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From the writings of Abd al-Hazir
Journal Entry 420:


Finally, my journey carried me to the fog enshrouded jungles of Kehjistan in search of the storied amphibian, Binkles the Frog. The subject of many a bard's hushed tale, scholars have tried and failed to confirm his existence through the ages. I started my my search among the ancient vine bound walls of Kurast... with more skepticism than hope, I confess. For weeks I confered with the most affluent, the most traveled, and the most learned of the jungle city's inhabitants, learning nothing. Most scoffed at my inquiry, fervently denying that the myths held any truth. Others were more civil, but had little knowledge to offer.

Then upon the night I planned to depart the city, my fortunate took a sudden turn. At the time, I thought, for the better. As I sat in the common room of the Inn, contemplating my notes, a bard began to play softly. And then in a soft voice he sang "Ballad of Binkles." Quite an old song, and practically nothing within it substantial enough to help me, even if it contained a grain of truth. Still for a moment I thought to ask the bard of my quarry. After all, when in pursuit of a myth, is a bard not more likely aid than a sage?

At the very moment I rose to approach, there was a piteous cry from one of the patrons. "Please,no! Don't sing of it! No!" I was startled, and yet hopeful. This was not the cries of some child frightened of fairy tales, but of a rugged and fierce man, who had the look of a traveler. I was imediately certain his fear was based not on stories, but on some dark and terrible memory. The other patrons laughed at his outburst and began to harass the man. He rose hurriedly and pressed through the jeering crowd, still weeping as he went. I followed him outside, where I found him curled up and cowering on the street, wracked with tremors. His eyes held a lost and vacant look. I introduced myself as a scholar and asked him what he knew of Binkles. "I came upon his lair accidentally. Those eyes... I'll never forget. The stories are all true. All of them. You do not want to find Binkles..."

A week later, I reached the object of my search. The foul creature's very den. The point marked on my map by the traveler was precisely correct. I had no doubt even as I stood outside. The entrance gaped dark in the rock, like the mouth of some ancient tomb, and sense of forboding permeated my very soul. Tendrils of fog reached out as if to beckon me onward, but reason and fear compelled me to turn away. Still after such a harrowing journey through Kehjistan's wretched swamps, how could one turn, just steps from a such a discovery. I gathered my wits and courage and stepped forward into that bleak crack. Long contemplation was out of the question. It does not pay to tarry in such macabre surroundings.

WIth each step into the nightmare, my terror grew, and yet my resolve held. Further and further I went, until I was in tunnels untouched by the light of the sun in eons. Yet I could see. The walls were covered with a grotesque algae that glowed a hideous shade of green. The air felt hot and strangely moist. I felt almost as though I were drowning in this oppressive atmosphere. Yet i psersisted, slipping and scurrying along the rock.

Then I reached the final chamber. A subtaranean lake, covered with thick, roiling algae, and strange black lilly pads. I know not how to write of the dread this place held for me. My resolve finally crumbled and I turned to run, unwilling to face he who dwelt there. But it was too late. I felt the algae entangling my legs and I fell forward. The plants moved as though alive, pulling down my arms and legs, holding me fast. Then, the diminutive monster approached, hopping from pad to pad. I expect most of my readers will laugh at this point, for he looked like a most ordinary frog. Yet for reasons completely intangible, you would never mistake him for such. Never before have I sinced such dark malice, such hatred in a being. Power radiated from it perceptibly. A bleak and cursed intellect stared unblinking from behind those black and glossy eyes.

"Binkles... of the Horodram..." I greeted him.

The frog coughed a strange laugh. "..of the Horodram... I have not heard that in a long time. So, my story is still told then?"

"With occasioanl embilishments and inconsistincies, yes." I replied, trying to keep my voice from trembling.

"I was once the greatest of the sages. And if they had listened to me, the world would not be on the brink. Power such as that held by the primeevils can not be hideen away in soulstones!" The frog croaked. "Such power is imortal, and it can not be contained. It can only be harnassed!"

With this the frog's eyes began to glow red, and I knew the legend was true in its entirity. Binkles, of the Horadram had warned against hiding the soulstones away, and advocated trying to use the power instead. Some stories say his ideas were concocted by the stone's dark influence, twisting his mind in such close proximity. Others, that his thoughts were prophetic. He devised a ritual to attempt to harness the power of the stone, and stole it away from the other mages. During the end of the ritual he was interrupted by his Horadoric brethren, who had found him just in time. The ritual was intricate, and the interruption came as the spell began to coalesce, altering the energies subtly. Instead of draining Diablo's power into himself, he was turned to a frog. Yet the evil power of the stone did strengthen him and twist his powers to evil. The dread frog had then carved a swath of destruction with his wrathful magic until he reached Kehjistan and settled into his lair never again to venture into daylight.

Now all that storied magical energy was twisting around me. To what ends I did not know. I feared death would be merciful compared to what the dread frog held in store for me. Then with a heart rending ribbit, his spell was complete and I was portaled away. I awoke weeks later, deathly sick, upon a bed in Kurast. I had found the subject of my search, yet I took no pleasure in it, nor anything since. Even in his mercy, Binkles effected me terribly. A weakness harries me, and my health is fading. His croaks and red gaze haunt my every dream. The sight of water, or a swamp, or anything remotely associated with frogs feels me with fear.

Binkles the frog is a horrible frog indeed...

Blizzards cinematics ever since the first expansion of Diablo II have been amazing. .. though I always loved them and watched each repeatedly in every game I've played from WarCraft II onward. Most of them from the last decade give Goosey bumpies still when I watch.

Me too! The first play through on Blizzard games always feels like an interactive novel. The story and lore is so rich, and the cinema scenes always pull it together. Diablo II was a major standout though, and I hope III will keep up. So far the detail and art style seem nice, and compliment the in-game graphics style well.

Leah is brave for standing face to face with whatever that is. You can tell by her lack of 3 foot tall Blizzard style shoulder armor that she's not ready to deal with this.

P.S. Beta, I'm SICK of waiting for it... ROFL. It's funny cause, like, he's "sick" of waiting, and she's throwing up! lmfao. You know? Like cause she's so sick of waiting for beta, she's actually barfing!!!! LOL. It's so creative! I know, it takes a second to understand, but don't worry, you'll get there It's like, that generic demotivation idea that takes zero thought, then you write some white letters and it turns into something completely unoriginal!

Not everyone's sense of humor is the same, and lots of people are putting effort into this contest. I think we all tend to hold high opinions of our own work, because it's tailored specifically to our own sense of humor. I thougth the first winner was great. I looked at most of the entries and the Lucy thing just popped. It was one of the few things in either contest I literally laughed out loud for and I was pleased that it won, because its the one I would have picked. The second one was nice to and the winner has my congrats.

I think a web based banner maker would be a fun project for someone. Would give us all something else to play with while we wait. LOL!

The port key waypoint placement feature sounds cool too.

Lol! Love it!