, and converse with Delsephine to ask if they can help us dig under the tree to search for a Giant Relic.  She sends down two of her dragon cultist minions.  After about four hours of hard labour, and with the help of the cultists, we come across remains of a number of barbarian chieftains.  Although we can't easily tell, I would guess these to be the remains of the four ghosts we battled.  We continue digging, and after another several hours, we unearth a huge, giant sized skull, which we carefully excavate.  With the help of the cultists, and not Celery who seems to be sulking, we gently prise the skull from the earth and tree roots.  Leo is too tired to climb back up the rope ladder so uses his magical ability to fly up.  I stare at him, and shrug my shoulders as he looks back.  He must have a brief moment of guilt, as he flies back down, and gives me the ability to fly also.  We fly gently to the ship, placing the skull down gently on the deck.

We set course for Silverymoon to reprovision, before heading to One Stone.  whilst there, Celery visits Lathandar's Temple for a few hours.  Lets hope renewing her connection to Lathandar has improved her demeanor.