Growfest 1, 593 CY, unknown island

Yondalla knows I don’t mean to complain, but I’m stranded on an island during Growfest— and not only am I not at a celebration of the Provider’s bounty, but there seems to be a distinct lack of food of any sort! In fact, all of my belongings, other than my precious silver holy symbol, have been swept away by the sea, hence my starting of this new journal, as a testimony for future paladins of our Nurturing Matriarch.

I am appreciative that Yondalla left me hale and whole to continue questing in Her name, and that she provided me with three of the taller folk to aid in my quest, wherever that shall take us. Strangely, at least two of them claim to be clerics of other deities, but who am I to question Her will?

The ship that was to take me to Ulek was lost at sea during a fierce storm, or at least, that’s what I’m assuming from the fact that I’m on some strange beach surrounded by waterlogged timbers. Three shipmates, Dora (a dwarf), Alexander (a human) and Triaa (a wood elf) are the only other survivors to wash up on this particular stretch of sand. Off in the distance is a jungle, and beyond that, a mountain. To our west we noticed a lighthouse; Dora and Alexander agreed to check it out with me while Triaa chose to remain on the beach rummaging around in the remains of our ship.

The lighthouse appeared to be deserted; we found some table lamps near the entrance, and then proceeded to peek in each room on the first floor. Then we found some steps and headed upward. As we passed a window, I looked out along the beach to where Triaa was still collecting wood from our ship, and saw movement in the jungle tree line! He couldn’t hear our yells through the glass window, so I ran down to the beach while Dora ran upward. I screamed and waved my arms, and heard Dora above me yelling as well (she also noticed that the light on top of the lighthouse is not in working condition). We never got Triaa’s attention, but at least the movement in the trees ceased. We ran down the beach and let the elf know what we’d seen. Taking some driftwood he’d collected, we headed back to the lighthouse, figuring we’d be safer indoors.

I’m not sure about this place. I can take care of myself, Yondalla willing, but I have three big people to watch after too!

First off, we are not completely alone in this building. Upon opening a door somewhere in the middle of the tower, the tall people were attacked by stirges! They tried to pull the big bug things off as they began to attach to the tall folks’ necks; I grabbed a wooden mallet off of a nearby table and smashed the things off of them; the ones that have fed exploded! Though we are without food, no one was keen to feast on something that was so recently trying to do the same to them.

The previous caretakers of this lighthouse had attempted to make a happy home, as evidenced by the various comforts found throughout the rooms of the lighthouse. Unfortunately, we also found three of the four previous occupants, a human woman, and presumably, her young son and daughter, had been gruesomely killed sometime well before our arrival. The murderer had slit their throats. I was particularly affected by the children, who I had at first mistaken for halflings. We will tend to their remains, either by burial, or, if the sand does not permit that, by fire. We also found one other creature in the tower— an animated cloak, or “raiment” that was bent on strangling Triaa! I smote it once, and then attempted to stab at it with some found knitting needles. Triaa had other plans, and endeavored to burn the creature as it wrapped itself around his head. Alexander cast a spell to put out the fire with water, as it appeared that Triaa would be killed along with the undead creature! The four of us eventually rendered the thing motionless. Poor Triaa’s long red hair is now just burnt stubble, but we were able to heal him otherwise.

We found many interesting items— many astronomy books and a telescope, wood, glass and metalworking tools, clothing, kitchen knives— just no food. Now, I need only deal with the minor annoyance of not having a way to pay proper homage to Yondalla during this Growfest season!