Ship's Log, Fosterling, Mosquito-class shuttle

Date: On or about five months after yearspawn, 5165 Olven Calender; 19 Kab, Year of the Toad in local reckoning.

Position: Aboard Tranquil Knight, On route to Kal-Tor, forbiddenspace (outer sphere)

Ship's condition: All fast and well supplied

I am extremely glad that I hired a mate to help me explain the fundamentals of wildspace to my groundling companions. I would have never credited that the wraps the followers of the fist employ to protect their hands would be enchanted to spontaneously burst into flame! Fortunately, that surprise was not an issue, since the mate had previously taken time to expand on my expositions. In future, I must attempt to make these meetings less lecture and more interactive I suppose, else much may be lost.

None the less, we successfully negotiated the short phlogiston passage to the outer sphere of forbiddenspace. Not one of the groundlings gaped overmuch at the sheer mass of the sphere wall. Apparently, they are unmoved by such wonders! On attaining the outer sphere, however, I was able to find a dark mirror to the marble customs citidel near the opposite portal. This structure is more obviously intended for war, boasting heavy reinforcements and numerous siege weapons. One of them was a bombard larger than our entire vessel! The dockmaster there informed us that the asteroids do, in point of fact, orbit a star, just apparently a dim one. I suppose it is largely invisible in the same way a single candle can be from across a forest.

The Dockmaster was a dwarf, and came aboard in full battle gear for reasons which will become clear shortly. After ascertaining that we intended no threat (and informing me that no maps of the asteroids were to be had anywhere), he went on to explain that the station was expecting an attack within hours. Offering our assistance (with the concept of capturing a navigator foremost in my mind), our small vessel was stabled in an internal hangar, and we went forth to the aid of the dwarves. Their defensive strategy placed us to defend the very docks we first tarried at, though whether this was due to mistrust or need I can not say. What I can attest, though, is that I was very impressed with the prowess of the groundlings. I am aware of Bron's puissance, and was fairly unsurprised by the catfolk's natural grace, but the swift alacrity with which they dispatched what appeared to be nearly a hundred skeletons defies description.

The undead were packed tightly into barrels, and apparently animated on the spot with some sort of magical rod. The rod interfaced with some sort of crystals worked into the interior of the huge barrels, each of which emanated waves of energy when crushed. We salvaged several, so when I have the opportunity, I intend to investigate one further. Also captured were two assault barges, each composed largely of stone, and driven by unpowered mechanical devices similar to what the Krynnish Mnomi call “screw-propellers.” Each was crewed by a number of archers and warriors, apparently to support the undead.

The various hand fighters were all over the docks, engaging the archers, warriors, and magi simultaneously, while the more traditional warriors seemed intent on chopping the skeletons for kindling. I was more than a little impressed with a pair of fireballs from the warmage, but slightly less so when I realized that several allies were caught in the blast. Still, it's hard to argue with that level of success I suppose. Perhaps it is my fault. After all, it's likely that none of them have had any experience in coordinated shipboard tactics. Quarters are much closer in wildspace, so timing and cooperation are much more important than may be planetside.

I was gratified to see one of the groundlings make good useage of the gravity plane, though I have my doubts as to how many of them noticed the secondary assault traveling beneath the docks. Still, I am somewhat pleased with the rate of learning displayed by most of them though; for groundlings they are adapting nicely.

On a more personal note, I was shot in the chest with a blunderbus, and nicked by a second shot. This is, obviously, somewhat offputting. I summoned a fog bank to cover me from the attack, but it makes me wonder how and why I was specifically targeted. Given that the scro ship had boxed skeletons onboard, I wonder if they are in league with these asteroid pirates.