Fairhill

        My arrival in the 'town' (if a mud patch can be considered such) of Fairhill occurred without further complication. The filth that had taken my escort from Bard's Gate, as well as most of my essentials, has not resurfaced, no doubt they are licking their wounds. I have met with the town magistrate Arlen, who I understand is the instigator of my journey into the wasteland of the soulless. Arlen seems an old and subdued man and quite likely prone to exaggeration, but I have agreed to hold council with the so-called heroes of Fairhill, as well as some other local sects. The nature of this meeting remains unclear but apparently we are to be subjected to some sort of ritual involving a local witch woman named Gethrame. Shandril, a priestess of Freya tells me that the woman is not to be trusted but that her power is legitimate none the less. It is out of respect for Shandril that I have agreed to undergo this ritual, but I remain reserved, for certainly the One will guide me far better than a simple hag.

        Of the area around Fairhill I have heard many accounts of filth activities, ranging from giant trolls to rat men, and even stories of a nest of manticores, and an ettin that have been dispatched by the motley band of heroes that I have yet to meet. It seems likely that much of this is localized hysteria, but this is the wasteland and I will be on my guard just the same.

The Council

        Gethrame's 'gift' allows her to impart some very compelling visions indeed, it is no wonder Shandril and the others treat her with grudging respect. The apocalyptic vision was not only realistic in presentation, but seemed to draw upon elements of the half remembered myths and prophesies that many of the uneducated cling to. Some aspect of Gethrame's power must be telepathic, perhaps even psionic, as it was easy to recognize variations and allusions to numerous prophecies that were distinctly northern. It would be interesting to study the witch more closely but for now I must focus on the opportunity this situation presents.

        Clearly the vision is illusory, a fabricated mishmash of the collective imaginations of those present. However, returning to Ghanyon (and thus the tyranny of Leotos) is an unacceptable option. The One guides me toward something, compels me to test myself, I am convinced that Tardas and Aevin are right; the order has become soft through many years of fighting a theoretical evil, rather than an actual foe. I must not succumb to the fate of the politician! The battle cannot end within the borders of Ghanyon! The One must cast light on all those who can be made to look, and those who will not look in life will feel the light, even though their gaze is sightless! I will lead this band of heroes and we will cut a swath across this blighted landscape, the light permeates all.

Khundrakar

        Master Ogrin from the academy did not exaggerate in his description of the Dwarven engineer. Now I may say that he has not done his people justice with his meagre account. Truly these builders were transmuters worthy of our own fellowship. I will not add to the injustice by attempting my own account, it is enough to have experienced the glittering halls, I have to remember to inquire as to what they were called, it seems the experience was indeed overwhelming.

        Evil called today, a great black serpent, a young black dragon. Though small by its own reckoning, it bore the sadistic malice like a young deity. Facing the beast, I felt invincible, I am sure I participated in the One, it is just as Aevin said it would be. I am elated, and surely I have made the right choice by remaining with the group of heroes. The beast has eluded us through underwater caves, but it is a small matter, I know what must be done now, I will go to Hommlet and I will find evil for it is well entrenched in all quarters outside the sanctity of Ghanyon.
Master Tardas, you will not be disappointed in your student, should this little memoir fall into the hands of our enemies. Your rule has been committed to my memory as if it were sprung from my own thoughts. I should like to honour you by quoting your most memorable triad here, should I never chance to return to the academy and publish properly my respect for you.

'Unity' (Tardas of the One)

Reveal not, that for which you may have need.
Reveal not, that which those close to you may have need.
Reveal not, that for which you would be untrue.
Reveal not, that for which those close to you might be untrue.
Unity is honesty, honesty is unity.
Let nothing shared in love be hidden from the One.
Let nothing spoken in faith be a whisper.
Let nothing done for justice go unnoticed.
Let nothing learned in service go unused.
Unity is action, action is unity.
Write upon that which evil will mock.
Write upon those that evil will ignore.
Write upon stories that evil has forgotten.
Write upon ways that evil has ceased.
Unity is meaning, meaning is unity.

        Leotos fails to heed this axiom, I will not send a report as yet, this will cause him no end of glee as he surely will conclude that I am dead. It will truly be a wonderful surprise to return after quite some time with knowledge so far beyond what he has collected through his arse which is always much closer to the truth than his head. I must remember to contact Licia and Aevin, Licia would shrink me for a month if she missed such an opportunity.

        I can still smell the acid in the air, perhaps it is my cloak…I feel ecstasy…

Hommlet

        It is late, and we are leaving Hommlet this day for the remote village of Rastor in the southern regions of Veronia. It has been weeks since my last entry…so much has happened in that time that I feel…funny, I do not know what it is that I feel. There was another dragon, larger than the black, and some other creatures that I have detailed in the compendium of beasts I started right after the black. And undead, horrible abominations really. The dragon took one of our companions, a paladin of Heironeous named Xaod. He fought with valour, he also spoke of a vision, directing him to come to Hommlet, perhaps he has a personal witch woman in his head, what ever the case, his vision is quiet now, I hope he rests in the halls of his god. There were priests, fire and water, I have drawn the symbols…I should send a report, but not yet I think. I do not understand what has happened, the One…I am chosen, have been, given the gift. I am frightened, the One is all around me, this place, there is no evil here, it is something more, worse, incomprehensible, indescribable. Lareth the beautiful, he understands, still he is scorned by much lesser gods. He lives, I tried to purge him from his home with the dead but he invoked noble privilege of law upon us. Berne and Rufus they understand Lareth, but mistake him for one who is entitled to the justice of what is truly noble. There is a changeling in Hommlet, a highly organized group these priests of the Elder Elemental Eye. We go to Rastor because we believe they were destined there when we swept them away. Still…the One is very close, and I know I am not this special, there is something terrible coming and I can not think what might be able to prevent it.

        We are nearing the city of Ruttleford, collecting my thoughts is like eating soup in the rain. I remember less and less detail of the moathouse in Hommlet, the One has sparred me from this, and I am grateful. We will stop in Ruttleford and try to barter for some items of power, perhaps the others feel as insecure facing this darkness, but I do not believe there is one among them that understands what is upon us…they are as ignorant as I am, we act on instinct, we move now because to stop is to die, and that is perhaps the least certain means of escaping this darkness. I am resolved in the One, I will be guided, I will endeavour not to perish for nothing.

Ruttleford

        The town appears to observe some small amount of law, which would be welcome were it not for the extra planar creatures that have been brought in strange juxtaposition to our arrival. I have just finished the notes, these creatures are similar to the one in the chamber of the dark entity in Hommlet. While I write, the others are investigating the latest attack upon the shrine of Heironeous, a god we seem consistently, if unwittingly, to disappoint I fear. I have become an observer, I seek to purge what I can…it is all that I have and can act upon.
Forgive your ignorant student Masters, I have been a fool, and yet the One forgives, and continues to shed love upon my covered eyes. The answer is come, was always there, but now I understand, I have found the weakness in the dark being. I have understood its undoing. There is a devil here, an infernal pawn of the priests of Hextor, this I understand, this I can sweep away, this is real. This is the answer, for what ever dark power this being is, it must work through an agency of this world! And nothing of this world can stand before the light of the One and remain. I will purge this and all agents in service to this abomination and it will lie forgotten in its empty world.
The Baron of the region is compromised; he has declared the temple of Pelor outlaw. We have met with an acolyte in hiding and have arranged to meet again in hopes of contacting the remaining priests of Pelor to rally against the devil and his masters. I have duelled once with the creature but our power was balanced in the first meeting. The beast will learn that the powers of light can be resourceful as well in the next encounter.

        I have a tome, a bestiary, of the creatures we have been encountering, I will send it along with this journal to you Licia. I only hope that as you read these pages that you will be kind to my weakness and ignorance. I no longer fear the proximity of the One, I have let myself go…I understand that I am an instrument to be wielded against other instruments…Ruttleford will be the message that the filth in Rastor will understand. Let the filth feel some of the fear they would spread, and let them doubt…let them doubt. I will send no report to Leotos. Licia, you must make certain that only Aevin and you see this. I fear that Ghanyon will find herself involved in this, I fear that I am not the only one of us in danger, I fear there are few that can understand this, so many are old, so many are blinded by games of their own imaginings.

        Licia, you must contact Tardas and get access to the old prophecies, perhaps this is mad, but some of the witch woman's vision might illuminate them. It would take me longer to describe than to read the material, look for anything you can find, trust your instinct, trust the One. Send what you feel is best, we will be on the road to Rastor, you may need to speak with Tardas about arranging such a transport, be gentle on him, he does not deserve such understanding at the end of such a gentle life. Take care my Licia, so we can dance in the garden once more. I'll even let you best me at the parlour games the next time we attend a performance at the 'Unicorn's horn', provided the bard is better than the last time, otherwise I may be distracted. My companions stir, I must away, one last entry will follow.

Victory

        As I compose this, my last entry for a time, the city of Ruttleford is flinging the last vestiges of evil back in to the abyss where they belong. Our company has overcome the darkness for now, many fiends and devils intimately understand the power of the One on this day, may it cause them to squirm in anguish in what ever hell they call their home. The mastermind of the Ruttleford conspiracy turned out to be no less than an Illithid, this is cause for great concern for all of us. The Baron, once released from the grip of the dark creature, has rightly pointed out that this may be more than an isolated incident. I hope this message arrives in time, there are many in Ghanyon that have been weakened by constant lethargy, there are those that might easily be taken by such a beast, you know of whom I speak Licia. The kingdom must be warned, as must the rest of Bretundy and Veronia, if it is not already too late. We rest now, but soon we will continue on our journey. It is good to know that evil still falls, it is good to know that there is good left, it is comforting that I am among a strong company of heroes. And heroes they are Licia, if only you could have seen them wage a crusade upon the hoards in Ruttleford. It may be some time before I respond, but contact me and let me know that you understand. My heart is with you my sister, but my soul is become more and more with the One each day, and this I freely give. It is only now that I understand the freedom of purpose, the freedom of law, the freedom gained in absolute submission to the will of the One. I hope you share in this yourself someday Licia, I hope I am there to see the light in your eyes, I hope I am worthy of this favour, for it seems the witch woman may have been right all along, it seems that we may be all that stands before this abomination. If that is so, then it is evil that shall feel the most fear, it is evil that will know defeat, and it is evil that will fall to nothing before the will of the One.

T.