At the river...

Lethargy...

And I'll stick to it. Cayden Cailean would understand, and that's all the excuse one needs.

Absolution...

And this is why I write again. Cayden Cailean would demand it. For I have seen the dead rise, and yet it was not undead.

This I can not explain. I am a simple man, charged with a heavy burden, which only seems to grow more burdensome as I strive for simplicity. Ah, but I complain where I need not complain. Back to my story.

It has been long since I've written here, and I will not attempt to fill in the holes, it would only serve to confuse. Let me just say that I have been plagued with a man named Grigori. Some may call him silver tongued, and some may call him righteous. I might call him a pain in the ass. Plain and simple. Again...it's simplicity I strive for.

To make a lengthy story short, our group has ridden forth from Fort Drake with the intent to investigate the disappearance of several of our road wardens. We are yet a small barony, and as such, do not have the resources to lose good men. Besides, it's refreshing to get out of town and away from the yoke of rule.

As it stands I had made a decision to bring the man Grigori with us, feeling uneasy at leaving him behind to cause yet more unrest. For nothing we did was "just" in his eyes, and he was quick to let the good people of Fort Drake know his feelings on this. I also felt that if I didn't bring him along and show him EXACTLY what it was we were facing on the road, he would continue with his lies.

Turns out that Grigori is a talkative sort, surprise. He knows of all sorts of things that have gone on in this area. But the one thing that he spoke of to us was an astounding story of a "lizard king" named Sokatha. This is a tale we heard as children on the street. A story that was meant to frighten, to keep little ones out of nighttime trouble and under a parent's eye. Well, Grigori spoke as if this was more than a children's tale. It intrigued me, and to be truthful, it frightened me as well.

Once we had arrived at Nettle's Crossing (for this is where the missing band of Road Wardens were bound for) it was immediately obvious that something was amiss. A fog had lifted off of the river and obscured the basin, but that was not strange in and of itself, for winter was descending quickly upon us. No, it was that there wasn't a sound in the air...just the gurgling of the dark water moving over rocks and around roots.

Not only was it the cessation of all sound, but there was a feeling in the air, as if something was waiting....patiently. We stood at the crest of the hill and surveyed the area, but nothing moved. There was no sign of the Wardens, and no sign of their horses. No smoke rose from the small cottage across the river, a sure sign in this weather that no one resided within.

The barge itself was across the way, but Ix pointed out that this would not be an issue, and with that he cast a spell upon me that caused me to float up into the air like down caught in the updraft of a fire! It was a strange, yet wonderful feeling. I could not guide myself but Ix took hold of me and rapidly flew across the cold waters, towards the silent dwelling upon the far shore.

Heavy mist barred our sight and obscured us from our companions on the now far shore behind us...As we approached I noticed a body laying up against the wall of the building. I pointed it out to Ix and he nodded, quite aware that we were likely flying into trouble.

While the mist cloaked our vision, it also muted sound so that things sounded very far away. There was a feeling of dread upon that shore, and neither of us felt the confidence to do more than accomplish the task which we set out to do; Get the barge and return to our comrades.

I grabbed the barge rope while Ix flew lookout, and pulled for all I was worth, working hard for the opposite shore.

Sweating hard, about midway, the water began to "boil" and bulge strangely. This is when I noticed that a figure had emerged from the woods, just beyond the shore we had so recently vacated. It sat astride some type of massive stag, and wore a crown, or helm of sorts that reminded me all to clearly of a horrid individual that we had only too recently cut loose from this mortal coil: The Stag Lord.

"This cannot be" I thought. But as he unslung his bow I knew for a fact, deep down inside, that it was he. Come back from the dead. Yet, as I surveyed him, I also knew the he did not move as the undead do. He did not act as the undead do. I believe that he is living, or at least he is not undead, as we know it.

Just as he drew bead upon us, two massive creatures made of ice and water, erupted from the river and rushed the barge.

I can not describe the battle any more than to say it was blood and chaos. We destroyed one of the odd creatures and drove the other away. But no without losses: Durvil and myself were nearly slain, and in the midst of it all we lost the barge. And the Stag Lord disappeared back into the woods without a scratch.

Exhausted, yet unwilling to vacate our purpose, we found a spot to rest away from the river and camped for the night. That evening Durvil, ever the brave and rash, went to the water's edge and called forth Derek Nettles. For it was to him that we had given the corpse of the Stag Lord to. Much to my surprise the ghost answered Durvil's challenge and appeared. He told us that the Stag Lord was taken from him by a powerful man. And that he would like the bridge rebuilt.

As he disappeared from view he gave us a token, his pole arm that he kept in life. A treasure indeed! This will be the weapon of the person in charge of the bridge in the future.

That night, the bitter cold chilled us to our bones, and the silence nearly drove us mad, but the wan morning light found all of us better rested and ready to investigate the far side.

Carefully crossing to the barge, which had lodged upon the rocks further downstream, we eventually restrung the rope and pulled our group across. All the while watching the water and edge of the woods with dread and trepidation.

But nothing untoward occurred and we made it across without mishap.

On the far side our newfound compatriot, Roon checked the ground carefully for clues while the rest of our group moved carefully around the area in search of clues as to the Warden's demise.

A few hours, and much sleuthing later, we had come up with a theory. Two things had happened here:

1. The original Wardens were killed by their own. This is difficult to puzzle out, but one, or more, were apparently mesmerized by a force of some type, and persuaded to slay their comrades. Ix tells me that this is a powerful force, no mere charm.
2. The next to arrive were slain straight away by arrows in the back as they entered the hut. After seeing the Stag Lord here, and knowing his facility w/ the bow, this is no surprise.

A few odd things were found as well:

• A bracelet of green hair. (Not the first one we've seen...The Stag Lord had one when he was alive.) When Durvil touched it, a vision of a beautiful green-haired woman screamed at him "This is NOT for you!!", and it burst into flame.
• Small tracks of some sort, leading the dead Stag Lord from the water to the trees in the distance.
• Nettles told us that a bird was seen sitting alone, at the same place several days in a row prior to the Stag Lord being stolen...a large raven. The Stag Lord's father, Nugrah, flew away from us in the form of such a bird.

And one note:

• Grigori is now the Councilor. Taking the place of Ivana, who didn't want it in the first place. Folly? Perhaps. We shall keep a close eye upon him, for he did confess to us (after Ix threatened to toast him where he stood) that he was indeed hired by someone north of us who wishes only to see our small barony fail. Who might this be? A follower of Gerona? Harley? Time will certainly tell.

Now we are finally back in Fort Drake, only taking the short time to gear up yet again in order to attempt to discover the force behind these latest killings that have plagued the locals.

Council and Laws

Charter Positions within the Realm of Restov:

High Council – Leaders of Restov, have the highest overall authority. They are the ultimate authority within their zone of influence. A High Council member may challenge the edicts of any other High Council member or a member of the Low Council. Any challenge may only be overturned with a majority vote of the High Council. Council positions are life appointments. Most members of the High Council are Sword Lords.

The Position of Prime Minister: the Prime Minister is 'first among equals'. He may make any decisions in proxy for any Council members who are not present or otherwise incapacitated. This includes votes during a trial. Only a majority vote by the High Council (including the accused) can bring a High Council member up on charges for any crime. After that a trial is held, and decision is rendered by the Prime minister. In the event the Prime Minister is the one being tried, the Councilor renders the decision. If convicted of a capital crime, a High Council member is removed from office and replaced by majority vote of the remaining high council. A High council member can only otherwise be removed by a 2/3 vote by the high council. A High Council member cannot abstain from voting.

Low Council – Secondary leaders of Restov. They may act in proxy for the members of the High Council. The Low Council is made up of the second in commands of all the High Council members who assist them in the execution of their duties and act with their authority in the matters of their Bailiwick. All Low Council members are Retainers of their respective Lords. They have the authority to give orders to anyone, besides a High Council member, within their bailiwick. A majority vote of either the High or Low Council can bear criminal charges against a member. Trial is held amongst the High Council members in a majority vote. A Low Council member is replaced by the immediate superior. A Low Council member can only otherwise be removed by a 2/3 vote by the High or Low Council. A ruling of the Low Council may be appealed to the High Council. A member from either council may abstain from voting.

Vassal – Land Holding Noble. Required to provide taxes based on their lands, and contribute retainers to military and civilian offices. Should someone wish to become a Vassal they must provide Restov with at least 2 hexes worth of land cleared and explored and have at least 100 retainers to provide administration and protection, as well as freemen to work and tend to the land. Each vassal must provide at least 25 retainers per landholding to military and civilian offices. A vassal has the right to bring charges before the High Council in case of any grievance. Such proceedings would be handled by the Prime Minister himself. A vassal may not be detained until the conclusion of such proceedings. A majority vote by the high council can grant claimed land controlled by the Restov (and not another vassal) to a citizen or retainer they deem as worthy of that honor. The individual then becomes a vassal with all the rights and responsibilities there in.

Retainer – Knights, Squires, and Quartermasters, who are beholden to a Vassal or Lord of the Council, and are required to perform services for Restov (according to their skill) when called upon. A retainer has the right to bring and face charges before the Councilor and a panel of his magistrates in case of any grievance, for a trial. A retainer may not be detained except on direct order of the High Council, or at the conclusion of such proceedings.

Citizen – In order to gain citizenship a freeman must give 5 years of military service, or 10 years of civilian service (under the non-military high council members such as Councilor or Head Diplomat) in order to gain citizenship. All citizens receive a piece of land sufficient to provide for a household, upon completion of their service. They may continue that service as long as they are able if they wish, or retire after the 5/10 year period. In case of any grievance a citizen has the right to bring it before one of the Councilor's Magistrates for a summary judgment. A citizen may only be detained by order of a Magistrate (or higher authority) or if they commit a crime directly witnessed by agents of the law (Marshal/Warden’s men).

Holder – Any Freeman skilled in a trade or of sufficient means can enter the service of a Lord or Vassal. In doing so they have the rights of a citizen when acting in the capacity of that service. In exchange they are considered part of the Lord or Vassals house and must pay a tithe to said Lord. This includes individuals such as merchants, members of guilds, or the individual owners of trade services (such as smiths, carpenters, or inn keepers). They must remain a part of their Lord or Vassal's house until an agreed-upon amount is paid to said Lord. In this way an individual may receive 'sponsorship' to become a citizen.

Steadholder - Any Citizen can be tasked by a Vassal or Lord to maintain and manage their lands. In relation to any issues that occur on the lands he is responsible for, a steadholder has the same rights as a retainer.

Freeman – Any person living within Restov. A freeman has the right to work and live on the lands of a noble (or Council Lords), and in return pay a tithe proportional to the kingdoms current tax rate. Any gouging of freeman (tithe being charged not in line with the current tax rate) will be punished by the seizing of lands held by that noble. All freemen have the right to leave the lands they are on at any time, but while there, must obey the rule of the Vassal or Lord who owns them. Freemen cannot themselves bring up charges to the court, however their Lords/Vassals can bring charges to the Magistrates in the name of any freeman residing on their lands. Vassals have the right and responsibility to enforce the Council’s Law on Freemen who occupy their lands.

Crimes upon the State of Restov:
Treason – Providing assistance, comfort, or information to enemies of Restov, and acting directly against it’s interests.
Sentence – Death, Permanent Imprisonment, Exile(this is reserved exclusively for people duped into treason).

Murder – Killing of another person within the bounds of Restov without justification.
Sentence – Death, Permanent Imprisonment .

Theft – Unlawful removal or destruction of property. This includes larceny, robbery, destruction of property, fraud, tax evasion, and corruption.
Sentence – Payment of value for removed/damaged property once to the victim and once to the crown (Nobles are responsible for this payment of their retainers/steadholders in the event they themselves cannot pay), and one of the following:
– Up to 10 years of indentured servitude in service of the victim. The accused can choose to instead pay the value of the years of labor instead. Should the accused not be able to pay the first part of the sentence, the value of that fine is also to be added to the term of servitude.
– Imprisonment of a term to be set by the presiding authority (this is reserved for repeat offenders).

Assault – Physical harm to any person or persons of Restov.
Sentence – Payment of any medical treatment required by the victim, and a matching payment to be made to the realm (anyone not able to pay must enter indentured servitude to work off the debt) as well as:
– Up to 5 years indentured servitude in service of the victim or
– Up to 10 years imprisonment set by the Presiding Authority.

Attempted Crimes – If it can be proven an individual attempted to commit a crime but was otherwise unsuccessful, they may be tried as if they had, in deed, committed the crime.

Restrictions to the above:
All rates and lengths of servitude are to be based on the prevailing wages of a worker of the charged individual's skill.
The victim has the right to determine the nature of the service the accused is to provide in the case of such a sentence. These services should coincide with the known skills of the accused, and are subject to judgment by the prevailing authority.
Time spent in indentured servitude that is within military or civilian service does not count towards the time needed for citizenship in the event the accused is not a citizen.
During servitude the accused retains any rights, standings, or property they previously held (besides what might be forfeited to pay a fine) but must obey all reasonable requests by the victim in service of their duty. Failure to do so requires a re-evaluation of sentence by the presiding authority over the original case.

Rights of all:
The First Right
All people have a right to live and work within Restov regardless of race so long as they obey the Council’s law including direct orders by the council and their subordinates. Any interference with this right is to be considered by law the crime of theft (removal of ones ability to live and work is akin to stealing their wages).

The Second Right
All people have a right to speak their minds and gather in public or in private as they see fit, so long as they obey the Council’s law including direct orders by the council and their subordinates. Any interference with this right is to be considered treason.

The Third Right
All people have the right to bear grievances in open meetings(schedule of which will be no less then 8 hours once a week in the capital) of the Low Council, which if deemed appropriate by Low Council members will be dealt with or brought before the High Council. Any intervention with this right is to be considered treason (preventing members of the kingdom, even freemen, from bearing their grievances before the Low Council harms the kingdom on a fundamental level). This right extends to any freeman or citizen wishing to bring a grievance against a Low or High Council member.

The Fourth Right
All people have the right to basic property, even freemen. A man’s home and his possessions may not be taken without the authority of law. A landholder has the right to evict a freeman but must pay the freeman a fair value of any home that must be left behind. Any eviction gains precedence over other cases in being brought as a grievance before the low council.

The Fifth Right
All people have the right to bring crimes to the attention of Wardens/Marshals for investigation. If in the course of that investigation officers of the Council's Law determine a crime has been committed, the office of the Councilor will determine further action. Interference with this right is to be considered treason under the Council's Law.

The Sixth Right
All people have the right to bear grievance against another individual in the form of juris macto. Both parties must agree to the duel and both parties must have a second to represent their interests. There must also be a Council Magistrate and a neutral witness to the events. The seconds meet and decide the terms and time/location of the duel. All duels must happen on public land.
The seconds must agree to weapons for the duel and the means of conclusion (wounding, death, submission, first blood, incapacitation etc). Once agreed upon these options are presented to the witness and the duelers. If the seconds cannot come to terms they can request arbitration by one of the Council Magistrates.
Anyone can in fact reject a duel, though they may be considered a coward if they do. None are held responsible for harm done to an opponent in the course of a duel.
In a duel to the death, any individual who cheats or deceives the Magistrate automatically forfeits both the duel and life. A champion may stand in the stead of the challenged, though the champion must be presented in a timely fashion. If, in the course of the duel, the champion is defeated (ie: killed) the life of the challenged is also forfeit.

In Restov

Well, they certainly know how to throw a party in Restov...

Arriving in the city on the 4th of Rova, we were welcomed by a contingent from Lord Jamandi Aldori, the reigning Sword Lord. Not sure exactly how he knew we were coming, but nonetheless, the group of young lords led us directly to the Sword Lord's castle where we were greeted by none other than Lord Aldori himself.

What an honor...and get this, we were to stay at the castle and take "full advantage" of his hospitality. You should have seen how puffed up Durvil got. As if he knew all along how important we were. Heh, I myself hold see no advantages to being "important". As long as there's enough money in your purse for a round of beer, you've got all you need.

Speaking of which, I did. So I decided to Seelah to the bar where I grew up and learned the way of Cayden Caileen. She was duly impressed, as expected.

Afterwards we met Elsbeth at an upscale clothier, where we commissioned suitable apparel for the party at Lord Jamandi's the following night. I'm not sure what got into our companion, but she paid for the entire thing. And looked stunning in the final product.

The evening before the party we had the distinct pleasure of meeting the other adventuring parties that had been hired to explore the southern lands. They ranged in experience from...well us, to very experienced (The Iron Council, whom by the way had a pair of very comely twins named Lidka and Irena). From small in numbers (us again) to horde-sized (Varnling Host).

It seemed that all the groups that had been sent south to explore had been gathered here for some sort of announcement. At least that is what I assumed.

And I wasn't far off in my guess. The next night's shindig proved quite opulent. Guests of all stripes were present, from the many adventurers to dignitaries and wealthy merchants. Daughters were on display...apparently this was deemed rich hunting grounds for available and well turned bachelors. Hrmph. Can't say I approve of that much. But in general it's not often that I understand what the upper class considers proper.

Not only was the party for us, but also for the King of Pitax, one Castroci Irovetti was in attendance as well, negotiating a peace settlement. So as you can imagine we were in good company.

Ha! Durvil's older brother was also there. Imagine Durvil's surprise. Seems they don't get along all that well. Durvil left home in quite a hurry and his brother doesn't agree with his methods. At least they could agree to disagree. Ah, sibling rivalry. Wish I knew what that was like.

We met a wide assortment of characters, amongst them were the following:

• Zivel Rotisel - a priest of Gorum and a member of the Iron Council
• Rodom Vena - a fighter by trade and member of the Iron Council
• Lidka and her sister Irena (whom I might have mentioned...) also members of the Iron Council
• Miret Velvason - a roguish sort and member of the Iron Council as well (warned us of the black dragon Ithuliak...now in the Slough)
• Zada Varn - The 18 y/o daughter of Megar Varn (single and quite pretty, as her father will vociferously point out)
• Lord Mayor Joseph Selmius
• Hanhs Drelev - An adventurer in the Slough(?)
• Willis Gunderson - A lore seeker as well as a wizard (told us of Rattison's Treatise...a book of summoning spells that was taken by Keal Garn)
• Belfor Vitanis - An aristocrat
• Theoric - Ix's instructor at the academy (Tasks Ix with finding a Dryad's tear and bringing it to Elga Veriax...whom he claims that we'll run into. Whatever)
• Satinder Morn - A priestess of Calistria (Funny to watch Elsbeth bristle at this woman...apparently there's no love lost w/in the clergy there.)
• Harris Drelev - An adventurer who founded Fort Drelev...how droll
• Harley Medvyed - Ah yes...Harley. We've run into this one before and he's NOT to be trusted. He cornered Durvil and said this, "You'll be handed the keys to the kingdom." And that he reserved the rights to a certain place. As if we OWED the man! Absurd. But I feel as if he has some type of hold over Durvil. I'm not sure what it is. I do know that Harley is some type of lycanthrope, a dangerous creature that must be taken very seriously. I'm not sure what he's up to, but I fear we'll cross paths with him again.
• Terriah Numesti - An associate of Harley's
• Berethran Stroom - A merchant
• Pareta - His daughter
• Grald - I met him...but I don't remember much about him. (I was christening the establishment you know)
• Shah Gelnarn - In the negotiations w/ King Irrovetti

Near the end of the evening we were asked to meet w/ Lord Aldori. For what purpose? I figured it was to report in person and possibly to receive or next set of marching orders. Turns out I was only partially correct. We were granted a Barony! Yes, if you can believe it, we are now "Barons". In name only at the moment though.

We keep what we can hold. In other words, it is by sheer will, strength of arms, and carefully made treaties that we will carve out our land. I propose to name it Free Beer....This way we can attract a hearty tax base. Ah I jest. But we do indeed need to come up w/ a name for our hatchling barony.

As we were in the Lord's office though, all hell broke loose. We could hear excited shouting from out in the main room as we emerged...and surmised that some merchants were attacked and nearly killed in one of the tower rooms, by gargoyles of all things! It's hard to imagine a beast like that "sneaking" into a room from a crowded party.

But I will admit, most of the festivities had moved over to the bar, which is natural. And as the night grows older it is quite common for those interested in imbibing Cayden's blessings to go just a tad too far in their appreciation. I completely understand that and heartily support it...but it was unfortunate never the less.

The attack was concerted and had a target: Zada Varn. Why? I do not pretend to understand, but the action might have been meant to disrupt the peace proceedings in the next room. Who would do this? War profiteers possibly? Again, I'm at a loss.

As one might imagine, Megar was quite beside himself, but came around when we told him that we were on the job and would return his daughter safely. Leaving the brute slightly mollified we tracked the beasts from the room whence they had kidnapped Zada, down the stairs and through a hidden door behind the wine racks.

Eventually this dumped out into the sewers. Why always the sewers? I'm not at all keen on those incredibly smelly, slimy, dark tunnels. We used them as children on occasion, but never willingly.

It was here that we stumbled upon some type of ferocious fecal dweller, what Ix called an Otyugh. Tentacles, teeth and horny ridges were all that were visible of this loathsome beast. Laying into us it pulled many of us into the viscous stew and nearly crushed the life from yours truly! But in the end we prevailed. And continued our pursuit of fair damsel in distress.

Eventually the trail led to an exit where the sewage fell 50' to the river below. And what do we see but a small boat pulled up to the shore and Zada being loaded into the bottom. We shouted to the sell swords below, but to no avail. They cursed us and laughed at our predicament.

Which was about to get much worse.

Three of the repugnant gargoyles swooped upon from on high, surprising us and making descent decidedly more difficult. Taking a cue from Elsbeth, I too leapt down into the river below, hoping the water was deep enough to arrest my deathly plummet. Indeed it was.

The frantic battle was joined and we were ill pressed to win past the gargoyles before the sailors had Zada ensconced and set sail. Durvil fought one on one above with one of the gargoyles while the other two kept us quite busy below. Unfortunately Seelah was trapped in an awkward position and couldn't effectively help the entire party. And her help was sorely missed.

Elsbeth nearly succumbed to the reaper twice, while Ix was also very close to leaving this mortal coil as well. But some quick thinking got us past the ill-begotten creatures just in time to make for the boat.

I swam under the water (luckily the current was with me, for I'm not the worlds strongest swimmer) to the leeward side of the boat and once there, I pulled in one of the sailors. Jumping aboard I fought with the other, eventually throwing him overboard as well. Soon we had won the Varnling's daughter free....

And I'm sure shall be well rewarded. Eh?

We shall see, for that is a story for next time.

26th Arodus - To Restov

We've decided after all to take the Sword Lords up on their invitation and travel to Restov. It will take us 5 days, so we pack 6 days of food, gather lists from both Svetlana as well as Oleg, sharpen weapons (wits in my case) and saddle up.

The first few day's journey east is relatively easy. We meet travelers along the road and are warned that south of the Shrike river is centaur territory...so beware.

Our first night's stay is quite a push, as we are intending to lodge in safety at Fort Serenko. It is a small fort situated at the confluence of the Shrike and Kiravoy rivers, but is well apportioned and manned to guard the road to Restov. Run by Captain Alric and 20 regulars...although there are a few from the northern territories that are obvious "outsiders" with the majority of the men. It must be some kind of territorial dispute thing, I'm not certain.

The next few days see us in Nivatka's Crossing. A small town whose largest landmark is the bridge across the Shrike river. It is there that we run into a wee bit of trouble. As we entered the town there was a small mob of people gathered at one end of the bridge impeding the progress of what appeared to be a merchant's wagon being pulled by a centaur! Led by an elf, the small group was verbally accosting the choice of draft animals and threatening violence.

In turn the merchant, who was none other than Keal-garn Garas, self appointed sorcerer supreme, was threatening violence in return. And I was not certain that his type of violence would be much more destructive in scale, as he did not seem to me a moral person at all. In fact, I did not like him one iota. As proof of his malicious intent he had ensorcelled these nasty little creatures called spriggans as guardians. And like him, they were obviously intent on mischief.

The centaur had a spell of some potency cast upon him...According to Ix, and it was this that was allowing the wizard to guide this sentient creature and use him as a beast of burden. Despicable. None of our group were thrilled with the situation so we tried to adjudicate it.

In the end, we realized that power trumps nearly everything else...We gave two of our horses for the centaur Anakaris' freedom. Handing him over to the elf Malooki, we allowed Keal-garn Garas to pass w/out further trouble and stayed the night at the Inn for a reasonable 2sp / person.

The next day we spotted mammoth crossing the Shrike but beyond that the rest of our journey was w/out trouble.

14th of Arodus

It is our third day back at Oleg's outpost and what would you know, but a contingent of brothers of Caiden Kaileen have arrived unannounced! Can you imagine? I am overjoyed...to speak hops, barley, malt, etc. w/ knowledgeable individuals (other than Ix, who's more of a scholar than a brewer). I was in heaven, so to speak.

Leading wagons and carts this contingent of monks were heading north of Littletown for a trip to a special temple...or so I imagine. The abbot, one Montalv, was a little close-mouthed about their true intent, but I did make friends with Rialdo, the master of ceremonies as well as the strange little man (a halfling, so they say) named Nori the Red. As a "gardener" he had loads of knowledge about the growing side of brewing, and I learned a lot in terms of planting and growing my own barley and hops for a "remote temple".

We had an excellent time overall with the monks, and I think that my compatriots were able to see how our order operates. I was sad to see them go, and I can't say that I wasn't at least a little tempted to go with them. I do miss the temple life, and while I just love this adventuring life, my brewing skills are atrophying. I must set up an operation soon.

Oleg seems to think that we should go back and speak with the Sword Lords after we've completed our charter. I suppose he's right. The rest of our group is on the fence though, I'm not sure what we're going to do. But nevertheless, that decision doesn't have to be made for a while yet. After looking at our map, we have nearly 1/2 of our charter to discover.

We set out with 14 days of food, our intent was to head into the areas that we have yet to explore. Yes, we're back at it again. Finally.

A few days into our journey we come across what I had thought to be a stone cairn of some type, maybe an ancient burial mound. But lo, it turns out to be some type of a house. And guess what? Inside we discover the symbol of Gyrona! This goddess must surely have had a very strong following in this area. But why? I can not fathom how a religion would survive for long out in this desolate area. I do have to remember though, that it has not always been this way.

Inside this structure we find a skeleton nailed to the wall with over 100 nails! The hackles on the back of my neck instantly rise. Elsbeth enters, as she is a keen eyed trap sleuth who can deactivate all but the most magical of traps. As she enters though the temperature drops drastically and she appears to "fight" something. Winning, she turns to us and warns to keep back, this place is protected by a powerful magical ward.

After checking the inside she determines that besides the "haunting", the place is relatively safe. My hackles are still up though... As we enter a vision comes to us: A young woman is being nailed to the wall by an older woman. She is being told that she has failed and that even though she is loved by this older woman, she is now Gyrona's." Harsh punishment indeed.

We release the skeleton and there is a visible drop of the tension in the air. I think that we have successfully set the spirit free.

I am exhausted now...This trial has been especially troubling. I will rest now, and write more later.

Letter to the Stag Lords

Esteemed Benefactors,

We have explored as per our charter and in doing so, have encountered the vile miscreant known as the Stag Lord. We have nullified this threat and feel that his forces are either killed or dispersed. Due to its excellent location, we would suggest that this fort might make a fine trading post. It would need renovations in order to become serviceable, so we would suggest that you send a fore of soldiers and engineers to both secure and fix this edifice.

The undead have infested the area surrounding the ruins and the inclusion of a cleric would be recommended. We will continue to explore as per our charter. Also, as a point of interest, the Stag Lord's father, on Nughah, who is a priest of nature, is currently at large.

Yours in Arms,

- The Search and Destroyers

Stage Dressing (After the Stag Lord)

Durvil and Lothar heaved the massive stone to the side, and it tipped over with a heavy thud. Staring at them accusingly from what had been the underside was a carved, lidless eyeball, perfectly round and bloodshot throughout. Below where the stone had been set, a ruined stairway descended into the darkness, cobwebs drifting in the stale air.

“What do you think it was watching?” Elsbeth asked, indicating the massive eye.

Durvil glanced back from where he knelt, peering down the stairs. “Funny girl, when she wants to be,” he said to no one in particular. “I’m more interested in what old Staggy might have been hiding down here. Shall we?”

Lothar smiled and took a swig from his flagon. “Of course,” he said, stepping forward into the stairs. Holding his torch aloft, he watched the flame carefully. No breeze from below, so no other opening, then. Carefully, making room for Elsbeth beside him, he descended. Every now and then he would pause to let Elsbeth study the stairs and walls, waiting for her to give him the signal that it was safe to proceed. At the bottom, the stairwell opened up into a large chamber. The air was miserably damp, and greasy swaths of mold caked the carved stone walls and floor. Fifteen feet above, the ceiling was thick with cobwebs. Three archways in the walls opened into other rooms. Spread throughout were mounds of crates, furs, sacks, weapons, and other obviously stolen loot, making line of sight difficult to maintain.

Spreading out, Lothar, Ixilplith and Elsbeth checked each entrance, leaving Selah and Durvil at the stairs. It was apparent that Durvil didn’t trust the situation, and wanted to be sure nothing slipped up or down the stairs without him knowing. A quick look through each arch revealed more of the same: stacks of stolen goods. The far reaches of each room ended in piles of rubble, as though the collapsing tower above echoed its fall to ruin below. The archways all had carving along their lengths, odd symbols and markings, with the staring eye at the apex of each.

“What does the eye mean?” Ixilplith asked, stepping underneath one arch and peering closely at it.

Selah smiled at his curiosity. “Staring so closely at it won’t prod your memory, Ix. It’ll come to you eventually.” She frowned slightly. “But it does seem like something I’ve seen before. I just don’t recall where.”

A whistle from Elsbeth brought Ixilplith and Lothar to her from their investigations. Pointing, she indicated a pile of furs and blankets mounded in a dryer corner of one room. Surrounding it were small effects including a crock of water, a packet of pulled jerky, discarded bones, and a stylized circlet of stone leaves. “Who do you suppose was using this?” Ixilplith asked.

Lothar felt his skin crawl. “Someone the Stag Lord didn’t like, that’s for sure.” Looking around at all the crates, sacks and packs, a thought occurred to him. “Although, it seems more like he was locking a prized possession away than any prisoner.”

“And we still don’t know where he is,” Elsbeth whispered quietly, peering down one aisle of crates. She thought she saw a little movement in the corner. Motioning for Lothar and Ixilplith to follow, she tried to keep the conversation light and raised her voice so Selah and Durvil could hear. “These boys were busy, weren’t they?”

“Looks it,” Durvil agreed loudly. “But it looks like they never actually did anything with it. These were some poor bandits, who stole so much and never sold any of their ill-gotten gains.”

“Good that the Stag Lord is dead, then,” Lothar commented, stepping to the side of Elsbeth. She was right; there was definitely movement within the rubble of the collapsed corner. “If all he ever did was make everyone miserable, then I say good riddance.”

In front of Durvil and Selah, a piece of the wall separated itself from the stonework and stepped out into the room. Fascinated, Durvil watched as the form coalesced from stone to man. His face was broken and shattered, his eyes crooked below his brow. One ear was massively swollen, looking as though it had been beaten so often that it was forever malformed into a head of cauliflower. Through crooked and missing teeth, the old man hissed, “That boy was my son. If you are responsible for his death, then you will answer to me.”

At the same time, the rubble before Elsbeth exploded into motion as a carpet of roiling fur detached from the shadows, rushing forward and engulfing everything in its path. The chittering, squealing mass of rats was anything but innocent, myriad red eyes focused on the trio before it with ravenous purpose.