Galinndan's Legacy Journal A

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Ethasadril

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7-1-1859

Return of Golian

Golian
Things got off to an interesting start at Oskar’s father’s house, the only location I felt comfortable revealing my presence. While he is away at the moment, his butler made me welcome and I am safe for the moment. I met up with Oskar, and after catching up on recent events went to meet Gheshtal and Theren at Jaklodin’s Shrine. Before leaving, I changed my appearance, disguising myself as I have been forced to do upon returning to these lands. We all quickly shared stories – they were waiting for Tenebral, who did not show up for 45 minutes or so. Fearing the worst, we checked the morgue – she nor the druid children she was with were there or had been there, but there was a strange trend of people dying of late and being taken to the university anatomy wing.

Gossip on the street was that people were confused – people have been moving about a lot in government and academic positions – has there been scandal? Theren advised that the bodies were most likely in the lab, where, incidentally, the research that he is seeking (his old work) is also kept. Oskar remembered an old back door – we found it and gained access to both the Academy and the lab, and looked around. Two bodies were there: when reaching to touch one, an ochre ooze dropped down – given the nature of reanimation in our world, I can only assume the ward we broke was intended guard against the body itself and not intruders. We fought the ooze; after hitting it with lightning from Theren’s research machine, it shuddered and split in two. I killed one of the split pieces.

After looking around we observed, on a pedestal, an anatomy book written by the great healer Avecin opened to a section discussing cranial anatomy. One page in particular described a special bone, unique to elven kind, that was behind the nose – it is different between the fey races… I wonder what it means? There was also a box with a grain of blue fahrstone. The bodies had been partially dissected. The back of the neck was open on one, and it showed ossification of the spinal column in the neck region – the book stated that this was a hallmark of zombification or possibly exposure to Rigor?

Something under a box within the laboratory has just made an alarming thump, and then moaned three times in perfect unison with the bodies. These corpses will not be resting long, and are somehow linked with another entity. Could there be more? What research is truly taking place here? Things have changed since I’ve been gone, and not for the better. Both bodies also had incisions around the sinuses, but one did not have neck incisions, indicating that the sinuses were checked first. There could be an important correlation here.

Also, I believe a trap-door opened somewhere in the room. Before we leave, I want to check the room for useful chemicals or potions: I must ask Theren’s advice.

The Scholar Theren

Theren
I’m not sure what to make of what just happened… Not even a week after the anatomy department is closed down, there is obviously activity still going on in the lab (some kind of zombification/ossification research). Luckily it seems noone tampered with my research. (I don’t know what I would do if I lost all that work… I mean I guess I could redo it all… I mean I am the one who made it all up after all… That would take awhile though… uh wait what was I writing again… Oh right.) I found a crew of… misfit adventurers… and they helped my get my device back. (although I had to leave my charging device… which makes sense… it is kinda big… but now i gotta rebuild it… hmm… Anyway,) The lab had since been booby trapped with slimes, and there was also a trapdoor that I never knew about.

Anatomy 1401

Under the anatomy lab there was a sort of secret study area. There was a pretty simple puzzle to open all the doors that were otherwise magically locked (Well… it was a simple concept… achieving the unlocks was a little tedious.) One room was full of books and notes and some rather fascinating contraptions. (I really wish I would have spent more time studying the pendulum scryer type device… but it probably didn’t have many applications for my own research so… no matter.) Two rooms I didn’t get to explore but they seemed to be rather underwhelming compared to the study (there was a lot of neat stuff in the study). Actually, there was the…. cold room?... sure that's what I’ll call it. This room was apparently filled with large blocks of frozen ice with fey specimens inside them. The whole operation sounded interesting but was also entirely magical… so again.. no relevant discoveries there (for me… I’m sure it would be fascinating for someone… I’ve never heard of something like that before).

I’m glad i got to explore the fourth room though. It had another zombie specimen that was dissected in the same way as the others. (someone is really interested in post mortem ossification of feykind… I just can’t see the point because they all end up chaos beasts by that point). It was also full of a myriad of alchemical tools some potions and a vial labeled “skin chips”. (not sure what that’s for but it seemed like it would be interesting to play with) There was also a magic circle drawn on some parchment that looked like a ritual for farstone augmentation… or activation… or something. I tried my best to copy it down, but it was rather complex (and I’m not an amazing drafter.)

I just hope I haven’t bit off more than I can chew with this group. They were trying to smuggle some people into town and seem to have a propensity for getting into trouble. At least one of them seem interested in more intellectual pursuits so I may stay with them (plus they seem to be rich… or at least have inheritances or something… maybe they’ll fund me?)

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7-3-1859

Inside the Kadet Enclave

Excerpt from Roshan’s Journal
Location: Kadet Enclave in Isamarr
Active party members: Gheshtal, Theren, and Roshan
Inactive party members: Golian

Here I am, injured and trapped in the depths of this Enclave. It would make sense to be forlorn in this situation, but I am ecstatic. I have only just arrived, but I have witnessed a concentration of undead activity that I have rarely seen. These are not just your typical undead. Something complex and sinister is trying to escape from this place. Powerful undead beings with something terrifyingly new to behold… intelligence.

I made my way down the Enclave’s layers, following the sound of that brass instrument Ghestal plays. It was surreal to hear music being used in such a manner. Weaponized harmony to vanquish the undead. I arrived just in time to be useful. My warhammer brought down several of the animated skeletons around me. Better yet, the largest of them seemed to be hopelessly trapped.

After brief introductions, we began scouring the depths of the enclave for anything unusual. We found a satchel full of treasures, and a wine-damaged note. I currently know very little of who these people are, but it seems they live complicated lives here. Relationships full of secrets, loss, and death. I have seen my fair share of death in Ethasadril, but something about struggling to survive in the tundra strips away most of the complexities of life.

We began to head back towards the upper layers of the Enclave. We soon realized we had been outsmarted. The undead creature that we thought was trapped had augmented itself with the remains of several horses. We tried to fight it, but it was painful to even attack it. We tried to retreat, but it morphed its shape and pursued us. The last thing I remember before everything went black was a whirling of bones and being engulfed in a huge maw of teeth. If it weren’t for Ghestal I would be dead.

Theren is now our only chance at escape. He managed to escape and head towards the surface. We will rest and await his return.

7-3-1859

After Escaping the Kadet Enclave

Excerpt from Roshan’s Journal
Location: Golian’s Place in Isamarr
Active party members: Gheshtal, Theren, and Roshan
Inactive party members: Golian

Theren has come through for us. He brought a small force of soldiers down to rescue us. Unfortunately, one of them was slain during the ensuing battle. I call it a battle, but it was more akin to an evacuation. The soldiers protected the group as we turned tail and ran. I feel like a coward, but I can barely bring myself to face these horrific creatures. They are no mere undead; they are something terrifying.

As we escaped, a multitude of voices of differing languages echoed:

"͖̟͉͗͝Ȉ̢̳͒͑ ̢̱̣͕̙̬͍̹͒̂ͧ͌̾̾̚h̜̙̆ͭ̋͐͘a̩̝̦̠͙̤͑̇͠v̱̝ͬ͑͒ͭ͞e̹̠̬͔̭̩͊ ̦̘͑a̚͠l͖̖͖͕̻͌̈ͯ̇̔̀̀r̼̟̿͐͂͐͐͊ͫ͠ē̥͇̙̤̺͉͉̈́̀a̮͉̠̺͎͇͗̏ͬ͝d̰̞͉̠̼͢y̢̺̗͉̳̟̗ͬ ̝̬̜m̩̫̝͔̝͖o͕͇͔̒͐ͨ͌̄̄̔v̗͖̦͖̻̔ͨ̑̋͠ê͖̘̗̓ͩ̓̌ͥ͑ͅd̛͕̻̬̭̓ͨͦ̐ͯ ͓͔͔̇ͥͬͮ̂̅͛o͓̦̥̠̝̦̐n̖̤̗͛ͧͩ̈̐ͣ̿͟"̙̟͎̗͛̃̓̽͢

̐ͭ͗̌̀ͤ̚͘ ͔̩̦̱͚ͅ"̯̖̲͕̳̇́ͅE͙̫̬̮͎̣͖͐͒̈̿v̜͍͙̪̟̯̪̈͌ê̤̫̼̟͓̬̻͐͆̀n̙͊̈̓͑ ̰̓̊ͩ͗ͮ͒͢n̷͕͎̯̦̰̗ͦ̐̈́ọ͚̲̹w͇̰̆ m҉͔y͔̦̝ͫͪͮ̑ͬͣ̕ ̯͕b̝͉̲̜̮̳̭̈ͧ̎͋̾ͣͪo͙͚̦ͩͣ̀̈ͭ̈́́d̢͎͈͈͍̝͚̼y̦̜̬̾̿ͯ̃ͥͫ ̴̣͎̮̖̞͓̾̓ͤ̏̈́̚t̶̟̍ͤͅr̛̗̻͇͔̫̫ͅa̭ͮ̔̔͂ͤv̝̥̰̣͈ͯ͒ͯ̓e̟̤̦̠̰̝͛͐͊̂ͯͤͅl͎̹̰̫͉͜s̨ͣ̉̃ ̢̥̫̦͈̣͙̺f̬̠͙̙ͦa͚̳͚͘r̻͖̫̱̘̝̓͌̎ͮ̅ͅ ̛̬͔̺̥͓̣̏̑̊̓ͫf̢̜͈͉͍̘̩ͪr̰̥͛̎̿͒̅ͦ̕ọ͉̗̰̽͆̄m͕̐͢ ̱̮̜͇͋͑͊t̼̜͔͇͓̳̑ͫ̾̕h̏̓͡ḭ̏ͤ͆s̱̝̹̥̺̲̩̅͆͗̐ ̳͚͉̻͒ͧ͂ͅl̡a̼͈͖ͣͤͧ̇͐n̘͍͙̭̤̆͋ͭ̄d̳̩̤̿͐ ͉̦i̻̹̱̗̼̥ͯ̍ͩͅn̫̣̠̿ͦ̃ͭ̓ͣ̂ ̰ͧt͖̎h̟̟̪̣͗̈́ͪ͋́ě̷ͩ̍͐ ̹̪͔̗̕ͅc͉͖̹̊̆͌̄̍a͝r̜̤̳̤̯̋̋ͮ̉e͇ͮ ̹͑ͫ͒̂́̽̓͜ö̴̂̀̚f̟̦̜̯͎ ̗̑ͫͭ͋̂͗ọ̵̜͍̈ͩ̚n͙͓̥̂͝e̗̙̭ͅ ͊͐ͩ̊̋o̯͒f̷̜̥̳̲̌̿ ̩̤̲ͬ̅͟y̠̼̳̒́͗o̢̯̖̊͑ụ̙͎̩̳̟͕̆͆̍͌ͯ̆ř̶͈̫̼̱̱ͅ ͗w͙̯̪̓ͬ̈́̚i̙̙͕͔̖̩͕ͦ̽͝ṋ̻͎ͧt͈͔̩͙̪̯e̥̮͈̭ͭ̑͂̏ͧ̌̆͢r̭͔̣͖ͪ̌̀̌̽̚ ̜̱̤̺̞͋͗̽͑̎͜ǩ҉̠̮͔̼̰i̢n͓͓.̘͖̼̲̀͑̋ͣ͊͞ͅ"̀͞

̼͍ ̧̱̓͌̂̏ ̸͕͖͖̫̹̮̫ͨ̎̋ͬͯ͋"̯̜̗̻̤ͤ̏ͦ̓̔ͣͅÍ̺̤͇̤̤̘̍̈́̾ͨ͗̾ ̩̫̜̭̱͚̩͛w̦̯͘iͨͭͯ̏̎ͯ͆ḻ͑̑̽̒̌͐l̙̦͕͍̽͗ͅ ̯̣͆̐̍̀̈́͆̏͠m͔͈ͯ̆̿͗̽ͅu͗͐ͥl͓̫͓̻̦̙͠t͎̖ͥ̋͟i̬̼̺͂̋ͧ̾̏p̾̊ͬ̆ͮ̏͝l͉̦̮̤͎̈̾̃͆ͪ̚͞y̙͈̠̥ ҉̠i̲̫̼̺̮͓̠̐ͨ͒n͓͎̼͔̩ͨ͒̍ ̙̬͍̤̌̓̂ͤ͞ͅŵ̷̞̲͂ͫi̗̱̼͒̾͋ͭͬnͬ̀͗̐̿̌͘t̾ͬͥ͛̆̽e̸̜͎͓̪̐ͤͪ́̋̈r̗̥̜̀̃̉͒̿ ̪̗͈̭͋͠a̵ͩ̾̔̋̉n̑͒̀ḍ̼̬̳̜͕̦ͨ̃̄̍ͫ̋ ̳͙̺͕͠r̭̼̰̀ͤ͞ȩ̘̮̂̈͑͑̋t̺͈̟̳̣̱͓͋̑͠ṳ̯̺͓̦͚ͣͦ̽͝ͅr͔̙̦̰͊ͮͬ̚n̵̪̗̾͋"̪̿͑̉

7-10-1859

Boarding the Great Eastern

Excerpt from Roshan’s Journal
Location: Isamaar
Active party members: Roshan, Theren, Oskar, Regianna, Sceloran

The people of Isamaar are so helpful! Theren and I found a kind group of local fishermen to give us passage to the Great Eastern for a modest sum. They must have understood the virtue of our quest. While in transit, I met a fellow named Sceloran. He is quite the intelligent individual, and tough too - his idea of relaxing during his voyage was lying in a barrel of fish guts. Our goals seem to be aligned by fate, and he and Theren also share a quest for knowledge.

After making it aboard the Great Eastern, we were informed that the crew was running low on supplies because they cannot dock. We decided to help, and with the aid of some newfound friends (adventurers looking for Farstone), we ventured to the bottom deck of the ship. Loud banging noises were happening around us. The crew mentioned tales of a creature they called the Riveter. Perhaps there is some evil to vanquish aboard this vessel!

Sceloran discovered that we could unseal several passages by making an arcane gesture. We explored deeper into the passage. Upon opening one of the passages we were beset by the undead!

A Riveting Tale

Excerpt from Roshan’s Journal
Location: Isamaar
Active party members: Roshan, Oskar, Regianna, Sceloran

My companions and I made short work of the undead. After getting our bearing, Theren decided to head topside to let the crew know about the supplies. The rest of us pressed on deeper into the ship as the clanging and rending sounds continued around us. Sceloran pointed out pits in the ground and demonic bodies which, according to him, probably came from burning something called "blue Fahrstone". We opened the next door.

Suddenly, an emaciated and rather upset looking hydra came charging from the darkness. It must have been in previous combat that severed and cauterized one of its heads. Oskar began severing the beast's remaining with his ursine power, and we soon brought down the beast. The hydra had been snacking on some treasure which we took for ourselves.

We traveled on, and we found that the interior hull of the ship was rent open. Despite dispatching the Hydra, the loud banging continued. As we approached the gaping hole and peered into the bowels of the ship, I noticed my inscribed chain begin to glow. Things were definitely not right, and we decided to go get help. We convinced a guard to go and gather all the forces he could muster. Regianna ventured off and to talk to some sort of aristocrat, and we took the guards back into the depths of the ship once they arrived.

Using some rope, I asked my new found friends to lower me between the two hulls of the ship. The light emanating from the inscriptions on my chain began glowing even brighter. I noticed something in the darkness. The remains of two Dragonborn. As I approached, the smaller dragonborn's hands closed around a riveter he was holding, letting loose a loud bang. Suddenly, there was a rushing sound around me that sent chills down my spine...

Another one? Already? A mixed emotion of joy and terror overwhelmed me, and I quickly ascended to prepare for battle. "An amphipolon!" I shouted.

It was enormous, but we were better prepared this time. We fought with everything we had, knowing the horrible fate that would befall the rest of the ship if the amphipolon were not stopped here. I swung my warhammer for a final radiant blow, and suddenly it crumbled to dust.

They can be killed... I have learned so much already, but I know that I must grow greatly in strength and knowledge to give my homeland a fighting chance when I return.

When I snapped back to my senses, Sceloran had already saved the guardsmen around us. We headed back to the surface and were greeted by a very thankful crew. Oskar and Regianna managed to acquire some of the Farhstone they had been seeking. I don't yet understand its purpose, but I know it is powerful. I am glad that power is in the hands of the virtuous.