Editing A Friendly Visit (section)

=== Timed events ===
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{{TErow| 1 | Day 1.1 | [[Dargem]]'s diary. Entry 234:<p>{{H|Dargem|0=}}: I was enjoying a nice evening out in my favorite establishment, one of the few on [[Regna]] worthy of a designation nicer than a "boozer," savoring a bottle of aged [[AvLee]]an red with old acquaintances and entertaining them with a story of my struggle against [[Halfling|bloodthirsty midgets]] and their [[Boyd|pet undead]] off the coast of [[Jadame]]. [[Old Lew]], the innkeeper, came and whispered in my ear that someone was looking for me. I had just called at the port; who Her appearance was quite inconspicuous, and it was a challenge to guess what this person could possibly want from me.<p>[[Stella]]: "Mister [[Dargem]]?" she inquired.<p>{{H|Dargem|0=}}: "That is correct. [[Dargem Llywellyn]] at your service," I nodded and sat down on the nearest chair. The stranger also sat down, smiling amiably.<p>[[Stella]]: "I am [[Stella]]. And I am looking for..." she paused. "Um. I'm looking for someone who would take on a very important mission."<p>{{H|Dargem|0=}}: "My talents are not cheap," I immediately warned.<p>[[Stella]]: "That is irrelevant," she smiled again. "I chose you not because of what you charge, but rather because of... the specifics of the task at hand."<p>{{H|Dargem|0=}}: "What is your point?"  I narrowed my eyes.<p>[[Stella]]: "You will have to go to [[Nighon]]," [[Stella]] said with a sigh.<p>{{H|Dargem|0=}}: "To [[Nighon]]? Me?! What on earth made you think it's a good idea?!"<p>[[Stella]]: "The fact that you know those parts better than anyone else who could be up for the job," my potential employer argued. "Besides, you're a [[mage]]. And an appreciator of rare ancient items..."<p>{{H|Dargem|0=}}: "You sure know a lot about me," I managed in a hoarse voice.<p>[[Stella]]: "Naturally. I apologize if this discomforts you... but I couldn't possibly go looking for a mercenary blindly. I needed a special man."<p>{{H|Dargem|0=}}: "Delighted to hear I'm special."<p>[[Stella]]: "Of course," Stella became serious. "If you complete the mission in Nighon, you will have the opportunity to participate in an expedition to locate [[Horn of the Abyss (artifact)|one of the few truly legendary artifacts in existence]].<p>{{H|Dargem|0=}}: "Now that's something you don't hear every day! What kind of an artifact? I was amazed.<p>[[Stella]]: "I am not authorized to disclose it yet. Your first objective will be in [[Nighon]]."}}
{{TErow| 1 | Day 1.2 | [[Dargem]]'s diary. Entry 235:<p>{{H|Dargem|0=}}: It would seem that this girl, [[Stella]], is more than just resourceful. I have no idea who she is or what she does for a living; that being said, I'm a mercenary (even if I'm not fond of the word, tainted so badly by those [[Jadame]]an scoundrels!), and I don't care about the minutiae. My job is to do what the employer pays for.<p>The outline of things to do, I must say, gave me pause, but I managed to keep my thoughts to myself. I was to deliver a thing called [[Dragon Scale Shield|Dragon Shield]] to the [[Nighon]]ian town of [[Maramec]]. [[Stella]] gave me a hefty purse of gold to equip my expedition and procure everything I needed. I haven't the slightest idea of who wants this shield there or for what purposes, but the [[Dungeon Overlords|dungeon lords]] are less than likely to welcome me back with open arms. We ("We!" I'd long gotten out of the habit of saying "we" when talking about [[Nighon]]ians!) have never had a lot of warm feelings for surface dwellers. Same story as with pirates and landlubbers. Well, much time has passed; I am no longer a tunnel rat, but rather a bilge one. My former friends and colleagues detest me; what else is new? I will now have to once again step inside the cold innards of [[Nighon]].<p>Feelings are feelings; work is work.}}
{{TErow| 2 | Day 2 | [[Dargem]]'s diary. Entry 236:<p>{{H|Dargem|0=}}: My crew and I set up shop in a former [[Erathia]]n fort. Back in the day, it was built here to monitor the area and coastal waters, but it has been abandoned for a couple dozen years now. Here we need to muster our forces, before landing on the desolate surface of my former homeland. As far as I know, there are a couple of free pirate settlements on the shore. If possible, I should get their residents to help me. That's going to carry a price, of course! Myself, I would never agree to go cave-crawling for free—but, thank the gods, there's a hefty reward for me in it.<p>The rough outline of an action plan is ready. Now we must prepare so that everything goes according to it.}}
{{TErow| 3 | Day 3 | [[Dargem]]'s diary. Entry 237:<p>{{H|Dargem|0=}}: I dug into my memory and extracted an important thread from it. Back in the day, a friend of mine, [[Miriam]], used to roam these waters. That girl was lots of fun, and on top of that... more than a little quirky! Completely devoid of social manners, too—but that didn't bother me at all at the time. I think it still won't be a problem, should we meet again. I remember how we spent a night at an abandoned lighthouse, sipping brandy and watching the stars. Oh, what wonderful times it was—I felt young again! It might be worth trying to seek out [[Miriam]]. She could be willing to help me with this case.}}
{{TErow| 5 | Day 5 | [[Dargem]]'s diary. Entry 238:<p>{{H|Dargem|0=}}: I have a feeling that something is not quite right with this whole story, but I can't put my finger on it. What kind of artifact was [[Stella]] talking about?<p>My love of rarities keeps bringing troubles on my head. My career as a [[warlock]] ended after I stole the legendary [[Helmet of Anduran]] from none other than [[Tor Anwyn]]. What could I do? I just couldn't avoid doing it! I wanted to touch the [[Helmet of Anduran|Helmet]], study it... know that I, and not anyone else, have this relic in my collection. In the end, it was [[Tor Anwyn|Tor]]'s own fault: he wouldn't sell it to me, whatever was the price I offered...<p>Darn it, I'm just burning with impatience!}}
{{TErow| 11 | Day 11 | [[Dargem]]'s diary. Entry 240:<p>{{H|Dargem|0=}}: It was neither easy nor cheap, but I reactivated some of my old connections. There is a civil war going in [[Nighon]] right now, started by a certain [[Mutare]]. I have no idea who this is, but for some reason hearing her name feels uncomfortable. Probably, were I one of the [[warlock]]s right now, I would raise arms against her—but this is not my war anymore. Anyway, because of these events, the border garrisons have been weakened; it won't be too hard to get into the dungeons.<p>[[Maramec]] is in the northeast. Per [[Stella]]'s instructions, I have to hand over the [[Dragon Scale Shield|Shield]] to someone in this town. This person will seek me out and pick up the artifact. Then, I can sail away, to never, ever come back!<p>That's when I'll find out what kind of expedition I'm being offered.}}
{{TErow| 18 | Day 18 | [[Dargem]]'s diary. Entry 241:<p>{{H|Dargem|0=}}: It has been many years since I became a [[Regna]]n pirate (here goes another unpleasant, tarnished word: pirate. I am definitely one, but me and those fellows without honor or good reason, whom [[Regna]] is teeming with? There is no more in common between us than between an eagle and a reeking buzzard!). Of course, I was curious to find out who inhabited this kingdom, one of the most unusual states in all of [[Enroth (planet)|Enroth]].<p>The [[Empire of the Endless Ocean]], I think that's what they call us. Sounds grand, doesn't it? The pirates themselves are a very diverse people. Many were born and raised on board, and they don't know any other life. One can say that a pirate in these parts is a hereditary profession. It's not easy for an outsider to become one of them, unless he can make an instant, strong impression on others. The most powerful, smart, and brave among the pirates become [[captain]]s and [[navigator]]s. The rest are their troops. At the same time, notably, there is a unique atmosphere of solidarity and brotherhood among them... at least when at sea. There is unwavering discipline and subordination on pirate ships. Even the [[Erathia]]n Guards could envy them.<p>Everything changes as soon as the pirates come ashore, though! They instantly turn into slovenly loafers. They like to drink and smoke; most would never tell claret from port, yet still, they pride themselves in splurging on fine wines and tobacco imported from the colonies. They love gambling, fighting, and women. In other words, they enjoy everything that is forbidden on board. And yet, at the first call of their captain, they instantly pull themselves together, becoming a formidable force. I've always been surprised by these metamorphoses.<p>Each pirate is proficient in several types of weapons, usually rapiers, cutlasses and pistols. The pistol is an achievement of the [[Bracada]]n alchemists. This fairly easy-to-manufacture weapon has not yet become widespread among the other kingdoms of [[Antagarich]]. [[Jadame]] is another thing altogether... but I digress. In fact, the pistol is a miniature likeness of a ship's cannon. A skilled shooter can take down a knight, armored from the heels to the top of his head, with a single shot. I believe that the feudal lords of [[Erathia]] and [[Enroth (nation)|Enroth]] are simply afraid of these weapons spreading among the commoners, and the [[Bracada]]ns simply do not need them—they have their magic. The [[Regna]]ns, however, do not suffer from any silly phobias; this wonderful invention sees the widest use there.}}
{{TErow| 20 | Day 20 | [[Dargem]]'s diary. Entry 242:<p>{{H|Dargem|0=}}: So what happens to most outsiders on [[Regna]]?<p>Escaped serfs, former prisoners of war who decided to stay among their captors, and the aborigines of many small islands belonging to [[Regna]] — they all become sailors. These are the trusty workhorses, suitable for a variety of purposes. They do most of the menial work on ships, fight shoulder to shoulder with the [[pirate]]s, and do hard labor on land. Those sailors who manage to save up some money and decide to step away from maritime affairs settle on the islands. They work as blacksmiths, innkeepers, and shipwrights...<p>It is very hard for a run-of-the-mill sailor to become a full-fledged [[pirate]], but those who have distinguished themselves in combat are highly respected. They're called cutthroats—they make up the backbone of boarding parties.}}
{{TErow| 24 | Day 24 | [[Dargem]]'s diary. Entry 244:<p>{{H|Dargem|0=}}:"The most intriguing members of the [[Regna]]n community are the [[nymph]]s. These creatures of an entirely magical nature serve the [[pirate]]s. It is believed that nymphs are distant relatives of [[Sprite|fairies]] originating from the [[Plane of Water]]. One can reasonably argue about their affinity with [[Sprite|fairies]], but there is no doubt that they hail from the [[Plane of Water]]. Most likely, they are something like lesser [[water elemental]]s. One of the first, strongest mages of [[Regna]] was able to bend these creatures to his will. [[Nymph]]s are not prisoners in our world; many of them come here of their own free will, especially in places where the borderline between the planes of existence is thin. However, most of the [[nymph]]s who serve [[pirate]]s are summoned, and this is done with the help of ancient, powerful conjurations. The peculiarity of these creatures is that they are not afraid of death. A [[nymph]] killed in our world is reborn in the [[Plane of Water]]. The only way to utterly destroy her is to first travel to the other side of existence. They do not make for a significant force in battle, so the [[captain]]s mostly use the [[nymph]]s as scouts.<p>Some [[pirate]]s strive to find out how different [[nymph]]s are from human women. Hmm! This has never piqued my own interest. Come to think of it, a [[nymph]], allegedly made up of water, should be much cleaner than your regular [[Regna]]n wench... Bah! Gods only know where such thoughts can take one! I shall only note here that one can often hear stories about the "uncle of the brother-in-law" of someone, who had allegedly married a [[nymph]]."}}
{{TErow| 32 | Day 32 | [[Dargem]]'s diary. Entry 247:<p>{{H|Dargem|0=}}: The [[Ayssid]]s are truly amazing creatures! They settle on the rocks and cliffs of tropical islands. An adult [[ayssid]]'s wingspan can be as much as thirty feet. Some mistakenly consider them birds and compare them to the [[roc]]s that inhabit deserts. Per my own observations, however, these creatures have much more in common with [[wyvern]]s and [[dragon]]s than with birds!<p>Their bodies lack feathers, and there is something markedly reptilian in their appearance. The [[Ayssid]]s feed on fish; to catch it, they dive into the sea from great heights. Apparently, they are great underwater swimmers and are able to hold their breath for a very long time. A hungry or enraged [[ayssid]] can attack any other creature, not excluding humans—these creatures do not know fear. It is said that the [[Ayssid]]s also occur in the [[Elemental Planes|Planes of Water and Air]], but alas, I have not been there myself yet and I cannot confirm this.<p>The [[pirate]]s of [[Regna]] have been raising and training [[ayssid]]s for generations. These creatures make good protectors and hunters, comparable to the [[griffin]]s of [[Erathia]]. One can buy an egg at any market in [[Regna]] and raise oneself a loyal friend—if one knows anything about training animals, of course. A combination of a coming-of-age [[ayssid]] and an inept, insufficiently firm owner is a recipe for pecking to death waiting to happen.}}
{{TErow| 56 | Day 56 | [[Dargem]]'s diary. Entry 248:<p>{{H|Dargem|0=}}: I should hurry up! My former colleagues have enlisted the help of the [[dragon]]s—most likely, they sent a negotiation party to the bowels of [[Nighon]], and you better believe that they paid through their nose for it, seeing as in a time of strife like this, every fire-breathing wyrm down there is worth its weight in gold. They are definitely coming to realization that they can hardly afford to be lackadaisical in handling the ongoing pirate; looks like they decided to resort to drastic measures. It's not that I'm afraid of [[dragon]]s—I'm not even really afraid of death anymore... However, those scaly brutes will definitely be a problem.}}
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