Storm 371.

Donations: Bob (80-90%).

Exploration: Trips to Ethereal Forge, Orga Village and Kizmia's Island.

Soldi, day 3 of Spring, 557.

I helped Raldin reach the Ethereal Forge yesterday.

It was a fairly small group and a very quick trip, since Raldin simply opened Ethereal portals until he sensed that one of them led to a fairly nearby section of the appropriate plane, before we even stepped in.

Things were kept well in hand, since the distance we had to traverse was small, and not very busy.

The only thing that slowed us down was the fighters futilely attempting to kill the Astral Guardians. With some time, luck and boosts, we finally killed several of these hard-to-hit creatures.

Axis decided to take a couple of them home to have stuffed. They aren't much to look at, but they are hard to get.

At the Ethereal Forge, Raldin crafted a variety of items for us and for himself. I got a spare Ethereal Portal Stone, and a spare/loaner Ethereal Amulet.

When we were finished, we simply stepped into yet another Ethereal Portal and emerged at Portal Island for the quick row home.

For Portal adventure of a different sort, I joined a few - mostly human, as Yor points out - exiles for a quick trip around the Orga Outback using the Mirror Portal, which had been placed in the Trainer Grotto past Hatred's Hollow.

From there, we took the Grotto path deep into the Outback and tried our luck at the Dred Passage. After a few fighter forays, we decided it was too risky to attempt a run through with so small a group, since we felt sure to lose someone or other before reaching the Foothills.

Instead, we decided to go to the Orga Village to claim the Uli flower there.

After vanquishing two Dredlocks and a number of Hemlocks, Warlocks and Death Vermine, the Village was ours.

I won the roll of the dice and a lovely Uli flower.

Later in town, I was delighted to run into Nelaton, and she graciously made a Red Healing Potion for me.

Some days ago, I joined this small group for a hunt on Kizmia's Island.

Since Kirara still vanquishes everything there, for once *I* was not the one on the ground the most often. Still it was wonderful experience for her, and she did a fine job of avoiding powerful blows for much of the hunt.

After working our way to the North side of the island, we decided to take a chance attacking the Scarmis hive.

We had a serious mis-step when I was meant to be planting a Kudzu wall at one point, but found my pack so full that I could not shake loose any Kudzu seedlings at all! Foolish me.

I quickly dropped something and managed to plant the wall before it was too late, but my heart was pounding from the danger and my frustration.

For our efforts, we claimed two valuable Scarmis eggs.

I wasn't lucky though, missing two chances to get one. Still, I am sure these will end up in the hands of deserving exiles, either as eggs or in a curative salve.