Torxe "Copperglove" Autumnvine

It is the first time in days that I get a quiet moment for myself to follow up on my previous journal chapter. Unfortunately, I have this time because I got a cold on this forsaken Glassfrost expanse. It should really come as no surprise to me when we've been travelling back and forth surrounded only by ice and snow for days, yet it is distinctively unpleasant.   Luckily, there is much to write about. Shortly after entering the Expanse, we got caught by a mighty snow storm by surprise. Everyone could sense the danger, and especially our horses, too big for Orin's magical protective shelter, would certainly have perished. Luckily we got rescued by a friendly frost giant who took us to their village on the shore of the expanse. It's quite a sight to behold, too. There is a massive ship stuck in the ice right in front of it. It turned out to be older than the expanse itself, a remnant from when the lake was still liquid and navigable water.   Shortly after darkness, the mysterious creature known to us as "The Wolf" appeared in front of us and asked us to fetch the Cryoweavers Crown, an artifact located in the middle of the expanse. Bean revealed to us that it matches the description of a crown in one of her visions, related to a throne room on a ship fully made of ice. The vision involved one of the crystals that fate seems to have set out for us, so it was of urgency we complete the Wolf's wishes.   We explored the ship and indeed found the thrown room of Bean's visions. Yet, without the crown, it was little use to us.   Before venturing out we took the time to rest up and trade with the Frost Giants. While Kniv and myself accompanied the local smith (quite interesting techniques) and acquired blueprints for some of his more interesting concepts that may work out well on our adventures, the others met another traveller called Vexus, and together they helped solve a problem the village was having with some local demon (or was it a devil? I'll never memorize the difference...). Vexus then decided to join us on our travel towards the center of the expanse.   On our way towards the crown something remarkable happened. A contraption coming from my old master Lankas Tattledeedle (-->Appendix A "About the Author" Section 2) delivered a box for me, containing, among other things, a pillow sown together from what seems like leather from one-hundred different beasts together with instructions on how to handle it and the request to research its properties. I obliged, waking up the next day with a massive green left eye and the temporary ability to look into the deepest thoughts of others. In the following days it turned out that a different effect, in a wildly random manner, gets applied each night. Lankas could have warned me a bit more thoroughly.     Once we got close enough to the crown, itself revealed in a vision that it once belonged to a captain venturing across this sea. The crown was cursed by a devil (demon? whatever), froze solid and with it froze the whole expanse to what it is now.   As we reached the crown, Vexus showed us his real face. He was a (albeit tragic) servant of a demonic lord, and a devastating fight broke out. We managed to persevere and took him prisoner.   We departed back to the Frostgiant village. On the way we encountered a cave in the thick ice with a Dragons Lair. Obviously we left it alone and moved on quickly. We're not completely deranged, reckless idiots blinded by treasure, after all!   Beans behaviour started to worry me, her curse growing ever stronger. Shadow even tried to murder our prisoner. Half a day later, while most of us were distracted by a creature, Bean outright got overpowered by the curse and attacked Vexus. I tried to intervene and managed to save him by putting enough distance between them through magical means.   At that point perhaps the weirdest thing of our days on the expanse happened. A blinding, searing, divine flash enveloped Bean, clearing the curse and visibly relieving her of a heavy weight she carried with her for a long time.   Reaching the village and frozen ship, we gave Vexus to the Frost Giants, requesting he be delivered to a bigger settlement where a cleric might help his poor Soul. Then we retrieved another crystal shard from the throneroom, exactly as it was fortold by Beans vision. At the same time however, we unfroze and re-animated the ancient captain and his first mate. A huge discussion about what should happen with the crown broke out. We, as foreign travellers, didn't find the courage to make a decision affecting so many people. Together with the Frost Giants, a compromise was reached, breaking the curse but giving everyone still on the ice of the expanse enough of a warning to bring themselves to safety. Overall, I'm still not sure if we've chosen correctly, but ridding this part of the Peaks from a otherworldly influence intuitively feels like the right call. Afterwards the crown may reach the Wolf, who is a high-ranking follower of the goddess Morrigan. Surely this is not the last time we meet him. The signs of a war between Morrigan and Tempus are increasingly obvious, I fear we might be caught in the crossfire soon.   After our departure from the village, we resumed our original travel northeast. The journey was a lot calmer than the first part, except for the fact I got this damn cold. Nonetheless it feels good to have (fully) solid ground under my feet again. My friends have found a bounty for some monsters that align with some of the materials Kniv wants to gather for new crafting projects. Very exciting where we may end up in the end of it all.

We must venture ever eastwards. In the evening I managed to infuse a bag of holding, helping us move our newfound wealth (subtracting the belongings of Ilena, which we obviously returned to her) much easier. She joined our caravan until Frostfire Waystation, the next location of importance on our route east.   In the morning, we took some time to complete Flint Pebbleback's second treasure hunt, indeed being rewarded with another stash of valuables. We needed to choose one of two new compasses, opting for one out of reddish iron.   Afterwards, we again returned to the main route and ventured towards Frostfire Station. It took us another 4 days to complete this leg of the journey, reaching the Station without incident. As we now faced the Glassfrost expanse in front of us, some preparations were in order. You, dear reader, probably from Eldoria or some other southern realm, cannot possible fathom the view that stretched all the way to the horizon here. The expanse is infact not a piece of land, but a massive lake, big enough to be considered a sea by some. It is completely frozen over, making regular maritime travel by boat impossible. Instead, specially prepared wagons and caravans make the dangerous journey across the ice.   This was exactly our plan, but our regular wagon was lackluster for the new task. Luckily, in Frostfire Station we found a Craftsdwarf running a business called "Fizzleweave's Workshop". We managed to negotiate a deal for some sizable upgrades to our wagon, including an auxiliary trailer incorporating a small, rudimentary forge using the components we obtained from the Goblin encampment. We enthusiastically agreed, and got to spend some days at the station while we waited for the upgrades.   Orin behaved strangely here. Our conductor, usually always adapting his rhythms and tunes to the situation, always returned to the same motif over and over again. He claims it was something about the way sound works here, and couldn't resist it. During our stay he managed to eventually find the source that he claims is responsible for this anomaly. It turned out that in the cellar of Fizzleweaves Workshop there was an inactive, ancient automaton stashed away. Kniv is vageuly familiar with the type of object, called a "Modron". Its origin are not of this plane, and the active ones strive for order and precision in all things. The shopowner also couldn't help us, the thing was here before he bought the building. He could however provide us a document claiming that something called the "Song of Ordered Harmony" was found. Orin immediately drew a connection to a book about the God of the Arts and Bards Milil and thinks this might be a part of the song of the eternal musician. It is an interesting story, but even if there is truth to the myth, what really are the chances that we would find another piece of the song?   Another thing I constantly came back to think about while we were staying here were my parents. They won't know of any of the things that happened to me in the last month, and are probably worried sick by now! I shall find a trader heading to Eldoria who can deliver a copy of this journal to them, letting them know what I've been up to.   These abstract thoughts were quickly drowned by the fact it is now time to enter the Glassfrost Expanse. I hope our luck won't run out now, after everything we already accomplished.

Further exploration of the marshland surroundings ensued, including a small chapel. In there, we encountered two goblins, with which Orin and Malekai succcessfully negotiated a meeting with their leader. Before the leader was available for us though, we first were allowed to accomodate ourselves in their holding. Getting a good look, I discovered these pests managed to capture a prisoner, and a literal heap of gold from the merchants on the main road. Also among their possessions was a a small forge which was burning without any fuel being supplied to it.   We intended to rest after expending our strength on the Barbstrikers, but were denied that opportunity. Instead Rigirik, the leader of the encampment, demanded a duel between us and some of their crew in order to please their deity, the war god Tempus. Without much of a choice, we agreed to the show fight. They proved to be formidable opponents, but we managed to persevere.   In the aftermath of the fights, my friends quickly figured out that not all of the goblins in the camp were so convinced of the new spiritual alignment, rather remaining loyal to the goblin god Maglubiyet. Eager to do something against the danger these beasts pose on the roads of Nophadin, Malekai used his persuasiveness and trickery to get one of the old believers to attack the newly converted shaman of the group. A fight broke out, without much of our involvement, which wiped out almost the whole encampment. After clearing out the last stragglers we freed the imprisoned halfling merchant Ilena Swiftwood and secured the perimeter. In conversation we found out that her guild recently handled the sale of a gemstone in Fiverton that matches one of Bean's visions. Certainly it is of crucial interest to our witch, so this adds yet another strand to the thread our story.   We now can recover from a very busy day, get some rest, and make plans for tomorrow and what to do with the stack of valuables we acquired. I think Master Lankas' almanac mentioned something about pocket dimensions in leather bags...?

As our travel progresses, Ironpeak certainly holds up to its reputation of a wild, untamed land with many mysteries to discover. Shortly after departing from Diobri, the weather worsened and it is apparent that winter is approaching quickly, accelerated into the less temperate regions of the realm. During our travel eastwards, following the compass we acquired what feels like ages ago, we entered the woods and reached a tree that looked entirely mundane at the first glance. Quickly however, a hidden compartment was discovered and we procured some treasures. Most interesting among them was a compass matching ours (which we quickly identified to be a pair of twin compasses, always pointing towards each other), a new compass, an half-filled map and a handwritten note supposedly written and signed by one Mr. Flint Pebbleback (yes, dear reader, precisely the one you heard all the amazing stories about as a child).   We quickly returned to the main caravan route and continued our journey for 3 days without noteworthy events. Then, the new compass urged us to detour from the main road shared with fellow travelers and traders and instead we departed into a marshy, half-frozen wilderness. We were ambushed by a Barbstirker (Aculeothrax sagittifer), but were able to dispose of it quickly and without injury. I feel that our prowess as a team in combat is steadily improving, which will certainly become essential in the following weeks.   We ventured deeper into the marsh, reaching the next compass location. An inscription demanded of us to complete the map. I started to do so with great enthusiasm and enjoyment, but was quickly interrupted when we encountered the rest of the Barbstriker colony. While the combat itself was equally uneventful, something concerning happened to Bean right afterwards. Her own spell attacked and choked the poor witch. In the aftermath of this impressive event, she revealed to us that some curse was bestowed on her that she intends to get rid of, but on the other hand provides her magic powers. As not even Kniv was surprised about this development, it is safe to say that truly everyone in our party saw something like this coming.

Finally back near Diobri, it was time to wrap up some loose strings. Of course, with how turbulent our last week was, there was quite a lot to do.   We started out brining the survivors to Diobri proper. Unfortunately, we ran into some complications. I wanted to make use of a new shield that we found among the items in the Vault. As usual with magical items, I opened my mind and attuned to its frequency, only to discover that it had a curse on it! I couldn't break the connection again, an unpleasant sensation that was even worsened by the fact that the curse slowed my body and mind, and it was interfering with my ability to maintain the connection to Master Lankas' Almanac, my most prized possession giving context to all there is to know in this world. So I had to improvise. using the shield as a flat surface, I put together a small sleigh with an ancient flag we recovered as a sail. After a bit of magical encouragement, it worked out and I managed to surf across the grassy hills towards Diobri. I noted down several ideas for follow-up designs.   Once we reached the city. Orin put out some positive rumors about the situation, and we made sure to get all refugees accommodated. We decided to stay the night and then depart towards the Vault the following day.   Bean had one of her intense dreams again. She described a vision about a person taking gemstones, similar to the one we bought in Diobri and with which she had a divine encounter, from a pedestal, destroying the world in the process. We theorized if the different gemstones represent the realms of the continent, but more evidence is required for a conclusive answer. I wonder what the gods have decided Bean's path to be. It seems that fate has touched the elf deeply when she had that vision.   In the morning we departed and travelled to the Vault. On an intermediate rest we had an interesting encounter with a person (?) in the woods, an individual followed by a swarm of Ravens. Our new companion Malekai identified a symbol as belonging to the goddess Morrigan. The individual however wasn't hostile, merely resting during the night and disappearing as a flock of ravens at sunrise.   At the next camp on our journey towards the vault, we had another quick encounter with a giant scorpion having a territorial feud with an owlbear. We took use of the opportunity and quickly struck down the hurt scorpion, gathering useful crafting materials. These lands are truly full of unsolved mysteries.   Finally, we reached the vault, recovering our horses and items that were left with them. Inside the vault, we met with Lyria and reported what had happened regarding Avorath. We also inquired why Kniv's blood was able to open the second chamber of the vault. It seems that he must be part of the Stoneheart clan, and we were recommended to search for the travveling researcher and historian Palel Frantorp.   After finishing our business with Lyria (and breaking the connection to the cursed item), we returned to Diobri to make preparations for our final departure from the city. Our destinations lay eastwards, but our first stop will be to see where the compass we got from the war tribe in Uisge points to.   So here we are, with a new companion and continuing our exploration and travel towards Ferrumhold, which still seems like eons away. Towards adventure and exciting discoveries!

I considered it impossible for the day to be any more turbulent, yet here we are. Once it was apparent that we were far away from the place we started from, we sent out a scouting party while some of us stayed back to tend to the survivors and I tried to make myself useful by trying to figure out if any of the contents of Avoraths library. There were some interesting leads, and I indentified that we must be located at Mount Cinderheart, very close to a junction of the magical laylines that flow through Ironpeak. The Wellspring of tears mentioned in Bean's vision supposedly also is such a junction, though its location remains elusive to us. I tried to open up to the magical aura surrounding us, and while there was certainly some connection there, I couldn't make any practical use on it. Instead I got busy turning some furniture into firewood.   The scouting mission was able to come back with enough hunted game to bring us through the night without going hungry, but that wouldn't get us anywhere closer to Diobri. Unexpectedly, they also brought back another adventurer who introduced himself as Malekai Snow. He was appearantly looking for Avorath and his lair, and couldn't quite believe it that we survived the encounter. He promised his friend who was scouting nearby could be helpful to us, but I couldn't wait for tomorrow. During the night I tried for hours to get the energy source Kniv destroyed back running, but the magic is far outside my expertise. The power itself is fully gone, seemingly disappearing from this plane of existance together with Avorath's soul remnants.   In the morning we, joined by dozens of survivors, departed to find Sloana, Malekai's friend. After a while we were able to find her near some ritual place, and what a sight that initial meeting was! Moments before, she was fighting a demonic, four-legged creature I couldn't identify, about 3 times larger than herself. She seems to be quite the battle-hardened magic wielder, shw was unfazed by the fight. I think her magic is druidic in nature? I've never had dealings with druids before, everything about her felt a bit foreign and mysterious. On the way back to a mountain hut I explained our story to her, she was very interested in learning what happened in the past few days.   When we arrived back into lower parts of the mountain where trees still grow, she began casting a ritual so strong it tore apart the plane itself and opened a portal through nature's connections (?) to a place in the woods close to Diobri. I am so relieved that she managed to save us and that I won't be called responsible for 80 deaths by the history books...   For her help, Sloana asked us to deliver a lockbox to a Githyanki in Dimmaw. As Dimmaw is the next big settlement on our path to Ferrumhold, we happily obliged.   Malekai, interested in investigating the remains of the necromant himself offered also to join us, which we accepted as well. A ranger skilled with survival and the wilds will surely help us in our quests.   Immediately after stepping through the portal, I realized how much I had missed the remaining warmth of autumn, even though it's still harsh compared to the temperate climate back home. I'll need to tinker around more or buy proper winter equipment and a better pair of boots once we get back to civilization.

When we woke up today we all knew that this days' events would have long-lasting consequences. I don't know what the attitude of my companions was, but I certainly couldn't portray the optimism they showed towards me. At noon we reached the valley where the vault was supposed to be located. The very first thing we encountered was a massive stone statue, who was animated by some magic and very interested in my dwarven friend. The statue started speaking and addressed him as "Son of Doznirgit". Neither him nor myself could make any sense of the name, but it seems his lineage left quite the imprint on this realm? Immediately afterwards, the statue went ahead and tested our wits and wisdom with a riddle, which we were able to solve. It then continued to speak and granted us a boon, which it called the Protection of Aelindra.   Should you not be familiar with the folklore of the Silverpine heights, let me enlighten you: Aelindra is a mystical Silver dragon which aeons ago watched over my home region. It hasn't been seen for centuries, and I always considered it to be fictional. No matter if the dragon still lives, the effects of its protection were very real. I don't believe we'd have survived what was to come without it.   Upon entering the valley, the hunters we encountered previously found the tracks of a mighty beast and we said them fairwell. We were on our own now. We approached the vault, tried to hide our horses and made for inside the cave in which it is hidden. No clues pointed to Avorath already having reached this place. We opened the vault, entered and immediately locked it again. But once we actually entered the room in which the spire is located, all nine hells broke loose.   Avorath was there. He was a horrendous sight to look at, and just by recalling it now it sends shivers down my spine. A half-physical, half-ghostly appearance towered before us. He had breached the whole back wall of the vault, letting us walk into his trap without a clue. Luckily for us, he was injured. A bunch of disabled guardian automata were scattered across the room, dying while trying to fulfill their duty.   Zephyras confronted him. We were even offered to join him! As if we'd ever even think about that! A fight ensued, the most ferocious we had so far. An idea of mine didn't... quite go as planned. Before encountering our enemy we found a door blocking a section of the vault which required a sample of the "blood of the ancestors". I put two and two together and told Kniv about it. I was hoping it would lead to some more of the guardians whose bodies we found in the other room. In the end, my planned worked but also wasted a lot of time for little gain. I'll spare my readers the details.   When we thought we had finally struck him down, he called upon his god Orcus, the Lord of the Undead and transformed into a far more frightening, demonic creature. In this form, he all but destroyed some of the rooms the fight was taking place, striking the walls, roofs and the bare rock of the mountain over and over again until he dug his way through to our hiding places. With combined efforts, we still managed to hold on. In a moment where I could feel the forces of fate and Aelindras protection flow through me, I leaped in the air, thrusted my sword into the chest of this demon, and kept holding on until I sliced the chest of this demonic manifestation in two. A demonic voice reached into our minds, announcing that he will return stronger than before.   We survived, and Avorath was dead. Or at least this form. After securing the perimeter and investigating the rest of the vault (superficially), we looked into how he entered the vault. We ventured into the wall breach. At some point we saw that the stone around us drastically changed. We found a full lair further in, what must have been Avoraths home. It was scattered with coffins. In these coffins, Orin found the gruesome confirmation about his fears. His former troupe members layed there, dead and preserved to serve a necromantic demon. However, two were missing.   We investigated further, until we came into a room full of white, steamy smoke that was contained by some force field. Curious, Zephyras and Orin stepped inside. For us it looked like the completely disappeared, and from their telling of the events they found themselves in a dimension of full white, surrounded by about 80 people from all walks of live. Orin even found a single member of his ensemble still alive. For them it felt like they were stuck in there in an eternity.   Meanwhile, Kniv, Bean and me scrambled to find a way to get our friends back. We found an eye sculpted from stone that was emitting a strong magical aura which was connected to all magical effects in the building. It was also alive in some way, or rather a soul was contained in it. We evaluated our options, but in our desperation we decided to go for the destructive approach. And with that I mean Kniv and a strong slice of his sword.   A wave of necrotic energy first struck us and then quickly dissipated, followed by the despair of a soul who was loosing its grip to our sphere. May his spirit burn in the hottest parts of the hells. With this flash, all magical effects disappeared and our friends, together with 80 victims who we could presumably save from the fate of becoming a soldier in an undead army of zombies. I also felt like I could sense a slight trembling at the same time, and unfortunately we soon found out why.   We decided to lead the survivors outside, Bean portraying confidence and direction. However, the change of stone was no longer present, and when we emerged on the surface, we realized we were miles and miles away from where we started! In fact, in the far distance we could spot Attensham, Orins hometown. It was a turn of events nobody of us expected, and nobody of us is prepared for it either.   Furthermore, we will have to continue without Zephyras. He was approached by one of the survivors who told him he had some fast magic passage towards some faraway place where he can continue his quest for knowledge and understanding of the necrotic domain. The farewells were short, but heartfelt. While he is quite eccentric and perhaps a bit naive in regards to the dangers he puts himself into, I really grew to like Zeph. I will miss him dearly and hope I will get to encounter him again someday. Perhaps he will be waiting for us in Ferrumhold, at least I can hope for it.     **Addendum**: Let me interject here and give a retrospective of events up to this point.   This is how the overlap between our journey and that of Zephyras ends. It was but a week, but it felt like so much longer. I considered him a dear companion and friend by now. His character, never-ending optimism and general friendliness are not things you would expect from someone dealing with death and decay regularly. I hope he finds what he is looking for and can satisfy his desires without hurting others (or himself, for that matter). I also wonder what other people we might are yet to encounter on our journey, which feels more it its infancy than ever before.   I also wish I could get word to my parents that I'm alright. They are completely clueless about what their daughter is up to (and that getting nearly killed by undead monsters has kind of become a pastime of mine...) While I still don't regret my decision to leave home for this journey, I have come to regret the way that I did it. I hope they can forgive me some day for my lack of courage to tell them of my plans face to face.   So here we are now, in the middle of nowhere without supplies, 80 hungry survivors on our hand and clueless about how to proceed. We have unfinished business and loose ends in Diobri, and we are not prepared for the cold night that is ahead of us. Getting back to Diobri would take weeks, we're told... I hope we can come up with something quickly.

We've made way towards the Spire. During the travel I could observe that Zephyras is still struggling to adapt to his old form. I wish we could give him a few days to sleep it off, but we cannot possibly delay our quest. It also seems that he has lost his special connection to the etheral plane? I wonder how that will affect the way he casts his necrotic magic.   After some hours traveling through the vast grasslands that are so typical for this region, we entered a dense forest. There, we met 3 hunters who introduced themselves, looking for a dire-bear that was causing the local villages trouble. The three participants were quite an interesting group. Their leader, a Hobgoblin called Brak seems to be quite the seasoned veteran, while the Dwarven Archer Gildor and a human girl close to my age called Sonnen performing falconry, seem like they haven't been doing this job quite as long. Brok seems to be a rough character, while the other two seemed quite pleasant to be around. I think Sonnen was intimidated by meeting a bunch of strangers in the woods, a feeling I understand only too well. Bean's overwhelmingly open and protective behavior towards her certainly didn't help to calm her.   Coming back to the issue at hand: they also told us that they've already seen the beast. From afar, it appeared like it might be an undead creature! I never expected myself to be favoring a normal beast over any alternative, yet here we are. I've come into contact with more dead creatures in the past week than some priests do in a year. The 3 hunters must have felt similarly and had retreated from the beast. Concerned that this may be yet one more consequence of Avoraths actions and hoping to get any information that could become useful in the encounter tomorrow, we agreed to help the hunters slay the beast.   Aware of how dangerous such a ferocious beast may be once it is raised from the dead, we decided to lay a trap. Convincing Beans feline companion Shadow to act a lure, I managed to prepare a rope trap and once the beast left its lair to come after Shadow, we managed to keep it in place and start hitting it from all sides with magic, blades and bolts. Unfortunately, it managed to escape the trap eventually and with unnatural speed it struck Shadow with such force that his spirit retreated from this plane momentarily. I didn't know he could do that, I thought my plan had killed the poor cat! After some equally unnatural, energy draining attacks by the bear Kniv finally managed to slay the beast in one strong strike. I am so happy that I have the strongest protector I could ask for with me, I really wouldn't manage this journey alone.   After the battle we investigated the corpse and the small cave the bear was occupying. We found traces of a potentially necrotic ritual, so resurrecting this beast was intentional! Why would someone (I assume Avorath) do such a thing? In the cave I used my newly discovered chapters in Master Lankas' almanac to search for magical traces, finding one below the surface of the cave. We tried to open up a crack to see what the slowly moving sword-shaped aura came from, and then all nine hells broke loose as a very chaotic fight with a subterranean insect-like creature began. Luckily the beast didn't give us too much of a challenge and we were able to retrieve a magical sword it was carrying in its fangs. I wonder where the weapon originates from, but it feels good in my hand and it's illusory effects might be able to confuse and hurt the enemies we will surely come to face soon enough. Now it is time to set up camp for the night, analyze and catalog the artifacts we recovered today, and get some well-deserved rest. Tomorrow will perhaps be the most draining and demanding day I've faced for a long time. Let's hope we all see the end of it.

Let me start this addendum by stating the obvious: yes, I am still alive. But let me assure you, dear reader, that was not for a lack of trying from this wretched place. The cellar of the mausoleum was filled to the brim with vampiric creatures, but interestingly only a single ghostly spirit was present. This seems to be quite unusual, one would expect the area to be full of ghosts. I witnessed that this single spirit struck down another one just as we entered a room. While this was very unexpected and curious, the ghost attacked us the instance afterwards and we preferred to not die trying to find out what was happening. The ghost left behind a magical shield that adapts to the size of its wielder, and Kniv stashed it away for now. I'm not going to sleep well tonight knowing that this possibly cursed artifact will sit in a backpack next to me.   We also found conclusive evidence that Avorath has been here a few days ago, and even found a necklace bearing his symbol and some journal notes of his. Unfortunately they couldn't give us much more information about what his plan exactly entails. A map with a section torn out was also among the evidence found. We (correctly) supected that the torn out section leads to the spire of bones.   But the most important find of the day has (as far as we know?) nothing to do with Avorath at all. Deep in the cellar we encountered an altar room with an ancient looking altar. We recognized that an empty socket would fit the yellow gemstone we acquired yesterday. Naturally, I objected to such foolish experimentation when we had no clue what the runes on the altar might do once activated. My voice of reason was ignored, and my companions activated the altar. I was taken in by a vision of a pure flash of white, above me two moons - one white and one red. The others had the same vision, with the exception of Bean. Our coffeebrewer claims to have had a far more vivid vision with a female voice claiming that we had found a fragment and that some sort of arrival awaits. A fragement of what, you ask? I'd like to know that too. Bean was tasked with searching for the "Wellspring of Tears", a place where sorrow gets transformed to relief? I have no idea what the voice was talking about, same for Bean. Even more noteworthy is the fact that the vision teleported the gemstone into Beans hand and left her with an amulet containing a blueish gemstone shaped like a water droplet or a tear. Later in the day a cleric confirmed that the amulet is full of celestial energy. A gift from the gods? For us? I'm increasingly certain that Bean is hiding even more secrets from us than I initially expected.   After this... divine encounter we returned to the surface and into the City. On the way we collected our emblems showing our association status with the respective guilds we joined. Reporting back to Lyria, she informed us of the urgency of the situation and that we need to make way for the Spire as soon as possible. Our next task will be to reach the Spire, inspect if Avorath has already breached it and report back what we find. If possible, we should try to prepare a trap or delay him until reinforcements arrive.   Afterwards it was time to resurrect Zephyras, which required him to be fully dead before. I could not bare to witness the proceedings myself, so I retreated out into the hallway. Some time afterwards, cheers emerged from the chamber and we rushed back in to find that Zeph has not only been resurrected, but was able to return to his human form! I'm very happy for our newly re-materialized friend. Unfortunately, his memories still elude him. Perhaps getting closer to his former associate will help with that too? We will see tomorrow, because now we must depart on horseback and hopefully reach the Spire by midday tomorrow

After yesterday's many events, I went to bed early. Originally I wanted to get some research into Zephyras' condition done through a book I borrowed from the city's college library, but looking at the fact that today might bring many new revelations and the first opportunity to fully rest in a comfortable bed I decided to postpone my attempts. The night was uneventful, except for Zephyras. The tavern-keeper offers a service where you can magically choose what to dream. Both Orin and Bean used it to get some well deserved rest, while Zeph tried to get some (equally well-deserved) answers. The dream, as he told us at breakfast, was able to bring back some of his memories about him studying magic, especially necromancy. It even contained a vision of the author of the mysterious letter he received yesterday. I fear that it left more questions open than answered, but I think it's a good sign that his memories are not totally gone.   At breakfast, I also got an opportunity to inspect Orin's new staff, and I must say that its properties came out really beneficial. I believe something in the forge has increased its potential for fire magic? Quite an interesting effect - it must be really powerful magic if the vicinity of the forge alone can affect the resulting properties so much.   After breakfast, we immediately headed towards the church, where we were given additional equipment to better face whatever might await us in the mausoleum. A group of disciples was already dispatched there, but failed to return. We made way to the mausoleum, which is situated outside the city boundaries on a hill. The building appears long-abandoned and left to decay with time. A massive tower reaches towards the sky, but our path will lead us down into the catacombs.   I'm writing these lines in the garden right before we enter the building. I'm not sure what to hope for, and even less what to expect, inside. The walls feel unnaturally cold, and the statues scattered all around are giving me chills down my spine. I have a bad feeling about this, and don't like the thought of us entering this place one bit. Let's hope the missing disciples are alright - or if they aren't, that whatever hurt them is long gone and won't come to haunt us in their stead.       P.S. Should these notes be found inside the building next to a dead tiefling, please return them to Revir and Marpione Autumnvine or alternatively to Master Archivist Lankas Tattledeedle, all currently residing in Westgate, located at the Blueflume river in Northern Eldoria.

So much has happened today, it is hard for me to find the right words for it. After concluding our tour visiting various stores, we made for the Everforge, the legendary heart of Diobri. This forge is rumored to provide additional boons to items crafted here, though I wasn't able to conclude if this is factually true or just hearsay. Either way, the construction of the forge looks even more impressive from up close.   The forge is without question the most amazing place I've ever visited. It spans 5 floors, with about half of them dedicated to metalsmithing of all kinds. The Smith's Guild resides here, and so do the Merchant's Guild and the recently established Arcane Lorekeepers. Getting entry was relatively easy, it seems the building attracts a lot of onlookers. But I was not here look, I was here to craft! I've had already sketched out a new suitable wand for Orin. His current one is flawless for music, but looking at the difficult times ahead on the road, getting our bard an upgrade for magical combat and support seems like a great investment of our resources. After some bureaucratic obstacles, Kniv and were able to join the Smith's guild and we were allowed access to the crafting spots at the forge.   They use a very particular method here, where the craftsmen use a small device called a Resonance ear, to detect even the slightest impurities of the metal they are shaping and to guide the resonance of the final object. I knew that the resonance of a weapon or tool is crucial for it's magical potency, but this... it's like using a whole new sense to work with. A seasoned smith showed me how to use the device. I got the opportunity to apply this newfound knowledge immediately afterwards, when I was able to put my plan into practice and with Kniv's help I crafted Orin's new staff. I'm very happy with the result, and so it seems was he. He briefly tested it, and the result sounded marvelous! I made him smile, probably the first heartfelt smile since the attack. I hope the staff will prove it's use in battle as well, but I'm not particularly anxious to be back fighting foes anytime soon.   In the meantime Bean was on a fully different trace. Her cat and companion Shadow (who will certainly not be amused that I failed to mention him up to this point in this book) went off and found a way into the restricted area one floor above ours. There, he found the section of the forge where the most advanced projects are undertaken. The items there are engraved with magical runes in a manual and long-wielding process. According to Bean, this runework isn't domestic to Ironpeak. It originally was imported to these lands from the deserts of Runica by the Stoneheart Clan. About 100 years ago, they were very powerful but destroyed themselves in an internal fight about an artifact called the Spire of Bones. Through this artifact, supposedly one can use their ancestors as a magical weapon? Initially, this left us both clueless and very interested.   Later in the afternoon we learned many more details about it. As we still head some time before paying Lyria Moonshadow a visit. We went to the library of the college located close to the forge to seek knowledge about Zeph's condition and the Spire. There are some leads, but much of the information we seek is restricted.   Lyria is one of the creepier encounters I've yet had to make on our journey. Unfortunately, she also couldn't help us immediately with Zeph's condition. What she could tell us however was the fact that Zeph seems to be (half)-dead, and stuck between the planes? There is an old Magi spell that, when botched, could cause this effect. She thinks a resurrection spell could possibly help, but it's also very risky, and we'd have to attempt it tomorrow at the latest. She gave the theory that Orin's old companions were captured and used for some ritual, and their souls were captured by Avorath, the necromancer mentioned in the letter to Zephyras and his... what is it really? Companion? Friend? Mentor? lets say acquaintance for now. Avorath is after the spire, whose location she knows but refused to reveal to us. There, a powerful wizard can multiply his necromatic powers by a huge factor, and could potentially even raise an army of undead! How dangerous is this Avorath really? Zeph's amnesia once again removes all chance for an easy answer.   What Lyria also told us that Avorath was recently seen in the city's mausoleum. We will go there tomorrow in order to investigate this mystery further. In exchange, we'll have the opportunity to try the resurrection ritual on Zephyras. I'm not sure if this is the right choice, but Zeph seems convinced and it's not my choice to make either way. Tomorrow will once again prove very eventful, I'm sure.

Kniv wasn't kidding when he said that the detour to Diobri was worth the while. While Diobri itself is already a fascinating place, with its streets buzzing with energy, I can't wait to get to the Everforge, reaching for the skies in the center of the city. Even from afar, it is the most astonishing construction I've ever seen.   Let me backtrack a bit: At the gates of Diobri, for a short while it seemed like getting into the city might prove a challenge. It seems that the guilds of Ironpeak use flat, circular emblems to identify guild members. When the border guard checked our caravan, I found out that Orin, ever the equally charismatic and enigmatic character, is of Noble blood! His family members are the administrators of Attensham, a settlement somewhat nearby. I hope I didn't behave in an inappropriate way, even though he assures me that he doesn't mind or even desire the usual royal decorum.   After entering the city, we traded the magical lens from the tower with Torben and said our farewells. I hope it's not the last time we see him, I'm very curious if he finds a way to mend the chipped artifact. Afterwards, we found lodging in a strange - fey-touched? - tavern. When we went back onto the streets and by pure coincidence (or so it seemed?) went into a store trading in jewellery and magical relics, we made two very strange discoveries.   The first was a letter that was left here addressed to Zephyras. It contains a warning about a necromancer called Avorath, who Zephyras remembers essentially nothing about but his name. The author claims this Avorath sacrificed many innocent souls and warns Zephyras about loosing his humanity in the search for more power. Avorath has previously captured Zephyras, but has somehow lost his grip on him again? It's all very mysterious. The letter ends with the call to destroy Avoraths "Phylactery" (what is a Phylactery? I need to do research into this) and to seek Lyria Moonshadow here in Diobri, who supposedly will know what to do. We'll try to find her this afternoon. Hopefully she can help Zephyras, I'm still very concerned about him.   The other discovery was more... personal. One of the items on sale was perfectly matching what Bean saw in her vision about me! We went out and bought it, it has a lightning-like effect within that is active whenever stormy weather is close. I don't know what to make of the witch and her visions, but the fact that the stone is actually in my hands now leads me to believe that she actually possesses many, although confusing, powers.

I wish I had slept better, but first some necessary improvements to my chain mail and then Bean's vision kept me up for quite a while. Yesterday evening she supposedly had a vision about me, which visibly shocked her when she had it. She told me that it contained a stone city with a massive fire in the middle of it, and a wizard holding a huge yellow crystal. I fail to understand why this would be upsetting to her, but it seems that behind the friendly appearance of the coffee witch lie some deep secrets. I've also used the early morning to take inventory of our newly acquired goods, some of which would be quite suitable for tinkering projects. As got increasingly clear today, this land isn't as protected as I'm used to, and we'll need all the means to defend ourselves against its many dangers. I have a few ideas already, but will hold off on specific plans until we reach a town with a decent forge.   During breakfast, our travel took yet another unexpected turn when Torben revealed to us that his deal includes the retrieval of some lens that can detect magic and illusions out of some tower. A tower, I must add, we were specifically warned about. As we found out today, the rumors of it being haunted seem to hold some truth to themselves. None the matter, the deal was still decided to be acceptable by Kniv and the others, so we made way towards Diobri with our newfound companions. During the journey, we had quite a weird encounter with a sudden rain cloud exactly over our wagon. It would almost perfectly follow us for quite a while before disappearing as quickly as it appeared. I wasn't able to identify what the origin of this is, but I suspect that some of the items the warriors left us yesterday may be cursed in some way. It would be advisable to get rid off these baubles as quickly as possible.   In the afternoon, we arrived at the tower where we encountered a bunch of vagabonds, which were also trying to get into the tower. The situation was already quite tense but after Orin found the emblem of one of his murdered friends, things were on the brink of escalating into a fight. Bean asserted her authority (which came really unexpected from the elderly, innocent-seeming witch) and we resolved the situation peacefully. It seems these bandits simply looted the equipment that was left behind after Orins friends died, but they claim there were no bodies, blood or sense of a fight. It makes Zephyras' existence even more mysterious. We must reach an arcane expert or priest as quickly as possible. Who knows if his condition is dangerous to him or the ones close to him?   Back to the tower: The bandits hadn't planned for entering the tower, Torben did. While they climbed some vines and entered through a window, we used the passphrase (written in Infernal? Did Ironpeak use this language commonly in the past?) to unlock the arcane barrier guarding the door. We explored the tower, finding evidence this tower goes back for centuries. The architecture of the Magi Empire is distinct to anyone versed in history, but a small flag that I collected confirms this. Additionally, we found a spellbook that I can't wait to transcribe tonight, if the paper survives my touch. While we didn't find the lens, we were able to trade it in exchange for a gemstone with the bandits. It's chipped, but perhaps the material can be repaired? Yet another thing to do in Diobri, I guess...   Most interesting was the main floor of the tower, where a giant crystal lays on the ground and Zeph (and only Zeph!) could communicate with a ghost, wo claimed it was her reason to still be in this world to protect the tower and restore the crystal, which enabled this tower to communicate with other scout towers of the empire. How many of these things are scattered out there? I'm not sure if we could construct some machinery to get the crystal back in its upward position, but it would take days to do so. I'm curious about what would happen, but with so much suddenly in our minds, I fear we won't find the time to help this ghost to pass on.   After exploring the tower, we decided to set up camp for the night. We should arrive in Diobri tomorrow before midday, and we should plan what we intend to do there. I'm excited to see the forges I've heard so much about with my own eyes!

Our travel, which according to other travelers we've met on the way has been extraordinarily safe, quite and uneventful, has taken a sharp and unexpected turn. This morning, in the town tavern of Uisge, where we've arrived last day in the afternoon, we've made two new acquaintances. Almost by accident, and certainly not hampered by Knivs outspokenness, we started a conversation with a bard called Orin Highsong and a mage called Zephyras Nadrasin. Zephyras seems to be his... companion? friend? fellow traveler? I couldn't quite understand their relationship is. Seemingly they have also haven't known each other for a long time. Orin has just lost his whole orchestra in a bloody attack somewhere south of here, with him and Zephyras being the only survivors. Zephyras seems to be afflicted by some condition, he has an almost ethereal appearance and seems to be able to phase in and out of our physical world at will. He himself has amnesia and does neither remember who he was before nor has he an idea on how to get him back to normal. I suggested searching for an arcane wielder or a cleric in a bigger settlement, and I'd love to do some research on the subject when I get to a decent library.   Our breakfast however was interrupted by a most unexpected attack on the village by some religious war pack of warriors. Initially we wanted to flee or hide, but it was soon becoming obvious that couldn't be the solution to the threat we were faced with. The town of Uisge doesn't have any warriors, and surrendered their fortifications without a fight. The leader of the warriors accused the village of stealing some artifact of theirs, and demanded to solve the confrontation by their customs - a fight to the death between five of their warriors and those of the village. At this point it was clear to us that we could not stay hidden any longer. While I'd like to claim that we did this because of heroism, truly we just felt that our chance of survival was even smaller should they encounter us as hidden stow-aways in some cellar instead.   So, we fought with five of their warriors, and thinking about the combat still makes me shiver. In this combat I observed that Orin, but also especially Zephyras seem to be very capable in combat, with Zephyras performing some necromantic witchcraft not even Master Lankas would dare to document in his collection! With Zephyras' magic and the combined efforts of us five, we were victorious without much harm coming to us. Speaking of witchcraft, it seems that Bean, the elderly lady we've met almost two weeks ago and insisted on following us on our travels, also possesses way more magical capabilities than I originally expected. To be fully honest her intentions still elude me. I've witnessed and learned so many things along this journey already -but my sense for people and their intentions still seems to be as weak as ever...   After the fight was won, we were awarded some of their war loot as reward for our victory, and soon afterwards we met with a trader who is seeking retirement and offered his whole stash of goods for ensuring his safe passage to Diobri, the city we were already heading to. Some of his goods looked very promising, but I'll have to take a better look tomorrow if there is anything potentially interesting for a new project. We decided to accept the offer and make for the city tomorrow. Zephyras and Orin joined our ranks, as also for them the only way to search for answers on is the road southwards. For now, all goals seem to converge on the city.