In the forge within Wehnimer's Landing (6/9/2003)

A few days ago I was busy forging in one of the workshops. I was intensely focusing on the grinding of a part when I heard a "cough". I was startled as I didn't hear anyone coming into the workshop. I turned around and there was a gnome. He complimented me on the work I was doing. His name was Hobb.

Hobb quietly says, "I seen you out fighting Lord Snotsack's soldiers." I stated that I served to protect the Landing.

Hobb quietly says, "You big folk don' got scouts to sneak close enough to where he's got his ugly crystal settin'."

He began to sniffle and wiped his nose. He explained that he had been too close to the crystal which sucked the life force out of ye. I asked him if he knew where the trail to the crystal was.

You ask, "hmm..you know where it is?"

You give your eyebrow a little workout.

Hobb quietly says, "Ain't much of a trail 'tween there and coming north."

You say, "we been attempting to find a way to that cursed crystal"

Hobb quietly says, "Sides, they be hauling it south some now."

Hobb quietly says, "There's a dark priest who kinda cares for it now that it's pulsing."

Hobb quietly says, "And they want to make it more powerful."

Which probably explains why it has been so quiet around the Landing the past few days as the Jantalarians had ceased their attacks.

Hobb quietly says, "So they're hauling it to a spot the priest is preparing."

Hobb quietly says, "That an' they're trying a couple of lackwits to volunteer to die on it to make it as powerful as it can be." You ask, "ye know the spot?"

Hobb quietly says, "Not really. It's inside a Luukosian monastery kinda graveyard place."

Hobb quietly says, "You'd have to get past his whole army to get there."

Hobb quietly says, "Even us can't sneak through that many."

Hobb quietly says, "The guards to have to stay close to the crystal, and them that guards the cracked one down on the Hill of Koar in Mestanir...? They wear bloodstone amulets to keep the crystal from suckin' the life out of em."

Knowing full well the history of the Gryphons and their resolve to defend the Landing he stated he would attempt to gather some more knowledge.

Hobb quietly says, "Only gnomes around Jantalar is darker cousins. Not the kind you'd want hanging around your workshop." Hobb quietly says, "They might know and tell just to make trouble for the townies there."

You nod.

You say, "big imps huh"

Hobb quietly says, "That'd be a good name for em."

Hobb quietly says, "And I'm betting you'll go after it (they crystal), cause they're going to make it more powerful so they can come conquer this town."

I asked him if we could go seek out the crystal.

Hobb quietly says, "Don't need to. They'll bring it closer after they get it beefed up."

Hobb quietly says, "I'm bettin' it won't be more'n a week. Probly 'bout a week. I mean, haul it south...suck a couple lackwits to beef it up...haul it back north...yah, probly a week."

At this point in time he asked if I was good at making weapons. He indicated he had to leave and get back so the others will not worry that the crystal had sucked the life out of him.

Cryheart Thaxin
Order of the Silver Gryphons

Mandis Crystal Effects Discussed

Based on information from Hobb many of the defenders equipped themselves with bloodstone amulets. They could be made with bloodstone gems that would then be transmuted at the Ye Auld Alchemist Workshop into amulets such as Hobb mentioned the Guards around the Mandis Crystal wore. All of the Gryphons had them crafted while the defense forces did the same. Phoenix wore Fire Opal amulets as well for communications and most of the Defense forces operated similar communication redunancies to avoid our enemies from learning our movements. In order to clarify some of this though others had to educate the city. One such letter is the following:

There are a lot of misconceptions, and flat out falsehoods floating around about the Bloodstone Amulets. I'll see what I can do to clarify that. To the best of my knowledge, when you are standing in very close proximity to a Mandis Crystal it not only negates magic, and drains mana, but it will also drain your life force. What this means is, if you are involved in an assault on a Mandis Crystal, and intend to live through it, you will need to be wearing one. They do nothing at all to stop mana drain, or any other effects in the outlying areas around the Crystal, but will keep you alive if you are standing right next to it. Contrary to popular belief, you'll not just start dropping dead if you don't have an amulet. You just won't be able to get right next to the thing.

Sir Eahlstan Hjeldin, Herald of the Order of the Silver Gryphon

Another report confirmed additional information about the draining effects as to how you felt when it the presence of the Crystal and as you got closer to it's location. This would continue to be a problem throughout the War. The report goes as follows:

When you get this message:

An unwholesome weariness washes over you, and as it leaves you feel a vague sense of loss.

That cues you to each wave of the Mandis Crystal's power. You lose spells first, 3-4 at a time. Then you lose mana, until at zero. Then it stops, you lose nothing else. ( the messaging stops too) This is also having my amulet dropped to the ground.

-Galesmite

Hobb the Gnome Returns (6/18/2003)

Last night Hobb snuck up on me at the Hearthstone Courtyard. As I am sure some of you are interested in the conversation that took place I've transcribed the event for reading.

You see Hobb.
He appears to be a Gnome.
He appears to be middle-aged and almost two feet tall. He has large dark eyes and ivory skin. He has receding, wavy dark brown hair with grey at the temples. He has an angular face, a large, pointed nose and a thick mustache and beard.
He is wearing some black knee-high boots, a heavy leather tool belt, some scuffed tan leather overalls, a grey flannel shirt, a steel-studded black leather vest, a small burlap knapsack, a steel-studded black invar buckler, a shapeless blue velvet hat, and a crystal amulet.

Soulpieced asks, "Lost?"

Soulpieced peers quizzically at Hobb.

You say, "I'll have to see about making it there myself."

Hobb quietly says, "They're saying half past eight by their clocks."

Hobb quietly says, "Never."

Hobb winks at Soulpieced.

Soulpieced nods to Hobb.

Soulpieced says, "Excellent"

You ask, "You see those barriers Hochstib's men erected?"

Hobb nods to you.

Hobb quietly says, "Hard to miss."

You say, "nearly broke my fist trying to smash one the other day."

Hobb rolls his eyes.

Hobb quietly asks, "Your fist?"

You say, "well, it seemed like a good idea at the time."

Hobb glances at you.

You say, "I drink."

You nod to Hobb.

You say, "I've come up with a few plans which may work out better."

Hobb quietly says, "Next time you might want to ponder those clever ideas a time or two before you act on em."

You say, "Was thinking that if we could gather enough charcoal, we could melt them down,"

Hobb quietly says, "Good luck. That might work in a confined area like a furnace, but not out in the open."

You nod.

You say, "well, they seem to be immune to smashing with weapons,"

Hobb nods.

You say, "I hate to belive they are indestructable though."

Karacon asks, "tried a battering ram?"

You shake your head.

Hobb quietly says, "If they're well made they'll likely be indestructable for a while, but they should weather soon enough and weaken a bit."

You say, "don't know anyone skilled in building siege equipment,"

You say, "for now I suppose they can stand and not do us too much harm."

Hobb nods.

You say, "but when that big crystal is close behind them, we'll need to knock them down."

You say, "We just need to find a source of shards of Mandis Crystal, so that we can get started making weapons to destroy it."

Hobb quietly says, "Yep, once that crystal's within reach and their army's got their eyes watching elsewhere, then it'll be time to make a move."

Hobb nods to you.

You hear the voice of Merryleon ask, "Is a Mandis Crystal physically unlike most crystals?"

You say, "Speaking of which, I hear there's one that's cracked sitting up on top of a hill somewhere."

You hear the voice of Merryleon ask, "That is, easily smashed?"

You say, "As I understand it, the Mandis Crystal is not easily shattered."

Hobb quietly says, "No, a mandis crystal is not easily smashed, and yes there is one sitting on a hill somewhere, namely on Koar's Hill in the town of Mestanir."

You ask, "Know the way there by any chance?"

You nod to Hobb.

Kylinarr asks, "tried what?"

You say, "Some folks tried running to Mestinar, but did not know the way."

Calean says, "Failed"

Calean says, "too"

Kylinarr says, "we were told we couldn't search the way cause we couldn't get into vornavis"

Calean says, "Is this warranted"

Hobb quietly says, "That's ridiculous, Koar's Hill is no where near clifftoppers."

Kylinarr asks, "so where is it then?"

Hobb quietly says, "It's in the town of Mestanir."

Kylinarr says, "well we weren't able to get to mestinir"

Kylinarr asks, "So if that's the only chance of obtaining crystal shards to forge the bane weapons, what chance do we have?" Hobb quietly says, "I don't think you got any chance at the moment."

Kylinarr says, "so we just wind up giving ground and giving ground while our friends re slaughtered"

You say, "We take losses, but not near as many as he has."

You say, "Though I must admit, Hochstib is sending better troops to the front as of late."

Fremie says, "Only de graces o' de Gods will save us this time I thinks."

You say, "We can hold out I think, but it will be close until we destroy his crystal."

You say, "He'll not take the town. Not as long as folks like me still draw breath."

You show Hobb your bloodstone amulet.

Hobb nods to you.

You ask, "this is the same type of amulet as the guards of the Crystal wear?"

Hobb quietly says, "Looks like the ones I seen em wear, yep."

You say, "We've equipped most of the Order of the Silver Gryphons with them."

Hobb quietly says, "Won't matter until you're close, but when you are you'll be glad you've got it."

You say, "When the time comes, I think we will be ready to assault the Crystal."

You say, "and I imagine we'll be needing them to get close to the cracked crystal as well."

Hobb nods to you.

You say, "as soon as we have the shards, we have several skilled forgers prepared to make weapons from them."

You say, "I belive you've met Cryheart. He is the best in the forge that I know."

Hobb quietly says, "I was watching him the other night. He seems to know his stuff."

You say, "and if we can get Hochstib to divert troops from the border of Mestinar, we may be able to get to it."

Sylviana says, "I think it has been dispelling since it was brought back after the ritual."

Merryleon asks, "Where is Koar's hill?"

Hobb quietly says, "Koar's Hill is in the town of Mestanir at the north end of the town green."

Kylinarr says, "for those of us who have been many places but not there...where exactly is mestinir"

Hobb quietly says, "Gots standing stones on its top that they call Koar's Crown."

You say, "well, first we'll need to penetrate Hochstib's borders."

You say, "Right now I belive Hobb has said that can't be done."

Karzak asks, "Koar's Hill is actually in da town of Mestanir, not on da outskirts of tha region?"

Hobb quietly says, "Town of Mestanir is about...well depends on if you're a bigger or my size. Takes longer for us to get to Mestanir, but last I heard it would take a bigger about a day or two to get from the east border of clifftoppers to Mestanir."

Karzak says, "Ah kin only go on what ah heard, as ah've never seen Mestanir."

Kylinarr says, "ok...they won't let me in their town...this could present a problem"

Hobb quietly says, "Vooornahviss sounds too dumb. Clifftoppers is a lot better."

Karzak asks, "Is there a trail from yer Clifftoppers that we kin use to visit the town of Mestanir?"

You say, "well, your name for Hochstib is far better I think,"

Errethe calmly says, "I loved that name."

Hobb quietly says, "I'm sure there's a way there, but with all of Snotsack's guys around and in between you can't just walk there."

Kylinarr asks, "what about hiding or invisibility? or is that out due to the crystal?"

Fremie put a feras dagger in his elven mariner's cloak.

Hobb quietly says, "I don't know enough about the situation to know what might work. Clifftoppers had a plan though, so they might be able to say yes or no to what could work."

Kylinarr asks, "have you been in contact with the clifftoppers about their plan?"

Hobb looks over at Kylinarr and shakes his head.

Kylinarr says, "so we need to contact the clifftoppers and find out what they had in mind"

Hobb quietly says, "When big folk like that have a meet they always do it at home so they can say when and who and how."

Hobb quietly says, "Wep, time for me to go wind my gizmos."

-Eahlstan