May 15th

The cave troll seemed to believe the illusion well enough and the fire is just as effective as I imagined it would be. Cave trolls can recover from most kinds of damage, fire is not one of those. Of course my triumph only lasted a few short seconds before the bandits tried to stick me full of arrows. Not that it had the crippling effect they expected it to, I'm made of tougher stuff than that. Ariella and Endra quickly realized that the cave troll was being controlled via a collar and made short work of pointing out the hiding place of the controller. Knowing that the cave troll's actions were completely out of it's control awoke an anger inside of me and before I really understood what was happening my birthmark began to burn and then erupted into a burst of fire.

This has happened to me before, always driven by a incredible feeling of anger. That's why I try and work to keep my anger under control, it's why I try and stay stoic, it's why I work alone. Luckily, I believe the rest of the party thought I was casting a conscious spell, which is a good thing. If they knew the truth, if they knew about my first night in the arena or the adventure with Julian or the kitten I had as a child, they probably wouldn't be so happy to work with me then.

The others began their attacks shortly after and we began to wear down the cave troll and eliminate the weaker bandits. Foxface manages to escape Rouge, who has been intent on holding onto him or his tail at all times, Ariella and Endra try and take out the bandit leader and Shallahai sends her spirit bear Fluffy after the cave troll. The troll responds by picking up the bear and hurling him at the Dread Pirate Roberts. Both sustain damage and the bear disappears in a puff of smoke. Shallahai cries out in pain but continues on, determined to avenge her friend. Our old companion Garr comes running in, having finished the task that was holding him back sooner than expected. As soon as Skylara sees him she tells us that her mission is complete and turns back towards the temple. Typical Paladin, all high and mighty until they're actually needed and then suddenly nowhere to be found. Rouge finally raised a weapon against an enemy instead of a fuzzy creature and managed to freeze the troll in his tracks.

Lily turned into a wolf and killed one of the weaker bandits. The sight of a werewolf must have shaken the bandits because the next thing I knew they'd abandoned their hiding places and run off down the road. The others moved in on the cave troll but I knew he wasn't in charge of himself and I took off after the bandit. I knew it was probably wrong to leave my party to defend for themselves, but the anger had taken over and my feet moved without the consent of my heart or mind. I could only hope that the party could handle the troll on their own, and besides when I'm like this they might be safer without me there.

I would later discover that they banded together nicely and Milk managed to take the troll down with an incredibly accurate crossbow bolt. Although trolls can regenerate, before this troll could manage that the Dread Pirate Roberts did the most disturbing thing he's managed to date. He leaned over the troll raised his hand and a blue smokey light floated from the troll and into one of the seven jewels on his helm. After this strange ritual is finished the troll's regeneration ceases completely. I've decided I don't want him anywhere near me when I die. When the battle finishes a few of them followed after me, some hunted rabbits, and some just wanted to loot the troll.

As I followed the bandit leader his crown began to fall apart, the first sign that my group had been victorious with the cave troll. I was able to track him back to his lair, the cave troll's cave, and what I found convinced even my anger filled mind that entering was the wrong idea. The cave was filled with the riches of hundreds of caravans, roughly 20 bandits, three bandit captains, and a leader that made the crowned bandit I followed in seem like a lowly minion. I notice that they all wear a black armband that they present upon reaching the entry of the cave. It bears a symbol that seems to allow them entrance without any questions. The other group members catch up to me and I explain the situation to them.

As we are planning and scheming an attack we notice that Milk has not joined us. That's when we see him dragged up to the cave by four bandits. The leader questions him but that halfling has a silver tongue and managed to talk them down from imprisonment and torture to a day long walk in the woods that would guarantee he couldn't find his way back to the cave. Shortly after the four bandits walked him away Foxface decided to follow and rescue him. It would be an easy way to acquire four arm bands from bandits that won't be missed for two days. Rouge begs to go as well but we vote that one has a better chance of making it through undetected. Naturally she goes ahead and follows against everyone's wishes. She has too great of a love for the small creatures to keep still when they're in danger.

Foxface, Rouge, and Milk made short silent work of the four bandits and soon returned with the four arm bands. Now it was time to watch, wait, and make a plan of attack. I figure that the night is the best time for an attack, which gives us just a few hours for a plan.

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And that's where we ended for the night.