Durant's Personal Journal - Eastern Graffenbach, autumn of 3811

Things seem to move quickly out here, north of Cireth. I have a mixture of good news and bad news to document.
 
The good news is, I've made more strides in assembling my fledgling warhost. It's turning into a proper little army now, nearly eight hundred strong. By all accounts this may well be every gnoll in Chedonc. I'm glad I could bring them all together in this; most of them are, understandably, simply scared now given the Starfall and I am happy I can channel that fear into something constructive rather than leave the warlords to tear them all to pieces for scraps.
 
The other good news is, we have successfully crossed the mountains into Graffenbach. I fail to understand why the humanoids call this place the Graffenbach Wastes. The volcanic soil is quite rich by the looks of things, and the plains are quite verdant here. I suppose the volcanoes play some role in the name, but... I cannot help but suspect there is cultural posturing at play on the humans' part.
 
The bad news... we had to cross through the ruins of Kalag Nor to reach our current location. The city was struck by a falling star. I had hoped Kalag Nor would be a respite for us, and perhaps a place where we could get on the orcs' good side. Instead, just ruins and ash and deep, diseased veins of something I could not identify. It was much like Artyom's illness when it overtook him, though.
 
I have been lucky to maintain my connection with Agroth-Torr. I am so deeply thankful that the Ascendant seem to have avoided the fate the Old Gods suffered during the Starfall; selfishly, I treasure that bond deeply, but far more importantly it means that the God-Tyrant Cir still has some peers who might be able to oppose whatever master plan He has in store. Perhaps there are more young gods like the Ascendant that can be called upon. As much as Silvertongue would object, I highly suspect the human northerners have made gods of their heroes of myth much like we gnolls have; perhaps the Goblin King might qualify as well. I am getting ahead of myself, but the speculation gives me some hope.