The Themordol Chronicles, or; How Harmor Saved the World

 1134 Post Dragon War (PDW) 8^th Month 23^rd Day

It’s been twelve years since the incident. I figured I should make some notes about what my life is like, just to clear some things up about what I do should anyone come looking after I’m dead. But I’ll do that tomorrow. I’m tired.

1135 PDW 3^rd Month 5^th Day

I’m not very good at this journaling, am I? Well, suffice it to say that, since my last entry, I have embarked on a quest to save the world. Again. I’m traveling with a small bloke, short and stocky. Goes by the name of Harmor. His beard is longer than he is and he has to tie it around himself like a sash, otherwise he’ll trip over it. Also, he nearly skewered me with his battle axe the other night when I coughed in my sleep. This is going to be a long quest…

1135 PDW 3^rd Month 6^th Day

Two days in a row! Not too shabby, eh? Anyway, we tried taking a shortcut to the Hallows—that’s where we’re headed, by the way—by going through an old, ruined city. Ran into some old friends of Harmor’s—at least, that’s what he called them. By the way they tried to kill us, I don’t think they were friends. At least, not anymore.

After dispatching Harmor’s “friends” we looked for a strong roof to sleep under, but everything was too run down or…well, to be honest, too creepy. Don’t tell Harmor, though. Wait, I don’t need to tell you that. You’re me! There’s no way in the Hallows I’d tell him that! Ugh, the Hallows…

1135 PDW 3^rd Month 8^th Day

I wanted to write yesterday, but we spent all day running from a pack of wolfbears. You know, the product of that one wizard’s experiments a thousand or so years ago. Bloody terrifying, those. Fortunately, they’re rather awkward while on the run. Still a heap dangerous, mind, but easy enough to outrun. The problem is not stopping for breath, because they sure won’t.

I asked Harmor if those beasts were more of his friends, but he just cursed at me. I’ll take that as a maybe.

1135 PDW 5^th Month 42^nd Day

We made it to the Hallows. It’s more barren here than the stories make it out to be. Gangly trees that don’t produce leaves or fruit or anything, bubbling mud pits that shriek if you get too close, and a craggy landscape that makes traveling quite difficult.

I suppose I should explain why we’re here. I ran into an Oracle back in Yintle, a small town in Gavnil Territory I was hoping to retire in. Good farming community there. I think I’d enjoy tending the land. But, Oracles tend to make you rethink your plans. At any rate, she mentioned a probable end-of-the-world scenario, and I, being one of the few Channelers left in Themordol, apparently have to stop it. Not sure what I can do about a crazed dreadlord who has been spited one too many times by Themordol’s inhabitants, but if I want a shot at farming, I need to at least try.

Harmor is with me because I saved him from a street gang intent on taking his lunch. According to him, he owes me a life debt. I hate those. The last time I was owed a life debt by someone, she died the next day. Turns out her race only lived for a week, but that was one of the longest days of my life. Hopefully Harmor’s life span isn’t too long, but by the looks of his beard, I could be stuck with him for a spell.

Oh, we’re also trapped in a deep pit we fell into while navigating a dense cavern system, and we have no access to daylight. I really shouldn’t expend my energy by making light, but I vowed to keep a record of my life, and by Harmor’s beard, I’m going to keep my word.

1135 PDW 6^th Month 4^th Day

We finally escaped the pit today. As it turns out, the top wasn’t that far from our reach. Hard to know when at the bottom. But, I got cross at Harmor for mumbling about a wasted life debt and blasted him upward with a bit more power than I intended. When he didn’t come back down, I realized we had a way out. As it turns out, Harmor’s beard is quite strong and I was able to use it to scale the wall. We are still in the caverns—lost—but at least we have room to walk.

I also picked up a lucky rock I found on the ground just outside of the pit. I’ll keep it with me to remind me to never give up hope. And that anger isn’t always a bad thing.

1135 PDW 6^th Month 7^th Day

We made our way to daylight today just before the sun was at its zenith. Harmor was so relieved to be out of the caverns that he whooped and hollered so loud he sent a rock slide down on us. If it’s not one thing, it’s the next.

I think we’re getting close to the dreadlord’s keep. I keep getting the feeling like I’m being watched. I know the dreadlord has allies everywhere, but I can’t quite put a finger on it. We haven’t seen a living creature since we arrived here, and we’re about out of rations we packed from the last village we passed through. I’m not sure what we’ll do when we reach the dreadlord, but I suppose getting there is half the battle.

1135 PDW 6^th Month 9^th Day

The dreadlord’s keep came into view today, far in the distance. One more day’s journey at least and then we’ll be there. But we’ll have to be cautious; who knows what traps we’ll find on the way. I’d best get some rest while I can. Need all the energy I can get if I’m going to battle a dreadlord.

1135 PDW 6^th Month 10^th Day

We’ve made camp just outside the keep’s walls, secluded in a small cave in the side of the hill. It smells funny in here and is musty, but at least we should be safe for the night. I have no desire to fight a dreadlord at night when his powers will be at their strongest. Morning will be—

Hold on. I think…I think I hear something…

1135 PDW 6^th Month 10^th Day (part 2)

Welp, we’re in the dreadlord’s keep. Quite the freaky place, with all kinds of weird things on the walls. Art? Who’s to say. The dreadlord, however, is dead. Been dead for quite some time, it would seem. His skeleton is covered in cobwebs and rats have made a nest in his skull. It’s quite revolting, but at least I don’t have to duel a dreadlord tonight.

Oh yes, I suppose I should mention why I stopped writing abruptly earlier. As it turns out, our cave went back much further than we had assumed. A wolfbear tried sneaking up on us, but, by the grace of Harmor’s beard, we were able to outrun the beast. Once we ran out of the cave, we had nowhere else to go but the keep, so on we ran. It’s a good thing this place is deserted, otherwise we’d be in quite the predicament.

I told Harmor I would start back to Yintle in the morning. Now that the world is saved (you’re welcome), I can finally settle down and tend the earth. Maybe Harmor will make a good butler. Would it be weird for a farmer to have a butler? I’ll have to try and see.

1135 PDW 7^th Month 11^th Day

It’s been quiet on the road, so I haven’t had much to write about. Harmor is much happier now that our quest is complete.

Also, my lucky rock is luckier than I originally thought. It’s sentient. And pregnant. Well, it was pregnant. Now I’m the proud father of four healthy…smaller rocks. Not sure what I’m going to do with them, but I guess I’m stuck with them. Maybe Harmor will make a good nanny instead.

1135 PDW 8^th Month 1^st Day

We’ll be back in Yintle tomorrow. Harmor’s loving the countryside. Apparently, he grew up in the Stone Towers of the North, where there’s nothing but mountains and goats. And gold, he just said. I’ll have to remind him how much I hate it when people read over my shoulder.

1135 PDW 8^th Month 2^nd Day

Yintle is in sight, and…well, it’s not the Yintle I remember. Something has happened here, and it doesn’t look good. I just wanted to stop and make note here that we’re about to proceed on to the village. What’s left of it, anyway. The fields are charred black and the homes are barely standing. Something bad happened here. If I don’t write in here again…well, it’s either because I lost my writing tools or I got killed by whatever happened to Yintle. Wish me luck. Sorry, wish us luck. I’ll remind Harmor about not reading over my shoulder if we survive this.

1135 pdw month 8 day 5 8

This is Harmor. Dantel is sleeping. He has not woken up since he countered the Oracle’s spell with one of his own. Practically blew a hole to oblivion when he did it. Some old person claimed ownership of the village. Dantel said it was the Oracle—the same one that had sent him on his journey to begin with. He was not happy when he found out it was her that wasted Yintle. Said something about him being stupid, but I did not want to say anything—not with him in his state, you see. Still, it is a good thing I am here with him, or else he would probably be dead by now.

It was me and the Oracle in glorious combat—me with my axe and her with her spells. My grace and agility kept me one step ahead of her dark magic. After dancing around each other for what seemed like hours, I finally landed a critical blow. We all thought she was dead, but magic users are far more difficult to dispatch than that. She raised herself up from the dust and, just before she sent a blast of powerful energy through me and Dantel, I threw my axe toward her. It distracted her enough that the blast wasn’t fatal, and it gave the slow-witted Dantel time to counterattack with a spell of his own. Without me, he would most certainly be de—

Sorry about that. It’s me again. Harmor has been banished to the stables until I’m done writing. He thought I’d be out for another day or so, but I guess I surprised him. At any rate, Harmor’s account is…not all wrong. Yes, the Oracle tricked me and sent me away. As it turns out, she was the dreadlord this whole time. I can’t believe I fell for that. And, yes, she did lay waste to Yintle. The people here would not bow to her, so she destroyed the village. Those that remained were forced to serve her. They say she was planning on conquering the world from here. Another few days, the villagers said, and she would have been strong enough to do so.

Good thing we showed up when we did. Unlike Harmor’s somewhat biased account, I will tell the event as it happened, as truthfully as I can tell. Yes, Harmor did engage with the Oracle—dreadlord, actually—but he didn’t last long. He took a blast of energy to the chest and slumped over in a heap against the outside wall of what used to be the tavern. The battle didn’t last long at all. After Harmor collapsed, I jumped in front of him to protect him from another blast from the dreadlord. I summoned as much power as I could and shot a bolt of kinetic energy at the dreadlord. Our attacks met in the middle and the world exploded around us. That’s all I remember, until waking up just now to see Harmor writing in my journal.

I’d banish him for life, but his life debt won’t allow for it. Unfortunate, really. But, I suppose I’ll have him as my butler for my new home. Or nanny. Those rocks-things are still with me, but they’ve gotten bigger. I’m not sure I’m enetirely comfortable with growing rocks, but what can I do? They think I’m the father. Before I can do anything, though, we need to rebuild. The whole village is a blackened mess of charred soot. The people of Yintle are a hardy bunch—what’s left of them, anyway. They’ll be alright.

I will keep writing in here for the foreseeable future, although I fear my accounts will be rather boring compared to what I’ve already written. And that’s just fine with me. I’ve had enough adventures for one lifetime. Besides, the people here need a leader. One that won’t destroy the place if people disagree with him. That should keep Harmor busy for a while. Hopefully he’ll leave me alone after this.