Isenara Eiryant
Isenara Eiryant
Twin sister of Aranesi, formerly in employ of lady Cavatina Nytraven working on retrieval of lost snow elven secrets.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Slim build, one could say rather skinny.
Body Features
Wears her hair in a long braid.
Facial Features
Almond shaped and youthful, but rather unremarkable among elves.
Identifying Characteristics
Heterochromia with green left eye and blue right eye.
Physical quirks
Right handed, with an energetic spring in her step.
Special abilities
Professional at stealthy entry, retrieval, and egress, dependent on her twin sister's information gathering.
Developed an exceptional skill in predicting her opponent's actions, allowing her to best pick her next move regardless of situation.
Hey eyes can pierce a person with a frightening intensity.
Apparel & Accessories
Prefers tightly fitted clothing, showing off ample amounts of skin as per snow elven customs with the exception of the lower half of her face that she likes to keep covered when on a mission.
Specialized Equipment
Repeating Hand Crossbow and a Scorpion Whip enhanced with an assortment of self made poisons and bombs.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Born to a noble family, cadet branch of House Nytraven, in the city of Forna Vasar, Isenara showed incredible aptitude in skills of stealth and subterfuge, this caught the attention of Lady Cavatina Nytraven, an enigmatic and powerful figure within shadow elf society. Cavatina had long sought ways to increase her influence, and recruiting young elves from other noble families to serve her House was rare, but not unusual.
Trained from the very young age to be loyal to house Nytraven, Cavatina saw an opportunity with the young Isenara. She had long been planning a larger expedition to reclaim the ruined lands of Hrivenor and uncover the secrets buried there, but feared the snow elf population was not large enough to support a venture of such scale.
Lady Cavatina entrusted Isenara and her twin sister Aranesi to her daughter, Aria, a witch wielding the power of storms venturing out to establish a new colony in the shattered lands despite Lady Cavatina’s reservations. The expedition was bound to happen with her blessing or without, so at the very least it would be good to have an agent of her own among the colonists. Only thanks to Talindra Inaris' recommendation Aria didn't immediately dismiss someone trained by her mother.
Sexuality
Hasn't quite decided yet, felt attraction to both sexes.
Education
Trained in the art of stealth and subterfuge from a very young age, Isenara doesn't shy away from more theoretical education, but leaves the deep dives to her sister Aranesi
Employment
Currently in employ of House Nytraven, preparing to venture into blasted lands of Hrivenor in service to Lady Aria Nytraven
Morality & Philosophy
Believes in pursuing your passions.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Finds thrill in entering places lost to memory and uncovering old secrets. Or sneaking into heavily guarded places of living memory and recovering current secrets.
Savvies & Ineptitudes
Stealthy and good around locks and traps, not so great about sitting still in one place for long.
Likes & Dislikes
Loves shiny things, dislikes being bored.
Virtues & Personality perks
Her outlook on life of courtly intrigue makes her essentially incorruptible.
Vices & Personality flaws
Unusually uninterested in personal power for a snow elf, she prefers to keep to herself and her twin sister.
Personality Quirks
Plays with loose strands of her hair when nervous.
Hygiene
Usually keeps her hair in a long braid to try and hide the fact that she rarely brushes it.
Social
Contacts & Relations
Ward of Lady Cavatina Nytraven
In employ to House Nytraven, assigned by Lady Cavatina to aid Lady Aria to the best of her abilities.
Daughter of House Eiryant, a cadet house of house Nytraven
Family Ties
Due to the early guardianship by Lady Cavatina, she never developed strong bond with her birth parents Veridion and Ylvara Eiryant, and sees House Nytraven as her first loyalty.
Religious Views
Carries a discreet symbol of Drustanus.
Social Aptitude
Outgoing and forward, speaks her mind, though often she struggles to convey her meaning.
Wealth & Financial state
She's accumulated enough wealth for a comfortable life, but is not by any means wealthy.
Twin sister of Aranesi, formerly in employ of lady Cavatina Nytraven working on retrieval of lost snow elven secrets.
View Character Profile
Alignment
Thrillseeker
Age
53
Date of Birth
4th Amerysday of High Winter
Birthplace
Forna Vasar
Children
Gender
Female
Eyes
Green/Blue Heterochromia with her left eye being green, and the right one blue
Hair
Black, with grey streaks
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Ashen grey
Height
5' 4"
Weight
110lb
Terrors Beneath
1st Qindirsday of Spring's Birth, Second Age 1853
1st Qindirsday of Spring's Birth, Second Age 1853: On the 5th Respitesday of Winter's End, we plunged into the depths beneath Nyxthranis, where we stumbled upon a grim pile of aberrant corpses—twisted, unnatural things that set my nerves on edge. We made camp that night, but the darkness felt alive, watching us. By Malakar’s watch, the ambush hit—those same aberrant monsters lunged from the shadows. We fought them off, blades flashing in the dim light, and though we took some hits, we stood our ground. Action like that sharpens the mind and steels the body.
The next day, bandaged but unbroken, we pressed deeper down a spiraling tunnel, the air growing heavy with each step. A rhythmic pulse echoed—a heartbeat, unnervingly alive. Malakar scouted ahead, his Web of Eyes sharing the sight of a grotesque plant creature, its pulse throbbing through the stone. No time for hesitation; we moved to confront it.
The battle was brutal. The creature, a corrupted fey spirit of dreams in a form of an aberrant tree, shrugged off our strikes like they were nothing. Then a memory sparked—a tale of such a beast’s weakness to vital energies. I shouted it to the group, and Talindra infused our weapons with that power. The tide turned fast; steel bit deep, and we gained the upper hand. In the tree’s core, we found Luthadir, his body pierced by root-like tendrils feeding the monstrosity. Talindra’s medical precision saved him, carefully extracting the roots without further harm. Deprived of its fuel, the tree weakened, though it still resisted my spells. Afterwards, its resistances fell away and the party made short work of it. I collected some of its sap—potent, strange stuff that might yield something useful. We patched up, collapsed the mountain onto Nyxthranis to bury its horrors, and marched back to Hithfaer. Lady Aria sent Selestiel to track the escaped dwarven slaves, and I’m ready for whatever we face next.
Conquest in the Dark
5th Amerysday of Winter's End, Second Age 1853
5th Amerysday of Winter's End, Second Age 1853: On this venture, our pursuit of actionable intelligence led us to interrogate a corpse of Maeltheron Lith'Kael, yielding critical information about a covert route into the enemy city. Accompanied by Grikz and shadowed by Selestiel, we navigated through a mushroom grove, its air thick with hallucinogenic spores that we deftly avoided. The path culminated in a hidden back entrance to the city cavern—a route a larger force would need to tread with utmost caution to bypass the same peril.
Emerging onto an overlook above the city, we found it surprisingly unguarded, as if the shadow elves never anticipated discovery of this passage. Straightforward pathway descended into the city, easily navigable for a small, disciplined group. From this vantage, we observed fires in the slave quarter—contained, yet ominous. I suspected they burned bodies drained for blood magic, though other possibilities lingered. The city showed regular activity, but no convergence toward a single point, and no magical lights illuminated the streets, suggesting a reliance on stealth or secrecy.
The next day, after reporting our findings to the council. Lady Aria declared that we will take the mercenaries with us and send a strike force through the secret passage. Once we arrived, we were able to get a better look of the city. Approximately half a mile from the entrance and a mile from the main gate, we confirmed a slave revolt had seized part of the city. The fires were their means to see in the darkness while the magical illumination was turned off. Meeting their leader, Nauriel, gave us an overview of the situation in the city. With Lady Aria being able to point out where the lights were controlled from, a plan was formed. With Zaelith and Bhazel, we formed a strike team and as soon as we broke through the first line of the shadow elf conscripts, we moved on to the control center. We distracted and overwhelmed the guards, swiftly neutralizing them. My lockpick snapped, but Zaelith located keys on a fallen guard. The mechanism was simple to activate, and while we debated securing it, Bhazel smashed it, locking the lights on—a bold, effective move.
Rallying the remaining slaves, we prepared to besiege the inner walls. The battle to breach the gates was fierce, demanding every ounce of our skill, but we routed the enemy. As they fled toward a shadowy portal, we pursued, only to face a rear guard protecting a gateway maintained by the shadow elves. The skirmish was grueling, but we prevailed, though their lady escaped through the portal followed by a summer elf who upon seeing us, stepped in and closed the gate behind him, trapping hundreds of fleeing civilians to be dispatched by our troops. Lady Aria did not wish to take in any security threats. While surveying the now empty city, and interrogating its remaining inhabitants, we learned that Luthais and some of his followers had descended into aberration-infested tunnels below. The captain of the seaguard Luthedir decided to pursue their quarry and requested a week of time before we drop the mountain onto the city. My focus remained on the tangible gains—securing the city and its resources—proof that action, not deliberation, shapes victory.
The week has passed, and there is no sight of Luthedir or his company. Lady Aria will decide if we leave them to their fate or launch a rescue mission. If we abandon them, it may strain our relationship with Eglasil, and they're proven stalwart allies so far.
War at our Doorstep
3rd Seojungsday of Winter's End, Second Age 1853
2nd Judicday of Winter's End, Second Age 1853: We gathered with the council to hammer out our next moves. Plans were laid to send for mercenaries—some extra blades could tip the scales. Nyvressa was sent to Eglasil to to keep her safe from the infiltrators, and the seaguard’s sticking close in case trouble comes knocking. Aranesi’s buried in her work, trying to crack the monolith’s magic and replicate it to our use. I’d rather be out sneaking around than puzzling over runes, but her brain’s a weapon in its own right.
3rd Judicday of Winter's End, Second Age 1853: The Black Moon Company rolled in, mercenaries with a reputation facing against overwhelming odds and coming out on top. They didn’t waste time, heading straight to bolster our forward armies. I joined with them to catch up with the rest of the army.
3rd Seojungsday of Winter's End, Second Age 1853: We caught the enemy at the river crossing—perfect spot to choke their advance. Winter must be with us as the scouts reported heavy snow slowed the enemy down, resulting in this scenario. The battle was a thing of beauty. Their fanatics charged ahead like fools, leaving their void wyrm and infantry stuck behind, floundering at the river. We hit hard, routed them clean, and walked away with barely a scratch. That’s the kind of fight I live for—sharp, decisive, no messing around.
With their forces scattered, we pushed toward their city, ready to demand surrender. They’re on their heels now, and I’m primed to finish this.
Unwelcome Visitors
1st Respitesday of Winter's End, Second Age 1853
3rd Amerysday of High Winter, Second Age 1853: The rest of the holidays rolled by without a hitch—plenty of feasting and no more surprises, just the way I like it when I’m catching my breath. Got my head clear and my gear ready for whatever’s next.
Aelorna got word from Nyvressa —she’s planning to break free when Nyxthranis sends scouts to poke around our town, checking how their schemes are playing out. That’s a chance we can’t miss. I’m itching to see some action come of this.
4th Amerysday of High Winter, Second Age 1853: It was our birthday today. Zhyrissa was the only one to visit us. Outside of the council she is the only one who knows our situation. I am amazed that she continues to stick with me, though perhaps it's the relaxed nature of our relationship to keeps things from becoming too strained.
5th Respitesday of High Winter, Second Age 1853: Selestiel, Malakar, Grikz, and Horatio took off to intercept the princess. No sitting around debating—they’re out there getting it done. By the evening of the 5th Seojungsday, we spotted the Nyxthranis scouting party. Our crew moved fast, snatching the princess out from under their noses while their scouts slipped away into shadows. Clean work, even if I wasn’t there to land the punches myself.
They didn’t give up, though. They’ve been prowling around for days, using shadow magic to stay slippery. One got nabbed but wriggled out of any binds like it was nothing. They’re a pain, but it’s the kind of challenge that keeps me sharp. I hope Aelorna has an idea how to keep them in one place, or at least has the sense to ask for advice from those who might. Isenara is already making some designs. I’m ready to hunt them down if they stick around too long.
1st Respitesday of Winter's End, Second Age 1853: I think I am enjoying this role as a treasurer more than I thought I would. My agents have been collecting "service fees" from the citizens, making sure nobody is hiding any wealth from our Lady, and trades with our neighbors have also been bringing in the resources we still lack.
Darkness Ended
3rd Qindirsday of High Winter, Second Age 1853
3rd Qindirsday of High Winter, Second Age 1853: The Festival of the Longest Night started with a bang—food piled high, preparations locked in tight. But as we lit the lanterns, a suffocating darkness swallowed everything. No light could cut through it; even those of us used to the dark were half-blind. A deeper shadow clung to the temple of the Winter Queen, like a bruise on the world. I was itching to move, to do something, not just stand around gawking.
Malakar and Talindra rolled in from their trip to the ancient oak, where they’d been celebrating with the sleeping dryad.
Grikz and Malakar tried piercing the temple’s darkness but got nowhere. Malakar mentioned running into two fae sisters—hostile ones—who’d forced him to bolt back for us. Time to act. We hit the hill, but the darkness was a beast—thick, disorienting, like wading through tar. It felt like we were teetering on the edge of the shadow realm itself. My blood was up; I was ready to carve through whatever was waiting.
The fight was a mess—tiny pixies and worse, flitting in and out of the murk. Could barely see them, let alone hit them, but we ground it out and won. Once the chaos settled, we checked the graveyard—now a frozen pond with a figure trapped inside. Malakar called her a spirit of sorrow. While the others debated how to free her, Lady Aria ordered the source of the darkness to be found. I made it to the temple stairs when the area brightened—turns out the group had helped the spirit move on, and she’d lit the place up as thanks. She left a warning too: not everyone in winter’s happy with the new order, and shadow’s got agents stirring trouble. Good to know—means more fights coming.
Down in the temple, we found images of past Longest Nights, but the gifts they should’ve held were stashed elsewhere. Another wing had an icy prison, souls from the long winter locked inside. Something kicked awake in me—Drustanus’s power, maybe—and I started praying. The souls’ pain hit like a wave, but once I leaned into it, it didn’t hurt anymore. Zaelith jumped in, copying my moves, and together we freed every last one. Felt good to just do it, no endless debate.
In the final chamber, we faced a fae with icy claws, in possession of a lantern of Rhodante she’d twisted to suck up light and boost herself. She was the darkness’s root, no question. I focused on the lantern, kept her from claiming full control over it, while the others hammered her back to her realm. The lantern vanished—probably back to its owner—and light flooded in. Well, it would’ve, if it wasn’t still night. Down in the city, folks started relighting lanterns, sparks of life flickering back.
Selestiel returned from scouting Nyxthranis—nothing moving there—so we crashed, exhausted. Woke up to find gifts waiting for each of us who’d fought for the lantern. Whoever left them knew exactly what we’d value—mine’s perfect for our task as soul wardens. No clue who from, possibly Rhodante himself but that would be presumptuous without evidence.
I’d planned to spend time with Zhyrissa, but the darkness threw that out the window. Made it up to her by sneaking into her place at dawn, cooking breakfast, and leaving a gift: a jade lion statue from a magic envelope and custom jewelry for her horns. Writing this now while she’s stirring—smell of food’s probably waking her. Time to wrap this up and get moving again.
Tirion Anor
3rd Brahmarusday of High Winter, Second Age 1853
1st Vaeraleusday of High Winter, Second Age 1853: Landed in the Golden Elf city of Tirion Anor, crashing at the Emerald Spire. We decided Aranesi would be better to take charge here, hoping to visit some of the local repositiories of knowledge. She joined Aelorna in getting us an audience with the Speaker of Summer and on the way we overheard something about a duel taking place in the evening. It was all anyone in the district was talking about. Aelorna pulled some fast moves and got us a spot in a booth with the Speaker of Summer. Figured it’d be all pomp and no punch, but it turned out solid. We clicked, no fluff needed. The real action kicked off when the duel between Telimbectar and a challenger scrapping for a spot in their ranks began. Blades clashed, moves sharp as hell—a proper test of grit. The loser didn't like it and tried some underhanded action, failed, and was made to bleed out on the sand. Speaker seemed rather unimpressed by this dishonorable behavior.
1st Qindirsday of High Winter, Second Age 1853: In the morning, a dinner invite from the Speaker dropped. Daytime had me stuck in libraries with Aranesi, poking through old books about Sol Variar. Word is they were just a “young elves cult” most ditch as they grow up, largely dismissed as irrelevant by the records. Sounds like a dodge to me—too clean a story. Something’s brewing beneath that mask, I’d bet on it.
Dinner with the Speaker was no-nonsense. We locked in some ties and got them hooked on digging into Sol Variar and their link to Luthais. They’ll send updates if they strike gold. Job done, no endless chatter required.
3rd Brahmarusday of High Winter, Second Age 1853: We left Tirion Anor on 1st Seojungsday, rolled back home by 2nd Vaeraleusday after a rather uneventful voyage. I spent the rest of the time leading up to the celebration of the Longest Night by setting up trade agreements with the golden elves. The trade is about to start pouring in now—deals sealed, goods moving. That’s the kind of win I live for.
Holidays are gearing up to be a blast. Bhazel’s been tearing through the fields all week, hauling in the harvest. We’re primed for a feast that’ll hit hard.
Every move here was worth it—tangible, real. I’d take that over a stack of promises or dusty pages any day.
Lothithil Estate
5th Seojungsday of Winters Chill, Second Age 1853
I am writing this entry as I am sitting in a room within the Lothithil Estate. This is where The Dancer of Death began her journey, the story I've been told I have no read in any of the tomes we were able to find. They have focused on her domain after the ascension, but not her life before it. To be told the story, from the lips of someone who lived alongside the goddess, it is an incredible experience.
3rd Qindirsday of Winters Chill, Second Age 1853: During the First Snow holiday, a ship from Ioban arrived, bringing much-needed supplies but also a group of settlers eager to join our ranks that nobody was expecting. They claimed they were inspired by a letter written by the halfling Horation. Their arrival during First Snow festival seemed particularly ominous, I gathered what information I could from their shipping manifests, but we were already preparing for a departure the next morning. Lets hope we don't return to an unexpected takeover. Their unexpected arrival made Lady Aria irate with Horatio, and his lack of deference earned him a night in the cell stripped of all of his clothing.
4th Qindirsday of Winters Chill, Second Age 1853: We set out on the 3rd Seojungsday for Forna Vasar, a journey that stretched until today when we finally made landfall at the only metropolis on this side of the sea. The trip itself was rather uneventful, and the city seemed live its own rhythm. Unsurprisingly, the agents I sent back to learn more about the chisel weren't interested in continuing the arrangement. Lady Aria brought us all to dinner with her mother, where you could cut the tension in the air with a knife. At least until Aelorna sang about the conflict between realms of air and fire, and Lady Aria's brokered alliance between them.
5th Seojungsday of Winters Chill, Second Age 1853: The very next day, we departed again, reaching the coast of the Lothithil estate just this morning. We made introductions with Lady Gweir Lothithil, and were given free reign of the estate, in hopes of uncovering what everyone else before us failed to. And discover we did - a secret tunnel burrowing beneath the land, leading us to a crypt of ancient family members, easily dating back to the time when dragons ruled these lands, and a shrine which appeared dedicated to Araneth. Luthais appeared to have beaten us to a secret room behind the alter, unsurprising, given he had decades of head start, and managed to get what he was looking for. There was only a sword in there, with a plaque that named it Lothithil, saying that only one of the family blood could wield it. It was proven true, when Lady Gweyr came down and claimed it. The sword immediately changed shape to a rapier, and spoke to us in our minds, claiming it was returned to this vault after it was already emptied of everything else of value.
At dinner I spoke with Lady Gweyr, while Lorelei shared the sword’s storied past and the tale of her sister, who ascended to godhood while bringing winter out of its corruption along other adventurers.
Visitors from across the Sea
3rd Vaeraleusday of Winters Chill, Second Age 1853
1st Respitesday of Winters Chill, Second Age 1853: After our return to Hithfaer, Lady Aria made some changes in the council arrangement, making Zaelith the new Magister, Aelorna the new Emissary, and putting me in charge of the Treasury. I was not completely caught unawares, Aelorna is better suited for the job meeting with foreign dignitaries, and I figured having access to the Treasury will aid me in my goals internally within the kingdom. I had a fruitful meeting with Ilador, being the first merchant in town, he has earned the right to be more involved in the goings on. After all he took a significant risk putting his money behind the Lady.
I was able to find some time to pay a social visit to Zhyrissa, and gift her the venom sample we collected from the ruins. I figured she will have more time to investigate it, and maybe something useful will come out of it. If not, at least we should know more than before about these creatures. There wasn't enough to really produce more doses, but perhaps she will discover some way to protect ourselves from it.
There were some rumors about a small gift left for the first child born in Hithfaer by the "Snow Fox". I should find out how people feel about our mysterious person.
The populace grew restless during this time, grumbling about the absence of a proper drinking establishment. Their dissent flared briefly, but Lady Aria’s firm hand quelled it swiftly, reminding everyone of the order we’re striving to maintain amidst our expansion. It was the first time I saw Deareth taking command of the military, what little we have of it, and his cold demeanor turned from mostly indifferent, to almost cruel. The workers dispersed before it came to blows, but I can't shake a feeling that Daereth would have enjoyed seeing some blood spilt that day.
2nd Amerysday of Winters Chill, Second Age 1853: Small vessel arrived at our pier and dropped off a moon elf by the name of Lorelei. She claimed to serve Lady Lothithil and came to share what information they had about Luthais. She traded her knowledge for some of ours, confirming suspicions about his movements and hinting at his next possible target. Her information is a puzzle piece I’ll need to fit into our broader strategy. It appears he was chased away from the Lothithil lands, but they are yet to discover what his purpose there was. It seems unlikely he staged an entire coup simply to have a comfortable place to live. Especially since it appeared that he spent most of the time away in Loristia.
3rd Vaeraleusday of Winters Chill, Second Age 1853: Spent most of the time mingling with the populace and learning their abilities and habits. I need to find someone competent to keep an eye on my growing domain in my absence. Aranesi seems to be enjoying the stories Lorelei has to tell about the time before Sundering, and I don't mind listening in. There may be some useful bits of information buried in there.
Ancient Discoveries
4th Judicsday of Autumns Edge, Second Age 1853
3rd Amerysday of Autumns Edge, Second Age 1853: Just when the workers were sure they will make a breach on the next day, an assault of strange spiderlike beings woke us in the middle of the night. They struck fast, but despite many of our number being roused from slumber with minimum gear on hand, we were able to fend them off quite efficiently. Their venom spurred my curiosity and with Lady Aria's assistance I was able to obtain a sample for later research. It appears to be a muscle relaxant of some kind, not lethal but quite debilitating in combat.
The very next morning we rappelled down into the ruins, with more and more signs indicating that they actually predated the elven kingdoms that used to occupy these lands. the Cataclysm must have caused an upheaval in the land, bringing to the surface what once was beneath it. We've had to deal with some strange creatures, not quite living and yet not quite dead and deeper in the ruins we came upon a ritual circle, definitely used for blood magic fueled ritual of some kind. Before we were able to discern its purpose we were assaulted by a mass of flesh that had no right moving. It looked like molten candle wax, except it had faces and limbs protruding in all directions and somehow it was moving towards us! It was a hard battle, especially for those who had to get close to the aberration, but we prevailed again.
With some respite in sight, we were able to put some pieces together and identify that the ritual had some form of resurrection magic imbued in it, and yet it appeared to not need a body to bring back to life, or a soul to fuel it, almost as if it was meant to create a living vessel from scratch to be filled by... something? The rest of the ruins were no less fascinating. We found signs of passage, and evidence of habitation, with someone leaving behind an empty container of red hair dye, and a chest full of magic items used for subterfuge and infiltration. All signs pointed to Luthais, or someone like him. We found multiple secret rooms, filled to the brim with hidden magic and equipment that showed signs of being made in another age despite its excellent condition.
Two discoveries stood out. First, a dormant gate that we were able to discern led to the spirit realm of Shadow, a place where all things wither and die. It appeared to be fully functional and possible to be opened from either side so Lady Aria made the decision to bury it in rubble to prevent anyone, or anything from crossing over this way. Second, a set of scrolls marked with symbolism of a tree and sacred geometry. We were unable to read it at first, but when I put the magnifying glass that we found in one of the hidden stashes to it, the text translated to something I was able to read the shifting text. It spoke of Araneth and the creation of the world, but not quite in a way that seemed familiar to most.
4th Judicsday of Autumns Edge, Second Age 1853: We've returned to Hithfaer and a meeting was called as the infiltrators I sent to Nyxthranis have also returned with news. They brought back some useful information, but nothing especially ground breaking. According to their report, the Moon Elf slaves seem to have better life there than the Snow Elf ones, with the former seeing their lives as having a purpose towards survival in this harsh land, while the latter are seen as traitors and treated as such. Celandor, who was also in the meeting, was far more interested in the scrolls, and after some reservation, Lady Aria allowed him to read them, which to everyone's surprise he did without help of the magnifying glass. He explained it is a language that belongs to a tribe of people living far north and requested to study the scrolls, share the knowledge contained within, and return them to that tribe. Lady Nytraven agreed, but I think her decision may change depending on what information Celandor uncovers.
Island Ruins
3rd Seojungsday of Autumn's Edge
3rd Seojungsday of Autumn's Edge, Second Age 1853: After a week of managing kingdom's affairs for our absence, we set our sights on the coastal ruins we had previously sighted on the island just off the coast, a little too close to our young city to leave them as an unknown. Nythara, invited by Lady Aria, joined our expedition, offering valuable insights into blood magic. As we discussed the academic nuance of using blood magic for rituals, I took notes under the guise that they were for Aranesi, but she was fully engaged, absorbing every detail.
We arrived at the ruins on the 3rd Brahmarusday. The dwarf slaves were immediately set to excavate the site while we explored the visible parts and the surrounding area. Nythara discovered some faint markings, which Talindra suggested might be linked to Araneth, a deity long absent from our world. It's peculiar to find such relics on the surface; the Sundering must have unearthed them.
In the small hours of the 2nd Seojungsday, the camp was jolted awake by Zaelith's screams from a nightmare. He speculated it was due to the influence of the ruins, but Nythara countered this, attributing the disturbance to his new trinket from the ruins back in Hithfaer, which she linked to the lunar cycle pointing out the moon was full that night.
The following day was uneventful, with the dwarves reporting they could complete the passage through the ruins by the next day, implications of a structure linked to Araneth are great and many, and what we find within may be beyond our wildest imaginations, question is, will it be of much help to us. Outside of us, the island has been eerily quiet, though we haven't ventured far beyond the excavation site.
Flames and Storms
2nd Respitesday of High Autumn, Second Age 1853
1st Respitesday of Autumn's Edge, Second Age 1853: It has been one of our longer expeditions so far, as we've spent over three weeks ranging out. We made landfall on the fourth respitesday of High Autumn and immediately spent the rest of the day charting the land. The journey could've been uneventful, but shortly after making our way inland the next day, we encountered a herd of strange wooly quadrupeds that somehow managed to survive on the dead grubs growing in tufts in this land. We took the time to observe the creatures, and despite no evidence they have ever met another living thing before, they seemed to be incredibly docile. Perhaps they have developed a sense that allowed them to tell the undead from the living, and they only consider the former a threat? Lady Aria decided we will take them back to Hithfaer, which meant we will be taking the same return route as the creatures didn't seem to travel particularly fast. Shortly after we left the herd, we came across an undead horde, that was quite deliberately following the tracks of those creatures. We had no choice but to dispatch them so that there will be a herd left to take back with us. It was the first time I was able to utilize the magic stored in the mask that Aranesi made, and the undead fell under the blows of weapons enhanced by Drustanus' influence. I wish I knew what the spirit's plans for us are, we are not clerics, and yet he seems to have gifted Aranesi with a small amount of divine magic and an ability to better communicate with and combat undead.
On the 5th day since our landing, we finally made it to the nexus of the natural fire ley line, and the air one that Lady Aria harnessed with the help of my creation. It was a terrifying sight to behold, a swirling firenado that pulsed extreme heat in a wide radius around it. What was more interesting though, was a relatively small portal, no larger than a big door at the base of it. Malakar and I swept the area to make sure nothing had left the portal, but we were at a loss of what to do with it. The Lady seemed to fall into a trance of some kind, as if talking with her raven, and when she came out of it, she declared she will be crossing the portal. I voiced my concern about entering strange gateways that may lead to a plane of existence where everything is on fire, but the decision was made and the group braced against the rushing flames and ran into the gateway. To say it was a painful experience would be an understatement, but we made it through with many surface burns.
What appeared before us was a sight quite literally out of this world, a world of fire, and a world of wind, almost neatly splitting this strange land in half, with two huge armies battling it out in the middle. We remained unnoticed, and as we observed the battle, Talindra walked among us sharing many ointments to help with the burns. The battle eventually subsided, but strangely enough there seemed to be no dead on either side, as if they were fighting a battle under some rules that prevented either side from laying a killing blow. Lady Aria decided to speak with the fire side first, which I thought was walking into certain death, but we all followed. Through a mixture of determination, negotiating skill, and Malakar's knowledge of spirits, Lady Nytraven achieved what I would've thought impossible. And yet in less than two days in that realm, and before nightfall of the day we entered the portal we have emerged from it. No longer a land of fire and air, but a demiplane of smoke. The portal may have closed behind us, but left with knowledge of an entirely new realm, one that we should be able to access again in the future, and perhaps gain powerful allies in the process. I don't think Lady Cavatina could've ever achieved such a feat. Her daughter is set to surpass the mother in every conceivable way, and I will make sure no hidden threats will threaten her.
In comparison to the events from days before, the return trip was rather dull. We found the herd has moved from where we found them, and stumbled onto our return route, making it no longer necessary to double back over our own tracks and allowing us to explore a little more on this side of the mountains.
2nd Respitesday of High Autumn, Second Age 1853: Lady Gweir has written back, but Lady Aria has no plans on returning to Eglasil anytime soon, so I wrote back, inviting Lady Gweir or her representative to Hithfaer. I hope we won't continue missing each other as for now we are preparing to set sail again to explore the ruins a little ways off the coast, to make sure there will be no more surprises so close to our settlement.
Eglasil, the Moon Elf neighbor
3rd Respitsday of High Autumn, Second Age 1853
1st Amerysday of High Autumn, Second Age 1853: Sailed to Eglasil to learn more about the artifact we discovered, but the journey was anything but smooth; a storm tossed our vessel like a leaf in the wind. Aranesi seemed oddly fascinated by the tempest, her eyes alight with the thrill of the churning sea.
2nd Seojungsday of High Autumn, Second Age 1853: Upon arrival, we sought out the famed libraries of Eglasil. However, the guards refused Aranesi entry, which soured her mood significantly. She withdrew, preferring solitude over further social engagements, leaving Aelorna and me to delve into other matters. We investigated Luthais, uncovering his dark history of murder in the city and his bold attempt to usurp control from House Lothithil. While the Moon Elves have more reason to hunt him, there is a bit of a personal grudge for the attack on our city that is now clear he had orchestrated, as well as the strange connection between a summer elf, blood magic, and the Sol Variar that I've been trying to learn more about. Because of that I reached out to the scion of house Lothithil, hoping to establish contact. I will have to wait for a reply.
3rd Judicday of High Autumn, Second Age 1853: The return voyage was blessedly calm and swift, a stark contrast to our arrival. It was a relief to let Aranesi take the lead, allowing me to enjoy the quiet of our shared existence.
3rd Respitsday of High Autumn, Second Age 1853: Back in the city, we managed various affairs, biding our time until the moon elf contingent arrived, which they did two days after Samhain. They're preparing to set out on their mission, planning to use one ship for the search while keeping another at the ready, alternating between the two as needed, and when they're ready, our ship will join theirs as Lady Aria wishes to explore the nexus of fire and air ley lines that we have created.
The Neighbors
1st Judicday of High Autumn, Second Age 1853:
3rd Brahmarusday of Rising Autumn, Second Age 1853:
Waiting for the scouts' return proved beneficial. They have returned todya, which was just enough time for me to finally complete the reverse engineering of the formula from those crystal shards we found in the bomb. It was a complex puzzle, but now, I've unlocked a new potential weapon in our arsenal.
1st Judicday of High Autumn, Second Age 1853:
These past twenty days, have been a blend of quiet and tension. Malakar led a group to the shadow elf city to open lines of dialogue, while I stayed behind, weaving an intricate web of information for Lady Aria. My days were spent in the shadows, cultivating contacts, and gathering whispers from the corners of our realm. On the 5th Brahmarusday, Emissary Galdirion arrived unexpectedly, his presence a harbinger of potential alliances or conflicts. He sought Lady Aria to discuss cooperation in dealing with the aftermath of a shipwreck that unleashed undead and potentially with the shadow elves' situation.
Lady Aria returned from Forna Vassar two days after the ambassador's arrival and just as the group from the shadow elf city came back, their reports painting a grim picture of a city built on slavery, with chains binding not just the newly captured moon elves but also those from generations past. The ambassador from Eglasil came to an arrangement with Lady Aria and we began to make provisions for the moon elves to find sanctuary here before they continue their journey upriver, chasing after a summer elf known for practicing blood magic. It's a delicate balance, offering aid while preparing for whatever implications this might bring to our doorstep. This revelations put doubt in our mind about how, if at all, the neighboring shadow elves were involved in the undead attack. Their nature and habits being the obvious first place to look, but uniqueness of the situation about a summer elf using blood magic, and possibly using it as cover for his escape deep inland cannot be ignored.
Now, with the ambassador, we're to travel to the moon elf city. We only have one ship, so this will be an opportunity to gather intelligence that could prove vital to our future strategies. The road ahead is uncertain, filled with the promise of knowledge and the peril of conflict.
Of Ratmen and Skeletons
3rd Brahmarusday of Rising Autumn, Second Age 1853
2nd Judicday of Rising Autumn, Second Age 1853: We journeyed to the tree where the zombies hung like ghastly fruit, and what we found was unexpected. A ratman had made his lair there, surrounded by an array of traps, working diligently on what he claimed was a cure for all diseases. His language, High Chitterin, was foreign to all but me among our group. Lady Aria, with her persuasive charm, convinced him to relocate to the edge of our territory, where his skills could serve us better and tasked me with teaching him Silvarin. It will give me an excuse to spend time in his company and learn as much as I can about his research.
The undead in the mine were a nuisance we swiftly dealt with. By the time we returned to town, it was already the first Respitsday, a day of rest that was much needed after such grim work. The silence of the mine, now free from the clatter of bones, was a stark contrast to the life buzzing within our walls.
2nd Respitsday of Rising Autumn, Second Age 1853: The days were consumed by kingdom work. Governance, planning, and the endless tasks that come with maintaining a realm were all that filled my hours. There's a certain rhythm to it, a dance of diplomacy and duty that can be both exhausting and fulfilling.
Amidst the kingdom work, I took the opportunity to connect with some key figures. I spoke with Daereth to express my gratitude for his support in our recent endeavors. Then, I facilitated a meeting between Zhyrissa and Drin, aiming to knit our alchemical community closer together. It's crucial that our scholars and crafters collaborate, share, and innovate. This meeting was held the day after we returned from our latest expedition, a reminder of how quickly we transition from field to forum. I missed Zhyrissa during our time away, I should really make the best of it until I'm needed away from town again. I should bring her a gift next time.
3rd Brahmarusday of Rising Autumn, Second Age 1853: The scouts returned bringing with them news of a shadow elf settlement. This information could be pivotal; it opens up new avenues for diplomacy or conflict. Understanding their position, their numbers, and their intentions will be key in deciding our next steps. The implications of this discovery echo through the halls of our planning chambers, igniting discussions that will shape our future strategies. Were they the reason for our recent troubles with the undead? Or merely the closest possible explanation? According to Selestiel, they appear to be completely isolated from any other shadow elven enclaves. What would two thousands years of isolation do to a community?
The Truth Revealed
4th Amerysday of Summer's Twilight, SA 1853
3rd Judicday of Summer's Twilight, SA 1853: We moved against the primal vortex, but our efforts were in vain this time. We came close to harnessing its chaotic energies, but the backlash was too severe. We were forced to retreat, licking our wounds and regrouping to strategize anew.
3rd Respitesday of Summer's Twilight, SA 1853: Our journey led us to the astrological ruins where our digging crew had uncovered a hidden entrance. After overcoming a complex lock, we ventured into a series of trials, each aligned with the constellations of Eraneth. At the trial of the Actor, truth was the key; Zaelith confessed a family curse, but it wasn't deceitful enough for the trial. When it was my turn, I revealed the secret Aranesi and I share—our dual existence in one body. This confession allowed us to proceed. We found ourselves in what seemed like a council chamber where sitting at the table revealed lies. I chose to demonstrate my truth rather than explain, letting Aranesi take control. Zaelith then shared more about his curse, and Aranesi answered all questions, though skepticism about our condition lingers with Malakar, who suspects it might just be a split personality.
4th Brahmarus of Summer's Twilight, SA 1853: Back in the city, the preparations for another assault on the vortex were nearing completion, with the armored cart almost ready to act as our shield. In the interim, I delved into alchemical research, managing to reverse-engineer one formula successfully, while another attempt ended in failure.
4th Amerysday of Summer's Twilight, SA 1853: Our second attempt at controlling the vortex bore fruit this time; we managed to create a ley line of primal air magic. My invention channels this energy towards the town, but inadvertently, it also intersects with the pre-existing fire line in the distant forest beyond the mountains. I can only hope this won't spell disaster. Now, we're preparing to explore the eerie tree of hanged zombies spotted by Grikz and to clear out the undead kobolds from an old mine in the mountains. If we're lucky, we will encounter those elusive shadow elves, but if not, I have faith that Lady Aria's scouts will succeed.
Wreckage
1st Judicday of Summer's Twilight, SA 1853
1st Judicday of High Summer, SA 1853: Of all the things that could have happened last month, a visit from a Moon Elven dignitary was not anywhere near the top of my list. He goes by Galdirion Tilsar and represents Eglasil. He seemed equally impressed by the fact that we chose to colonize these wastes, as well as unimpressed by the fact that we chose a former Moon Elven city to do so. He knew the city's history during the war relatively well, but I think he wasn't aware of the few details we uncovered underneath the temple. Unfortunately he didn't seem overly interested in learning them. Suffice to say he doesn't immediately appear to have any ill will and was willing to open official trading channels between our cities, despite our current lack of commodities to trade, he spoke of creating good will for the future, when we do have more to offer. It's a reasonable offer, though it gives the moon elves access to our city, I will have to make sure they don't start anything untoward when our eyes are turned.
Some people seem uncertain about legalities of the fees I've had collected from their little gambling ventures, but law is what Lady Aria makes it, so until she says otherwise, there should not be any activity in town that she doesn't benefit from in one way or another.
The builders finished a general store, a place for the traders from Eglasil and Forna Vasar to stop by and drop off some necessities. Tools don't last forever and you can only make so much from salvaged material. Unsurprisingly, Ilador took charge of that project. I should pay him a visit sometime.
1st Judicday of Summer's Twilight, SA 1853: The whole month went by rather uneventful. I ventured into the ruins to see if I can find anything else about the chisel that we've found, but came back empty handed. Tried to have Zhyrissa come with me, but she was preoccupied with work like we all are.
My concerns about the ambassador leaving behind spies were unfounded, at least for the time being. His crew did some small talk around town and asked questions, but nothing that wasn't common knowledge was brought up. Regardless, we should keep the guard up and continue sniffing out any infiltrators as much as possible. Having a hostile cell we're not aware of would be the worst possible outcome.
I had some scouts go investigate the island just off the shore, but they merely made a landing in a more or less non-descript area. It could be a strong location for some kind of a fort in the future against ships coming from the east and south.
Just as the month was ending, we've received sightings of a scuttled ship, floating towards a shore near us, and as soon as it beached, undead started pouring out of it. If they were your regular zombies, the militia would've made short work of them, but some magic kept bringing the same corpses back up. Few were hacked apart beyond a chance of return, but most would come faster than our warriors were able to permanently deal with so Lady Aria decided we will form a strike force and find whatever was bringing them back. We did, but not without a painful encounter with some colossal amalgamation of bodies that nearly knocked me out with a single strike. I think I blacked out briefly as I was unraveling the magic that kept the undead together, but came to immediately after. I should not make a habit of such close brushes with death.
By surveying the wreckage and corpses, we were able to identify the ship as a moon elven one, and connect it with the boats we discovered earlier up the river. Despite lack of any legible markings, it seems reasonable that they were somehow tied to Eglasil, perhaps letting them know the fate of one of their vessels will bring some goodwill.
The magic that animated the undead was more than a mere nuisance, such a spell would require enormous power, or supplementation with blood magic rituals. Our kin that remained in the shadows still used those, and the tracks from earlier mean that not only the Shadow Elves from these parts are aware of our presence, they are spending considerable resources to be rid of us. Question is, were they hoping this attack would do the job by itself, or were they hoping to weaken us to strike from the shadows when our attention is elsewhere.
Dead
3rd Quindirsday of Summer's Dawn, Second Age 1853
2nd Quindirsday of Summer's Dawn, Second Age 1853: We've returned from the trip to deal with the monolith a few days ago. Turns out it was some kind of defensive measure, protecting the river from unwanted travelers, while those who carried a special mark would be allowed to pass safely. We were successful at patching it up enough to recognize us as "friend", but it will take some real work to make it work as intended again.
I made contact with the first target, my cover was perfect, and I'm confident they will not be able to trace my steps back. Lady Aria didn't quite approve of the approach, will need to adjust. The target revealed important information, will keep it in mind and reduce action to observation only. Lady Aria is having Bahzel speak to Theron to ensure he's not thinking of doing anything drastic after the Spring Fae had their celebrations in our settlement.
3rd Quindirsday of Summer's Dawn, Second Age 1853: We've returned from the expedition to the field, I've had a few days to recover since I've lost my sight. Talindra's magic was indispensable, even though she said the wound wasn't so bad as to blind me permanently, I was not looking forward to stumbling through the wastes blindly. Still, something happened when I was hit. Did I... die? It felt cold, and dark, but then something flashed in the darkness, a face, but it didn't have a face. I feel compelled to recreate it, wear it as a mask. I don't know how to feel about it. Should I do it? I can probably craft something like it, and make sure it doesn't possess any magic that would allow it to control me. I don't know, I will need to think on it. We are staying put and putting effort into learning what there is to learn about that chisel we found. At least until the scouts return from the mountains.
The monoliths were by far more interesting than the ghost tended fields, but also proved to be too time consuming to spend any considerable amount of time on them. We were able to connect them to the constellation of the Loremaster, and found a number of faded runes on their surface that suggested a more specific date in High Summer. What was more interesting though is what appears to be a buried complex beneath the dirt. Perhaps it opens at the specific date, but High Summer is around the corner and it is unlikely we'll have it revealed by then. Next year perhaps, we are here for the long haul after all.
The fields is where I nearly lost my life, Aranesi would kill me if that were to happen. The ghosts were kept in perpetual toil by a hunger demon, servant of Kelparan. There were ghosts, and a demon that seemed to be anchoring them to the mortal realm, it all seemed so obvious, we struck at the demon but then it struck back. All I remember is that I tried to flank around it, but it launched a glob of acid at me, taking me by surprise. All I remember after that is darkness, then that face, then catching a breath as Talindra's healing magic washed over me. Apparently I spent most of the fight on the ground, unconscious, while the group dealt with the demon, and found what anchored the ghosts to the land. Surprisingly it wasn't the demon's influence but a few farm implements that defied the passage of time.
Every time I look in the mirror I see the scars left behind. It's a good thing I brought plenty of makeup. I'm sure I can figure out something to conceal them.
I doubt I will have much to write about in the next couple months, feels like we'll fall into a kind of routine until something happens. But we'll see.
Far Afield
5th Respitesday of Fading Spring, Second Age 1853
2nd Respitesday of Fading Spring, Second Age 1853: A lot has happened in the village in the past month. Nymeria stopped going out with the expedition and refocused entirely on the rebuilding project, the whole reason she came on this expedition in the first place. Her focus paid off, with the workers clearing a significant section of rubble. It's quite clear that workers under watch perform much more efficiently. We now have sufficient space to create the critical parts of any settlement; place to conduct trade, place to rest, and some kind of governmental or religious center. We've had some trouble with the purification ritual, perhaps the lingering necromantic energy tried to resist it, but it was ultimately successful. It will still take a few months for the nature to return, but there is still hope for the great tree. I even had a moment to speak with Lady Aria in private. She still doesn't fully trust that I serve her first and foremost, but given time I will be able to prove to her she has no reason to expect treachery from me. She agreed to my plan, and first steps are already in motion, I am excited about the prospects but will not be writing details down in here, just in case.
Tomorrow we're going to range out into the field, Lady Aria wishes to explore a little further in and personally investigate all the points of interest around the river bend. With those reptilian tracks being of particular interest.
5th Brahmarusday of Fading Spring, Second Age 1853: So much time spent afield, mostly spent foraging through known territory, and subsisting on rations where we weren't yet sure of what we can find. Not much has happened and we haven't found anything new of interest. There was one night when Bahzel was sure he scared off some predators by his mere presence on watch.
When we made it to where those reptilian tracks were last seen, there were deeply embedded in dried up soil and already filling with fresh rains. If we delayed any longer they could've been completely gone. There were humanoid tracks alongside the reptilian ones. Lady Aria concluded, and I confirmed, that they were likely the lizards commonly ridden by shadow elves. Tracks led west, towards the nearby mountain range so we followed them to the best of our ability. It took two days and a river crossing to finally lose them. With the mountains looming over us, and uncertainty of what we might find, the Lady decided we will turn back and return to Hithfaer to resupply and prepare for a longer expedition before continuing in that direction.
On the way back we passed by the river monolith, spewing magical energies a mile or so off the river bank and without boats we were unable to do anything about it. Continuing on, we made it to the wrecked boats, but the rains of the past few days not only made travel miserable, they also raised the water level. One of the boats has already been washed off and broken on rocks, but the other still clung to the shore. The men waded into the mud to save it from being washed away. Upon closer inspection it appeared to be elven made, but stripped of anything valuable. We found no bodies either. At the moment it seems likely that the shadow elf tracks and the ships are connected, likely a raiding party took advantage of some explorers who either decided to camp on the shore, or were blasted by the monolith and attacked when they were vulnerable. Even more reason to find out where they went. Having shadow elves raiding this close to the city can cause issues in the future. The rains pushed us away from the swelling river and we went further inland to avoid the worst. This took us near the magical vortex of primal energies. Before we got too close, we took a moment to observe and study it from a safe distance and concluded that we need to prepare for it as well, it appeared noticeably more powerful than the necromantic energies we've dealt with last time.
5th Respitesday of Fading Spring, Second Age 1853: Since we returned I have been busy researching and building a device that would help us with harnessing the energy vortex. While I don't think it will make the endeavor easier, it will definitely help us to capture and direct those energies in a beneficial manner instead of having them swirl around and strike at random. I presented the Channeling Rod to Lady Aria and she accepted it once I explained its function, but I am unsure if she was happy about my creation, or if she th0ught about having me killed to keep the knowledge of the device a secret. Since I am writing this entry, I will assume it was the former. Lady Aria wants to take some boats and deal with the monolith so we will be heading out in the morning. From a distance it looked quite dangerous, I hope we won't get the boats blasted to smithereens before we can calm it.
Ghosts and Dead Trees
2nd Judicday of Fading Spring, Second Age 1853
1st Judicday of Fading Spring, Second Age 1853: The catacombs beneath the temple proved to be a challenge and yet we have prevailed. We have discovered a maze of main chambers and secret passages, though as we explored, it became more predictable, a few secret passages found only thanks to deduction based on location of other ones. It was not all a walk in the park though. One of the chambers was dedicated to the ancient defenders of the city, who took offense to our trespass and attacked. After a difficult fight we were able to banish the ghosts, even if temporarily, but if it weren't for Talindra's life magic, I don't know if we would have fared well at all. With the ghosts dispersed, I deduced that it will take them no longer than a week to reconstitute and return to their duty, a problem we will need to resolve if we are to utilize this space.
Another part of the catacombs contained a chamber with a dormant portal, as we investigated the arcane circle and learned that it was possible to attune it to multiple destinations. Our investigation activated its defenses, and ice mephits began to fill the room, as we cut them down, more and more appeared in their space. It took combined effort of all of us trained in the arcane to disable to circle and stem the flow of the mephits. It would take some effort to restore it in the future, but access to a teleportation circle will be invaluable for the growing settlement.
Finally, we found what appeared to be a magical prison, with a silhouette visible through the dense magical ice. Among the many journals and tomes we found record of followers of blighted Leowyn having trapped some fae that was proving to resist shadow's influence to a point where they decided it was better to keep it imprisoned than continue attempting to corrupt it. Lady Aria decided to dismiss the prison using the tools left behind by the previous occupants. Strange elf emerged from the block of ice, at first cautious, but the Lady's words swayed him to reason. Being that was imprisoned for nearly two millennia, he missed so much, and yet he must also know so much about the world before the cataclysm, not colored by the years that have passed since, or by the strange perception of time that beings in the spirit realm. I will need to find some to speak with him to see if he holds any valuable knowledge.
2nd Judicday of Fading Spring, Second Age 1853: We spent a week on travel, venturing out to the wellspring of necromantic energy. It turned out to be an ancient oak radiating death, everything within its vicinity dying at a rapid pace. It was decided that we will attempt to dismiss the energies and preserve the oak, with hopes that the purification ritual can later bring it back to life as a monument of this land. When we returned to Hithfaer, Theron and Elirien have completed the ritual that was meant to calm the spirits and Lady Aria was able to establish her authority, renewing their task of safekeeping the temple and the city, under a condition that the ghosts continue to find her worthy of such service.
Home
5th Respitesday of High Spring, Second Age 1853
5th Respitesday of High Spring, Second Age 1853: It has been a long month, but not eventful enough to write each day, I may end up writing at the end of each month if this routine keeps up, though I highly doubt it. Selestiel and Grikz were sent inland to scout as much territory as they could, and they returned with a wide variety of news. Apparently we are surrounded by wellsprings of energies, hordes of undead, and something alive moving through the land. Intelligent enough to use boats and mount some kind of lizard creatures. The undead were dispatched easily enough by a contingent Lady Aria sent out. It's good to know we won't have to personally handle every problem that shows up. I led a team in the opposite direction, and scouted the shoreline of this new kingdom. We didn't get as much territory scouted out, but we also didn't spend the whole month on it.
The New Year's celebration passed rather uneventful, considering fae of the spring court decided to pay us a visit, though Zhyrissa's company made it definitely an enjoyable time. They didn't stick around for long, but shortly after they left, a crew working on the temple discovered a stairwell leading below. What is curious is that they didn't uncover it. They claimed one day it was bare rock, and the next an opening into the hill appeared in the same place. We will be venturing into its depths tomorrow, having mysterious tunnels open in our back yard is a rather dangerous prospect to leave uninvestigated.
I was also able to convert my hand crossbow into a gauntlet bow. Removing the trigger mechanism and reconfiguring it to work with a toggle tied to my finger proved to be simple enough. I wish I could say the same about my attempt to resupply Elixirs of Life though. The materials we brought with us were damaged in transit, and the conditions of the lab are still rather makeshift. I will need to reassess and change my approach.
Oh, and the first homes are finally getting finishing touches, we finally have solid roofs over our heads, though as soon as you step outside you can immediately see the enormity of the task ahead of us with ruins in all directions.
The Beginning
5th Amerysday of Spring's Birth, Second Age 1852
5th Qindirsday of Spring's Birth, Second Age 1852: It has been a rather exciting day. We ventured out in the morning towards the ruined building where the source of the undead was identified and approached it undetected. The building itself was once a much grander structure, but all the floors above ground collapsed, leaving a single level struggling to stay upright. Surprisingly the doors were still standing and even locked, but Nymeria made short work of that and immediately spotted a zombie inside. It was noticeably less shambly than the other ones we had encountered, so the group rushed inside and dispatched a group of zombies before most of them realized they were even under attack.
Quick search of the cleared space found a stash of preserved supplies, still in a useful shape, and a few magical trinkets. Nymeria in the meantime conquered another locked door, and as quickly as it was opened it was shut closed. Thankfully she remained unoticed and we were able to secure a pincer assault onto what seemed to be a more coherent zombie, still able to make words out of its rotting throat. As soon as we rushed into the room, he called up two undead owlbears from under piles of refuse, but the earlier scouting meant we were aware of them. We may not have been caught by surprise by their presence, but our fighters were definitely put to test, deflecting the blows of their massive claws. Daereth's shield was nearly smashed to bits, but Zaelith didn't have the luxury of a solid protection and was briefly knocked unconscious with one of the claw swipes.
In a last ditch effort the zombie lord tried to bring its servants back, but between Lady Aria's command of the winds, and half conscious Zaelith sending an arcane barrage from his position on the ground, the undead didn't get a chance to reconstitute and when my whip wrapped around the zombie's leg, bringing it down on the ground in front of Bahzel about to bring his warhammer on the rotting head, the conflict was over.
Upon further inspection I was able to identify the zombie lord as the one who controlled the horde in the city's ruins which would mean two things: They will be easier to clear out piece by piece, but they will also be more likely to stumble onto our settlement without an intelligence keeping them in check.
We've searched the ruins, Nymeria and Zaelith discovering a couple locked chests filled with gems and other alchemical items. Few I've only read about in books so I am eager to sink my teeth into reverse engineering the recipes. Luckily, Nymeria also glanced a look outside and noted a large horde of the now abandoned zombies shambling towards us. We barred the doors and Lady Aria decided that it will be more prudent to return back to the camp and avoid notice rather than face the undead ourselves. We seemed to be getting away quite well, but Aelorna decided to hum a tune. Apparently that was enough to attract the dead, but they were no match for us in speed. Picking our way through the ruins we made it back to camp safely.
With real progress made towards clearing the old ruins of the dead, we set to work on establishing a proper settlement. I imagine the next few entries are going to be far more sparse in time and detail as the day to day routine will settle in.
5th Amerysday of Spring's Birth, Second Age 1852: The remaining ships arrived today and the difficult process of navigating the sunken ruins to land all of our supplies began. The undead haven't given us any trouble beyond a random sighting that is easily dispatched by the guards.
Night of the Dead
5th Vaeraleusday of Spring's Birth, Second Age 1852
5th Vaeraleusday of Spring's Birth, Second Age 1852: The rest of the day after return from the temple was spent on unloading the ships and preparing the base camp. I took the stone chest from Nymeria and started tinkering with the lock in an attempt to fix it and before I realized what time it was, Selestiel came into camp from her excursion into the ruins and started rousing everyone who was asleep, warning of incoming horde of undead, clearly intent on pushing us out of the ruins. I was able to down a quick draught of Bloodeye Coffee to shake me awake for the upcoming confrontation and just as it started to kick in, we spotted the first signs of undead past the walls. Everyone with means of ranged fire unleashed into the oncoming horde, dwindling their numbers quite a bit. The ensuing battle was brutal but quick, with corpses quickly piling up around us and soothing life energy emanating from Talindra, keeping everyone's wounds from getting out of hand and hurting the undead at the same time. While searching through the corpses for any signs of movement, Lady Aria spotted one still shambling on the ground and called to have all of the bodies heads destroyed and bodies burned. Turns out it Grikz, the goblin scout, who disguised himself by carrying a zombie on his back. Interesting trick, he certainly fooled the mindless undead and nearly got himself killed in the aftermath. He reported the source of the undead to be the last building remaining in a somewhat building shape and Lady Aria determined to scout it out in the morning.
While the scouting team was away, I sat with the chest, intend on getting the lock fixed, but despite making some small progress, the mechanism eluded my attempts to restore it. Once more I must have zoned out, because before I knew it, the scouting party was back in camp, reporting signs of undead owlbears and making a plan of attack. It was decided that we will send a strike team into the ruins the following day, and attempt to sever the force controlling the undead at its source as there have been signs of another, even bigger, assault gathering among the broken stones of the city. We will be departing in the morning, and I hope we will be able to attempt putting together some permanent structures, as Aranesi has been complaining all day about lack of proper shelter and her books being exposed to the elements.
Mystery of the Winter Temple
4th Respitesday to 5th Judicday of Spring's Birth, Second Age 1852
4th Respitesday of Spring's Birth, Second Age 1852: Today was incredibly eventful. I am writing this as we sit under a mostly collapsed roof of an old temple dedicated to Winter, that our divinely inclined members of the expedition were just able to restore, but lets start from the beginning.
We landed on the river docks of Lunathariel, because this city didn't use to be on the coast, and as soon as we began searching the ruins, we were ambushed by a number of zombies, they appeared to have been goblins once. Zombies tend to be easy to dispatch though, and even if I wasn't able to deploy my poisons, they were easy to find weak points and plan avenues of attack. Few members of the party got a few scratches, but it was nothing that Talindra couldn't patch up.
We consulted a map we brought with us and Lady Aria decided that we will climb the nearby hill where a temple dedicated to the Winter Realm used to stand. Curious for one to be in a city that was mostly occupied by autumn elves, but perhaps we used to live alongside each other in greater harmony.
On the way to the temple, we have drawn attention of a few more shambling groups of zombies, but they were too slow to pose a threat, and our fighters dispatched them with little difficulty. Daereth got a few scratches again, and again it was nothing that Talindra couldn't handle. Note to self: Figure out tactics to fight large groups, I was unable to find a weakness in the mass of the corpses.
As we took a breather, Lady Aria had her raven fly overhead keeping an eye on the surrounding area, Talindra tended to Daereth's wounds and others rested and recovered. Nymeria seemed to be preoccupied with the architectural designs of the ruins, while I sought more ideas into what was causing the disruption of the Winter temple's consecration that we sensed before the zombies descended on us. Nymeria pointed out that it will be unlikely we will be able to restore any of the buildings here, seeing the shape they were in after centuries of neglect. It was a miracle some of them were still standing as they were.
As we ascended the temple mount, we could all feel the magic of the consecration getting stronger. We were getting closer to its source, but it was clear there was something wrong with it. Mystery to be solved! We approached the ruined building with care, and tried to spot any danger that may have been lurking for us. There was some movement in the ruined rafters that we couldn't quite make out in the sudden downpour, so Lady Aria sent Torrent up to investigate. The poor bird was almost immediately assaulted by what turned out to be undead pixies, seemingly protecting this temple since the collapse.
Their leader, or at least one with more than one pair of wings, seemed to be yelling something about a friend and how we aren't allowed to find something, while the other pixies went to work and proving that this expedition may be more of a challenge that we prepared for. Lady Aria and Daereth were both briefly knocked out, Talindra nearly died assaulted by one of the pixies that seemed to hold a grudge. Likely something to do with the vital energies emanating from the oracle. Thankfully all the creatures were dispatched, and we were able to investigate the rest of the ruin.
I was able to figure out the issue with the consecration magic. It looked like a temple originally dedicated to uncorrupted Leowyn, turned corrupt just like its patron, but when Winter was restored and Leowyn remained in the Shadows, the magic of the consecration wanted to revert back to the winter realm, yet was prevented from doing so fully, fluctuating between Winter and Shadow. Aelorna, Zaelith, and Bahzel put their prayers together, pleading to the winter realm to restore the magic, and something miraculous happened. The statue that showed Leowyn in her form uncorrupted by Shadow transformed into representation of Shaylache, the queen of winter that replaced her. It was certainly divine intervention, perhaps a fortuitous sign for our settlement here.
Nymeria examined the stonework and identified a loose brick beneath the statue, pulling out a stone chest with a rather complex lock on it. Despite breaking several lockpicks, neither Nymeria nor Aelorna were able to open it, eventually getting a pick stuck in there and making the lock unusable. The decision was made to take the chest back to the ship, get the lock fixed, and work on it in better conditions. Lady Aria called for camp and we spent the rest of the night in the cool embrace of Shaylache, while Talindra tended to the wounded despite showing signs of injury herself.
5th Judicday of Spring's Birth, Second Age 1852: With the morning, we decided to sack the tombs in the adjacent chamber, prepared to fend off more undead. This time no undead came, and the tombs were filled with magical trinkets we immediately split among ourselves. Unfortunately a key to the chest was not one of them. I made it out with a set of goggles that enhance the wearer's ability to mix alchemical concoctions, and a cauldron that can transform anything back into its raw materials. Too big and clunky to carry around all the time, it will be a great addition to the alchemist lab Zhyrissa and I plan to establish once there is a town here.
After we sorted everything out, we took the road back to the shore, this time able to avoid getting attacked by more undead, but I had a sense that it wasn't by accident. We've seen a few, but they seemed to shamble away from us rather than towards us as if some force was commanding them to stay clear. Another mystery to solve!
We made it to an area that looked a little bit more fortified and messaged the ship to start sending landing parties. We will secure this landing site before heading further into the city. We saw a structure that may have been some sort of lord's manor back in the day that was relatively intact compared to the rest of the city. Perhaps that's where the mysterious necromancer is holed up. We shall replenish supplies, help set things up and likely head out again in the morning. Another exciting day awaits.
The Expedition
2nd Judicday to 4th Respitesday of Spring's Birth, Second Age 1852
2nd Judicday of Spring's Birth, Second Age 1852: I've met with the team picked by Lady Aria. Each one of them an interesting character. Lady Aria and Lady Talindra I've already met before while I served Lady Cavatina. Anaresi helped Lady Talindra with some magical research. Aelorna is starting a new life, don't we all? Bahzel said something about his goals changing, I suppose the cleansing of Winter did that to many elves. Daereth is obviously devoted to Lady Aria, but what are his goals? Is he as loyal as he claims or is he a plant? Nymeria is interested in rebuilding the lost cities, a goal we all share, though she seems more practical about it. Zaelith is quiet, will have to keep an eye on him. And of course Lady Aria, she's in charge of this whole expedition. Lady Cavatina supplies us, but there appear to be little warm feelings between mother and daughter.
The ships are loaded, Zhyrissa and I are sharing quarters and supplies so at least the trip should not be too boring, if not experimenting with alchemy, we can experiment with other things.
2nd Seojungday of Spring's Birth, Second Age 1852: Lady Aria sensed magical energies in the air so we made a landing to investigate. The area was forested, but unlike nearly everywhere else in this blasted land, there were signs of plant life dotted around. Putting our minds together, it was decided a Spring Ley Line was the cause of this unusual bloom. The day was coming to an end so we made camp on the shore instead of returning to the ship and Daereth tried cooking the local mushrooms. I've had some bad food before, but this beat it all. I hope that it was because of the strange mushrooms, but perhaps Daereth is just a lousy cook. He was delegated to duties other than cooking in the future.
3rd Qindirsday of Spring's Birth, Second Age 1852: We were caught in a storm. I think I spent most of it bent over the railing, puking up last week's food. I swear I could taste those mushrooms again. Two of our ships were lost, but we didn't see any wrecks so Lady Aria decided to follow the plan and continue on, expecting the other ships to return to the route and rejoin us when they are able.
4th Seojungday of Spring's Birth, Second Age 1852: Some of us were able to sense something similar to the beginning of the trip, so Lady Aria called for another landing. With the experience from the previous one we were able to identify another Lay Line, this time of Fire, and opted to return to the ships for the night as there was little to forage and we didn't want the repeat of our last camp. By the time we were done with exploration, the two lost ships rejoined the fleet.
4th Respitesday of Spring's Birth, Second Age 1852: We have reached the edge of the ruins yesterday, and will be sending a forward party to scout ahead and find a place to make a proper landing for the whole expedition. We don't know exactly what to expect, other than undead, as they roam the entirety of Hrivenor that is yet to be reclaimed. It's going to be a long day.
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