Kotin's Notes

======================

Entrance to my Mind Palace

======================

 

You enter a room, devoid of any light.  As you turn around, searching for light, you feel as though you are falling into some abyss of indeterminate depth.  However, you can't truly be sure that you are falling as there are no points of reference with which to make such an assertion.  

 

Just before you completely close your eyes to escape the darkness,  you see a faint light.  You will yourself toward it.  A single beam of magnificent sunlight, radiant with a gentle warmth is focused on a some speck on the... floor?  You can't determine if it is a floor or just a continuation of the darkness, however your thoughts have been captivated.  

​

You approach the speck and discover it to be a tomato seed.  The seed is yellow-brown and slightly wrinkled.  You quickly detect the presence of water, though you are not getting wet.  Focusing your mind on the seed, are at once the seed and an observer of the seed.  You feel the water brush up against the seed and sense the seed soak in the warm rays and cool water like a sponge.  

​

You observe a single strand of something push its way out of the back side of the seed.  As it extends, you notice tiny root hairs sprout along its length.  From the top of the seed, you see a green shoot stretch toward the sunlight.  Leaves and branches grow outward from the main stem and reach upward to the light.  

​

As the plant grows, your senses fade back and forth between what you know to be your self and what you know to be the plant.  You feel yourself grow as the plant increases in size.  You suddenly observe a swarm of bees all around, yet you are somehow calmed by their rhythmic work.  Their work focuses your attention on the yellow flowers appearing all over the plant.  You involuntarily blink when a bee flies past your nose.  When you open your eyes again,  you see lush, ripe, tiny red fruit weighing down the branches of the plant.  

​

You reach out and pick a cherry tomato.  You feel its smooth skin and take a bite.  Instantly you find yourself in a room, walled with majestic trees that appear to rise upward forever.  You notice a gigantic glossy redwood with black arrow fletchings sprouting from its trunk.  There are three doors. 

​

The weathered door leads to the War Room.  The smooth oaken door leads to the Library.  The glass door lead to the Hall of Reflection.  

​

============

The War Room

============

​

You enter the War Room and find a large table with various maps orderly placed about what appears to be a model of the known lands of Elanthia.  

​

There are smaller tables that abut massive rammed-earth walls that are broken up by floor to ceiling grand openings that act a both window and entrance.  Perusing the tables, you notice smaller maps with reconnaissance notes, battle formations and results.  As you pass by each table, you become familiar with the maps that seem to have seen the most use.

​

On the next table, you see a list.  After reading it closely, you understand that these are all the places that have been thoroughly explored as well as a list of current reconnaissance expeditions.  There appear to be extensive notes on the types of enemies encountered.  

​

Explored Maps include: Icemule's East, West and North gates, the South gate, the Underground and the Trail.  You notice many notes about the Underground Cellar and the East gate especially.  I appears that there are preliminary indications of bandit activity along the Southern Snowfields just outside South gate as well as along the Trail.  

​

It appears that several expeditions have been made as far north as the Pinefar Trading Post with markings indicating battles between Major Glacei and Wooly Mammoths.  

​

Continuing around the room, you look out the grand openings to see magnificent mountain vistas.  Many of which are snow-capped.  

​

As you round back toward the entrance, you notice a few scraps of paper.  On them, you see the beginnings of maps ranging all the way to the Elven cities of Ta'Illistim and Ta'Vaalor.  It appears it was made hastily with a partially smudged note saying something about an escort.  

​

From what you have gathered it appears that Kotin has been engaged in trade of some sort with the town of Wehnimer's Landing.  Cross-referencing this with the model of Elanthia on the main table, you determine that the Landing must the center of commerce as well as the center of regular and powerful magical events.  

​

On your way out, you notice something that didn't seem to be there before.  A book.  Approaching it, you see the title: Defying the Gods: One Battle at a Time.  When you open it, you find yourself in the Library.  

​

==========

The Library

==========

​

As you enter the library, you can't help but notice the immense volume of books, scrolls, and scraps of ... material.  You get a sense that a great store of knowledge is now within your grasp.  You also see a calendar.  ​

​

The walls are made of bookshelves.  Tiny beams of light illuminate various places within this vast, seemingly endless room.  As you step in, a beam of light hovers over you.  Within this light you gain a sense of warmth and and are invigorated to study.  This little beam grants you complete and comfortable illumination as it follows you around the room.  

​

Nooks are made into every where you could imagine studying.  In what appears to be the center of the room, rest two large falcate-shaped tables arranged with a space between the two on either side.  Scraps, manuscripts and books are organized along both the inner and outer curves of each table.    Some of which include: Guides for the Novice, Herb Compendium, Player Shops and How to Win an Auction.  The most used text appears to be Enemies Far and Near.

​

A common thread among all the material directs you to a singular work in progress.  The text is opened.  You pick it up and look at the cover.  The title reads:  Defying the Gods: One Battle at a Time.  

​

As you open the book, you begin to read.  You gain the impression that a lot of work and research has gone into the text.  It begins, "Common combat knowledge is outdated, obsolete.  What people believe to be true is not and what they believe to be folly should be mastered ..."  

​

As you read through the text you sense that the writer has spent countless hours, both on and off the field, pouring over writings and reflecting on personal combat experience.  

​

The writer indicates that he initially used the commonly accepted combat methods, only to find himself reliant on powerful magics that must be sought out prior to every battle.  However, when the magics wavered in any way during combat, death would soon follow.  Visiting Lady Lorminstra is not the most pleasant of experiences.  

​

Reading on, you discover how his methods began to change:  "I fought silverback orcs today.  A nasty beast.  During battle, I relied heavily on my Surge of Strength to ensure victory.  However, the battles dragged on and on and I found myself too tired to swing anymore.  I have tried multiple skills I learned in town such as bearhug, tackle and quickstrike.  All left me thoroughly drained.  These maneuvers just aren't efficient enough to use in actual combat.

​

"Upon returning to Town Center," it continues, "I observed someone who was knocked down struggle to get up.  She thrashed about wildly while onlookers laughed and jeered.  Then, her eyes changed.  They became more focused, more intent.  With a single-minded determination, she leaped to her feet in a single, well-practiced motion.  The onlookers stopped there jeering as a hush washed over the crowd.  

​

"I immediately took in the significance of this maneuver.  Could this focused rage be used in battle to break stuns and from me from times of momentary fear?  Could this rage be used to fight?  More importantly, could this rage be controlled?"

​

You read on to learn how the writer developed ways to control his rage in battle.  One successful strategy was to gather all the enemies into one location, then let lose a fierce battle cry and race into a bloody melee with his claidhmore in hand.  In this way, you learn, all the enemies were killed in one spot.  The writer also discusses the use of bottle necks.  He describes how he would cause the enemy to believe he was cornered.  Then spring forth with a vicious repertoire of swings, kicks and feints to destroy the enemy while staying relatively near his beginning point.  

​

Further on, you learn something else.  This appears to be the most contradicting idea to, what he calls, Common Combat Knowledge.  He discovered the use of plate armor in conjunction with a focused rage.  He conitnues, "Common Combat Knowledge dictates the use of the highest armor in which one is properly trained.  This notion has some superficial merit.  Being untrained for armor does lead to multiple hindrances, including lower superficial defense.  Wearing heavier armor, in which one is not trained, will greatly increase the chances of being hit.  However, the heavier armor reduces the amount of damage taken and the severity of the wounds received.  

​

"After numerous trials by fire, I have decided to return the rolaren brigandine to the kind soul that lent it to me in favor of my squid plate.  This is a steel metal breastplate I found on a massive granhk down in the Cellar.  I have been hunting there since I reached my 17th training.  I was warned by many veterans to never go down into the Cellar on accounts of the grave dangers.  Initially, I agreed with this advice as my first foray resulted in a quick death.  However, I was in brigandine at the time.  The granhks are hardy, or was it the plate they were wearing that made then so fearsome?

​

"The combination of rage, plate and a claidhmore led to the development of raids into the Cellar and made Cellar hunting routine.  I was able to do things other much more trained and knowledgeable fighters could not do.  However, it was their obsolete knowledge that held them back, not the enemy."

​

You read on to learn about research into flaring armors.

​

"Today I was tasked to dispatch a population of zombies.  The bless on my weapon ran dry.  I could not locate a cleric to grant another blessing.  I did, however, notice that the zombies were literally killing themselves on my armor."

​

Reading on, you discover many research projects stemming from this experience.  You find references to a Journal and you remind yourself to look for it later.  

​

It appears that the text is still unfinished, a work in progress.  However, you gather an understanding that the results of the present research end with the conclusion that the most efficient way for a warrior to hunt is to use the combined power of full plate with flares; a heavy weapon, particularly a claidhmore; and ample amounts of focused rage with sufficient stamina to maintain the fight for as long as is needed.  

​

It appears that this newly developed martial art has been named, "Rage Plate Do."  

​

=================

The Hall of Reflection

=================

​

As you enter the Hall of Reflection, you notice a myriad of well maintained streams flowing throughout the area.  There are picturesque snow-capped mountain views in the background.  As you walk around tree root-covered boulders, you can smell a wonderful aroma of flowering trees, shrubs and herbs.  ​

​

You can hear song birds sing and, as you continue inward, you hear calming music emanating from an unknown source.   You realize that this is the dominant sound you hear as you explore the Hall of Reflection.  Looking around, you do not see any walls or barriers other than the mountains in the distance.  

​

You find a table that appears out of place.  As you approach it, you find splintered wood strewn about.  There is a chair, but it has been knocked over.  On the table you see tiny figurines of people.  You determine that these figures must be friends and family.  You also see these loved ones surrounded by enemies on all sides.  You scan over the table to observe the setting.  When you return your focus back on the group of loved ones, you find a raging, claidhmore-wielding warrior charge into the fray wildly, cutting down everything.  You watch, in a mixture of horror and admiration, as the warrior is struck from every side get knocked down only to rise again with ferocious and lethal determination.  The suspense of whether the warrior will live or die captivates you.  His howling and snarling and yelling blend in with the sounds of dead and dying as the bodies hit the floor.  

​

When the carnage has ended, you find yourself staring down at a relieved group of people, happy to see their friend.  The warrior dusts of the debris of battle and returns to his group.  You get a sense of harmony as they all take part in tending to each other and dividing the spoils.