Editing Game-Summaries:7/14/2018 Recollections (section)

==Recollections by Tallulah==

Going Under – Part I 
 
On the morning we were to embark on our mission to the Underdark, Ford, Kaylorr, Dereth, Resik, Zanna and myself gathered to join the other 12 Magistery members and our guide Karnifax with captive Kaanyr in tow.  We all teleported to the edge of The Golden Forest to discover that we would travel the rest of the way on foot through the forest to reach the Nightshade Kingdom where we would be able to find a portal to the Underdark.  Reshi instructs all of us to grab a rock as it would keep us grounded during the journey.  Also, by traveling through The Golden Forest we were likely to cross through The Fey Wild where time passes ‘differently’ than we are accustomed to. 
 
Before we could go any further, the disciples and adepts stepped aside when their rings began to glow and flash red.  The last time the red raised the signal was the Great Awakening—this was serious.  We were told that they had to return to answer the call but that we had a choice to continue on or to return to the Magistery.  The 6 of us decided to continue on with Karnifax and Kaanyr and take Reshi’s notes about the drow.  Just as quickly as we had arrived, our companions disappeared and we were on our own. 
 
According to Reshi’s notes, the last known location of Nimor was in the Golden Forest shepherding people to the Underdark.  Kaaynr stated that he had always traveled around the forest to get to the portal but that it was a considerable journey...so, we decided to go through the forest.  The edge of the forest appeared to be a solid wall of green, but other than the dense flora, I could not detect anything out of the ordinary and we began our trek.   
 
After traveling for 7 days, or at least what felt like 7 days to us, we noticed silhouettes of people riding horses circling around us.  The hair raised on the back of my neck, it didn’t feel friendly.  Dereth cast Guiding Hand to help us gain a better understanding of which way we should be traveling toward, but, as the riders approached nearer I realized they were not horses and riders after all but centaurs!  Six strong, angry looking centaurs began to charge at us weapons drawn.  I drew my bow and let loose an arrow landing firmly in the centaur nearest to me, I heard Kaylorr cast Bless and Sanctuary as the charging centaur pierced through my shoulder.  Wethril had charged too but missed his mark. 
 
From behind me I turned to see that Ford had jumped onto the back of one of the centaurs and was striking furiously with his rapier—the centaur grabbed Ford and slammed him at my feet.  I landed an arrow in the centaur’s chest as it galloped past us when Zanna dropped from the treetops for a sneak attack!!!  Wethril leapt at one of the other centaurs ripping its throat out and taking great pride in his success.  Not missing a beat, Ford stood from where he fell, stabbed at the centaur who had thrown him and climbed nimbly into a nearby tree—a move we would dub—stand, stab & climb…“The Old Ford Classic”.  The centaur fell to his death as Kaylorr attacked two of the remaining centaurs with Guiding Bolt.  They reared up and struck myself and Kaylorr.  A Fomorian appeared from who knows where and I moved away from the heart of the battle to drink a Quick Aid—I was in pretty rough shape and the appearance of this new foe did not bode well for me. 

Wethril remained in the fight but was having horrible aim at landing a bite.  I could tell he was frustrated and his previous kill seemed to distract him from being accurate.  Zanna and Ford moved through the trees independently, dropping onto a centaur, making their attack and moving away.  Kaylorr and Resik used powerful spells with a lot of fire keeping the centaurs at bay.  Dereth bravely confronted the Fomorian which used its enormous club to smash Dereth to the ground.  
 
Zanna cast Tasha’s Hideous Laughter on the Fomorian and it fell to the ground laughing a horrible sound I don’t care to hear again any time soon.  Ford plunged his rapier into the chest of the remaining living centaur and Kaylorr healed Dereth enough for him to regain the fight.  We all moved to prepare for our joint attack against the giant beast who was rolling in laughter on the forest floor.  Our attack hit with considerable force; the Fomorian woke from its hysteria and stood attacking Ford who was nearest to him.  I struck the creature with my longbow as Wethril leapt from the forest floor with such strength and force as I had never seen before; he lunged for the inner thigh of the giant tearing through the femoral artery shaking his head as his massive paws reached the ground spraying blood everywhere of course. 

After the battle we took some time to heal, examined the tribal tattoos on the centaurs’ bodies and cast Guiding Hand once again.  Zanna’s rapier began to glow so she climbed into the trees to see what she could see and we decided to continue to follow Guiding Hand.  Wethril scouted a perimeter for us and reported that there were elves nearby.  We traveled for several hours until we reached a clearing to set up camp for the night.  A Wood Elf named Celebor approached us asking our intent for traveling through the forest; he was ornately dressed and wore a gorgeous katana I later learned is called a Moon Blade.  Dereth was able to send a message to Reshi as Celebor seemed to recognize her name and Kaylorr convinced him to let us rest while we waited for a response from her. 
 
We received a mildly embarrassing response (for Celebor that is) from Reshi the following day and discovered that she is in fact, his older sister!  It was a relief to hear that Reshi was still alive given that we had no idea how much time had passed while we were in the forest and uncertain of what the flashing red rings meant for the rest of our friends back home.  With Reshi’s confirmation we were welcomed to enter the Golden City of Elves, as we walked through the clearing, a sprawling gorgeous city appeared as if out of thin air.  We followed Celebor through the city and learn that the Shadar-Kai feed on memories and we should not allow them to touch our head.  They are also vulnerable to light and invigorated by darkness.  We were able to rest and explore the city for a short while before moving on.  I was gifted with Elvin silk rope and a number of +1 arrows to take with me; each of my travel companions received similar, generous gifts from the elves.   
 
Celebor escorted us to the edge of the city into the pitch, black darkness.  Kaylorr and Dereth cast Guiding Hand together and we eventually reached the outskirts of the Nightshade Kingdom where we could see a tall wall and the silhouettes of giant pyramids and an obelisk towering into the sky.  The first part of our journey had ended but we had a long way to go ahead of us before we would make it home. 

 
TO BE CONTINUED...