Tattered Journal

A small, well used journal found in the Red Kite Crypt. The first few pages seem to have bee torn out at some point. A golden key is tied to the spine and acts as a bookmark.

and then she said “Oatmeal, are you crazy”. Writing it down I realize the joke was probably better in the moment.

January 14 – I saw Orim again today. I think that it has been more than two years since his wanderings brought him through Saltshore. We spent some of the afternoon catching up, him trading a few of the stories he has come across in his travels. Even gave me some little trinket, a fancy golden key that he said could open any door to destiny. If nothing else it looks shiny. Might even be worth a few gold to some of the children. On another, more pressing note, Miss Maloy’s cat has gone missing again and she was begging me throughout the afternoon to look for her. I guess I know what I am doing tomorrow.

February 2 – By the gods, it worked. I can’t believe he was telling the truth, but I was there. I saw it. I saw everything. The feast hall, and armory, even the vault door. I only tested Orim’s key out of curiosity, but it wasn’t my closet on the other side of my closet door. It really was the hall of the Tuatha de Dannan. This means that the rest of his stories might be true. All those fables and tall tales he spun over the years, and at the end of it all a treasure that could buy a large kingdom. The vault door was covered in inscriptions detailing how to open it. Apparently, all I would need to do is collect an article from each member of the Tuatha de Dannan, and assemble them there on the day of the winter solstice. I may have never been the adventuring type, but as it stands, I am the closest person in Thea to getting it. I will need to get some things in order first, but I think that I may have found my destiny.

February 6 – Tomorrow marks the first time that I will be leaving home in my life. Probably not the best idea to leave in the middle of winter with a range of mountains between me and the rest of the world, but something out there is calling to me. I have found myself to be unusually restless for the past few days. My supplies are readied, and goodbyes have been said. At first light my adventure begins

February 9 – The first breakthrough, hopefully of many to come. I joined a dwarven trading caravan for lunch today, as we had crossed paths as I crossed Westen. Fate is definitely on my side as one of the older caravaners was boasting to his comrads about how his grandfather was the dwarf who found the Icon of Benile Gwenris. He said that they had transported it to the center of the dwarven peoples, Gouden Haard. Three days in, and I already have my first promising clue.

February 14 – Today was a close call. Along one of the roads trough Thrain, I unwittingly stumbled into an inquisitor checkpoint. At the time I had thought that I had nothing to hide, but when they proceeded to search my belongings, they found the key. Everyone back home has heard the stories of how suspected heretics and dissenters will disappear throughout Thrain, so when they started to mumble to each other about the key, I knew I had to act fast. In this instance, my acting fast was me pointing in some random direction behind them and screaming, and I do not jest, “Look, a distraction!” It worked. I can’t believe it worked. I grabbed what I could and ran. I think I lost them a few miles back but I am going to play it safe and not have a hot meal tonight.

February 17 – When I hear some gruff voice yell at me to stop moving while fighting my way through a nasty patch of brambles, I had thought that the group of inquisitors had caught me. To my immense relief, it was just a hunting band of orcs trying to keep me from stepping on one of their snares. Ok, so maybe relief was not what I was feeling in those moments, but paralyzing terror doesn’t sound so good a way to describe the first meeting with a group that turned out to be quite hospitable to a random hungry gnome wandering through the wilderness. I am writing this by the light of their campfire. Tomorrow, they are returning to the main body of the Jejlaw at Cha Vas. I know it sounds bad, but I really don’t want to turn out to be tomorrow’s dinner.

February 18 – I feel terrible. I really do. When I and Ukahl’s hunting party reached Cha Vas, I was such a bundle of nerves at being surrounded by what I thought were a horde of bloodthirsty bruits, that I was jumping out of my skin at every little thing. It got to be so bad that most of the orcs around me were starting to notice, glances when they thought that I was not looking and whispering to each other behind my back. But the next thing that happened will stay with me forever. Ta Odex, the tribes leader, came to me and asked if they had somehow offended me and if there was anything they could do to earn my forgiveness. That was rather humbling. They treated me as though I was another member of the tribe, not just some outsider. I sat with them around a bonfire, roast meats and ale in plenty for anyone who wanted, as one of their elders told stories of their people. Of particular interest were the stories of Barok Ggarn, and how his hammer was handed down through the chiefs of the tribes. The current holder is Janall Rrazho, someone I will have to seek out. I know that I need to keep heading toward Elenion tomorrow, but I feel as though I have a few preconceptions to mull over.

February 22 – Let it never be said that the elves cannot build. Elenion may be the most impressive city I have ever seen. Not that I have seen many of the great cities, but I think the point still stands. It is nice to be back in a city again, but I feel that I will be pining for the countryside again after a few days with my nose stuck in some moldy old text.

February 25 – My back may be killing me, but my stay in Elenion has been more than profitable. For starts, there are several records of a ceremony where the wizard Terileth gave “An article of great importance to her” to one of the counts of the Greymarch. The stories do not say what the article is, but they are consistent that it is made of gold and diamond, and is inscribed with Terileth’s name. It sounds like some piece of jewelry, maybe an amulet or ring. I still need to look into this more. Greymarch is just to the east, so that might be my next step. I was also able to find clues as to the locations of two more articles. Aquila’s skull was said to have been returned to the Seelie Court after the end of the Tuatha de Dannan. This means that all I need to do to find it is discover the location of one of the most secretive races most secret city. Easy! The other leads were just some old tales of how Felanis gave his gloves, what he considered the source of his power, to a lover before parting ways and disappearing, and supposedly there is some antique collector in Augustine that claims GaeBulg, the spear of Zalman, is a part of his collection. I think that I have been looking at scribbles for too long today.

February 29 – This close to the Greymarch, and fate has me going somewhere else. I fully intended to head straight there, but I met Ulverth while wandering through Váya. I have not seen him since the candle lighting festival back in Saltshore three years ago. Apparently he has been having a lot of success trading in the south. He is heading out tomorrow for Augustine, and offered me passage if I kept out of the way. I’m running low on coin so a free ride sounded good, especially since it means that I don’t have to cross the Golden Plains during the spring rains. Over dinner I may have gotten a little tipsy and let on as to what I am looking for, but several of the crew had heard that Dreemur was still located in Abyss. I knew that Khoddos was a triton, but to think that his article would just be waiting in is home city. That said, Abyss is not the easiest place to get too. I might need to look into a little magical assistance, not that I know of many mages who can reach the ocean floor. I might need to seek out the Grand-sorcerer of Water. Either way, we set sail at first light. Hopefully I have gotten over my seasickness in the decade since I was last on the water.

March 5 –I know I might have to do it again, but I hope to never step foot on another of these creaking splintered deathtraps again. It is lovely to have solid ground beneath my feet again, and less than a day in Augustine and the good news starts. I overheard a possible lead into the Willan’s cowl at the bar tonight. A couple of goliaths were talking about the supposed head of the Freeport thieves guilds. From what they say, he keeps his identity hidden well, but when they described him, some of the descriptions of his garb match what the cowl is reported to look like. It is a lead if nothing else. Unfortunately, the lead on GaeBulg will have to wait for a while. I asked around and apparently the spear was in Augustine, but was sold in an auction last week. I would have looked into finding the buyer, but the official record keeper has left the city and will not be returning for two weeks. For now, I have a long day of searching through archives tomorrow. I’m getting close now, I can feel it.

March 7 – Long stints in a dusty archive do not agree with my back. On another note, I have found the locations of several more of the articles. Apparently Ghost Edge was last seen with Soul in Uliemas shortly before the duchy fell. There are a lot of rumors about that place. I hope its abandoned because of what people think is there, not what might actually lurk in that cursed land. On a much brighter note, Kyadius’ compass is supposed to be buried in a crypt near Bytham. Apparently the leader of some ancient mercenary band, the Red Kites or something, was buried there. That’s just a few days north of here but I should be able to get there after visiting the Wide Plains Monastery. With the key, the compass is not as helpful as it would otherwise be, but if I can retrieve it, it will be my first article. This is the first real step forward that is not just hearing stories about them.

March 12 – BLASTED SCALIE BAST Ok, now that I have calmed down, the trip to the Wide Plane Monastery was mostly a waste of time. I was basically turned away at the door when I started asking about Estian’s prayer beads. My “guide” just said something about needing the approval of one of the Tuatha de Dannan before showing me the door. How am I supposed to get the approval of a group of people who have been dead for several millennia? I was at least able to confirm the location of another of the articles that I have been hearing rumors of for a while. Ariffi’s Harp is a part of Grauligorn’s hoard. That is something I will have to figure out later. For now I am on the trail back to Conradinia. It is about time I actually got my hands on one of the articles.

March 17 – Was able to reach Bytham today. I was running a little low on funds for this expedition of mine, so I took look at the towns help board and found a contract to get some wizard on the edge of town to pipe down. He actually turned out to be exactly who I needed to see. A little trading of stories, and he pointed me directly to the Red Kite Crypt. I am writing this camped out a little bit north of the entrance and plan to enter it in the morning. This close to the first article I can almost taste it.

March 18 – Ok, note to self, crypts are not my favorite places to be. I was able to distract the surprisingly large rats near the entrance with the last of my foodstuffs, and sneak past the couple shambling skeletons that were patrolling the halls. Currently I am sat before some sort of gristly wall carving that I suspect might be some sort of door. There is a short inscription saying something about needing a hand to open. Judging from how hungry I am right now, it must be about noon. Really wish I had kept some of that cheese at least. Maybe the wizard has a few provi

The journal abruptly ends here.

Item type

Book / Document

Weight

1 lbs

Dimensions

6" x 4" x 0.5"