Author: Sam Weiss

by Sam Weiss (samwise1@email.msn.com)
Used with Permission. Do not repost without obtaining prior permission from the author.

They came again last night. Accursed sending of the Master of Plagues, Lord of Nightmares riding my sleep. Ever since I

[[a fragment is missing here]]

closed my eyes. I will begin recording some of them in this journal. At least the thought of doing so eases my mind somewhat.

I was standing alone, watching a village in the Vale although one I did not recognize from my travels, when huge shapes flew over my head. I looked up, and saw great winged beasts flapping down to the village. they had monstrous tails with stingers like scorpions, and riding them, were great humanoids with the heads of bulls.

They descended upon the village, and began destroying it, killing the men that tried resisting. As they did, another beast flew down, this with a man upon its back. A hateful man, with madness in his eyes. he directed his servants to capture most of the women of the village alive, for what purpose I do not know.

As I watched, my eyes moving from place to place, I turned back, and the man was not a man anymore, but a great bull-headed humanoid like the others! Yet I knew it was still him. As I watched him, he seemed to see me, and his gaze turned toward where I was standing. I felt his eyes bore into my very soul, and as they did, I felt his soul laid bare to me. What I saw.....

I woke screaming and recorded this here. What does it mean? Who is the man who becomes beast? What does he portend?

I must consider the stories I know of this place, consult others who know more. Maybe I can find some answers. If only I could stop these dreams!

Another dream last night, but different. Stranger. Less violent, but more disturbing. I was walking, and came across a field. As I watched, it looked as though of horde of vermin descended upon the field. At first, I thought they would strip it bare, but then I saw. They were not. They were cutting great swaths through it, and leaving behind - words. What they wrote, I'm not sure. It was...unthinkable. I record it below.

'...and it shall come to pass that the Shadowed One, who is named Gal'Nyathra, and is also known as the Great Devourer, shall cause the Dead One, who is the lord of the Horned Ones, to gain power through his pawns, and to rise once more from the dead, to walk among the living, and cause That Which Cannot Exist to become closer to existence...'

This disturbed me more than any of the other dreams I have yet had. That morning, I heard a rumor among the farmers I passed among. A tower was discovered by Haven. That, seemed to mean something, I'm not sure what though. I have resolved to travel there and speak with Garvin, the Patriarch of the Vale. He is a Shepherd [[ed. note. A specialty priest of Rao]] and tends the Church of the Holy Defender there. He will surely know more of this tower, and likely be able to help me with these dreams I've been having. I know I must escape them soon, or risk losing my sanity forever."

Another dream, the night before I am to enter Haven. I must warn the Patriarch before he sends someone to that place!

I was walking, and came upon a farm. As I entered the barn, there was blood everywhere, and the remains of animals torn to pieces. As I stared in horror, the blood on the walls took the shape of words, and I read this written there:

'...within the walls of the place of flayed lambs, the Other does dwell. It shall first creep forth to feed upon the hoofed beasts, but it's hunger for death shall not be sated, and it shall prey upon the minds and souls of men. The Other will walk the lands of the living, and it shall herald a return to the days of terror and darkness...'

The horror this portends is unspeakable. I must warn them!

I was too late to warn them, but it appears my warning was unneeded. A group of heroes led by one Pharos went to the tower, and destroyed a horrid creature dwelling therein. From the description, it sounds like one of the flesh eaters sometimes referred to as ghouls, though other sources I have seen call them ghasts. I do not know, either way, its destruction is a wonderful thing.

Further, they have brought back texts. Apparently, the tower housed a scriptorium and library, and Pharos and his group were able to retrieve some texts from there. The holy Shepherd Garvin has agreed to let me study them to see if I can find any more clues within them about what may be happening.

I do this, sharing time on them with both the Holy Shepherd and this Pharos who seems to be a scholar despite his warrior ways. Also, one Mitchifer, a Lightbringer [[ed. note specialty priest of Pelor, dedicated to fighting undead and fiends]]. He seems a good sort, yet something about him concerns me, I don't know why.

[[a few pages later, past mundane notes on studying]]

I was studying a passage in a book, and I came across something. I knew I had found a key to what I was looking for, yet when I went to tell the others, show them what I had found, it was gone! Yet, I know I saw it, read it. Now I fear it was another dream, a waking one. This disturbs me more than anything yet. if my dreams will now come when I am awake, what will be next?

Still, I record what I read below, prophecy, hallucination, or both. It must mean something!

'...in the valley of the Exiled One, who was driven from his home, and drawn to the Place of Banishment, the lairs of the Dead Ones will once more corrupt men, bringing them further into the grasp of That Which Was Banished, their minds belonging to it, and their flesh serving it until such time as it shall reenter the Oerth, and feast upon their flesh and grow stronger...'

I was called away from my studies of the recovered books by a call to a community having troubles. My duties to Blessed Berei must take precedence, so I will set that aside for now. Some time in the sun will do me good anyway.

I am traveling to a small hamlet of hobniz who need some help with the harvest. My companion and Guide is one Hasuburnipal Hornblower, commonly called Niles for short.

He was one of the people who accompanied Pharos to the Tower recently. He is a bright, cheerful fellow, well my senior in years, though of course barely an adult by the standards of his people. I feel most uncomfortable with him though, as I know of his shame in the Tower from Pharos. It seems the poor fellow froze twice upon encountering the unnatural things therein. The first time was upon meeting three animated skeletons of former scribes. He fled upon seeing them, and his companions were sore pressed to defeat the creatures, even though he returned to help. The second time was the other battle they had, against the ghoul and its two corpse servants [[ed. note zombies]]. Again he froze upon seeing them, this time nearly resulting in the death of one of his companions, Thaddeus, a student of the College of Wizardry located in the Vale. Niles seems quite eager to prove himself in battle now, but it is seems he may not be up to facing some of the horrors my dreams portend.

Having a moment, I would also like to record some of the things I learned studying.

It seems a human by the name of Alaxus once ruled the Vale, apparently sometime before the founding of the Kingdom of Aerdy. He appears to have subjugated the Vale through a humanoid army, though it was unclear how he raised such an army. There are references to Alaxus being called the "Minotaur Mage" as well. Perhaps this a clue to his success. As well, perhaps it is a clue to my dreams of an army of such creatures overrunning the Vale. How he may have gained the aid of such creatures I do not know. Perhaps I will learn more when I return.

Upon conquering the Vale, Alaxus had his hordes begin building towers at certain points. I am unsure, but it does not seem that all of these towers were for control. The tower the books I gleaned this information from being a prime example. Why a library and scriptorium there? Another mystery I must look into further. I will write further on this on the return journey.

The trouble at the settlement has proven less serious than the messengers indicated, giving me the time to finish up some of my notes.

Alaxus ruled the Vale for something on the order of 100 years, long for a human indeed. In the end, the few remaining humans not enslaved received aid from the demihumans now feeling the weight of Alaxus' armies, and a strike force was sent in to defeat him. The leader of the force, whose name I have not been able to recover, bore a sword called the Blade of Runes, specially forged to defeat mages and their creatures. He was able to slay Alaxus, but was slain in turn by his bodyguard, who then took both the body of their master and the sword and disappeared. They interred both in a tomb that is undiscovered to this day.

Some sense of foreboding tells me this was not the end of the story of Alaxus however.

I should also record some things concerning Pharos and those accompanying him.

Pharos himself is human, of mixed Flan and Oeridian heritage, though I have heard he may have Olven blood in his lineage. He is bold and well educated fellow, the latter quite unusual in a warrior. He prefers the spear, something almost unheard of these days, perhaps lending credence to the stories of his heritage.

Hasuburnipal Hornblower, Niles, is a local hobniz scout and finder. Likely he could earn quite a living as a thief in some large city if he desired, but that looks to be quite out of his nature. Only his unfortunate freezing in the face of horrors that would torment any normal man causes him trouble with adventuring.

Thaddeus is a young man from the Great Kingdom, come to study at Mathghamnha, the College of Wizardry. From the little I saw and have heard of him, he is typical of people from there, being arrogant and obnoxious, though of course, completely oblivious of the fact. [[ed. note - Typical of people not from our great empire. They see our natural superiority, and think it mere arrogance.]]

Elanna, the third person to accompany Pharos to the Ruined Tower, is a young local woman, of mixed blood like Pharos. She too prefers a weapon of uncommon type, wielding a two-handed sword with great ability despite its, and her, size. I do not recall hearing of a woman berserker in the Vale in many years, but it appears a new one is about. Niles seems to think she takes up with both the cults of the Summoner and the Brawler [[ed. note - Trithereon and Kord]], making me think my estimation is quite correct.

I wonder what other young people are thinking of following the path of the hero in the Vale these days. I fear they may only be finding their deaths if they do, in a most horrific manner.

The horror is back! A nightmare of unspeakable depravity, the blood was everywhere, and the screams of the dying ripped at my ears. And at the end, another warning -

'...in the House of the Dead, the Horned King does dwell, dead, yet not dead. He shall rise again to the lands of the living, and attempt once more to spread his dominion over the land. He shall be destroyed once, but not destroyed, and shall continue to plague the lands of the living...'

Patriarch Garvin must have divined the location of Alaxus' Tomb from the books, and sent Pharos and some others there. If this warning is true and Alaxus is within, they must know so they can ensure his total destruction now.

I am racing back to Haven with Niles. He senses my distress, and seems to know what is causing it. He is both terrified and eager to prove himself yet again. Somehow, I hope he does not have to.

As I feared, I was too late. Pharos had already departed for the tomb with three companions, the Lightbringer Mitchifer I had mentioned before, Garvin's great-nephew Peregrine, a Peacekeeper of Rao [[ed. note: paladin]], and a High Olve calling herself Sunblayze, a warrior mage who is apparently a distant in-law of Pharos'.

They were already a day overdue to return when I arrived at Haven and met with Patriarch Garvin. We discussed what I had been shown in my dreams, and what it could portend for the Vale as a whole, and then talked of options in regards to Pharos and his expedition.

In the end, we agreed there was nothing to do at the moment, but Patriarch Garvin said he would try to gather some others to go and search for them if they did not return in two more days.

While waiting, I devoted myself to catching up on those portions of the texts that led to the locating of the Alaxus' Tomb, and trying to open myself to more dreams and prophecies, despite the toll they are taking on me.

I was rewarded by my efforts with this:

'...He Who Served the Mage will fall prey to the Shadowed One, his will bent to the service of the Other, and he shall seek to once more reopen the gateway between Oerth and the Outside, and he shall corrupt another of his kind. Together, they will weaken the bonds of the fabric of this world, and Those Which Should Not Be Here shall reenter the world...'

A horrifying prophecy whose full scope I can not fathom as of yet, in a horrifying dream of shapeless things feasting upon men. In the midst of such, a sheltered home provided sanctuary for me, and while resting there, I discovered that amongst some of the household papers.

This whole thing disturbs me more each time I seek to rest.

But the noon brought good news! Pharos and his band have been sighted by the lookouts. I will write of what they discovered next.

Yesterday I heard the story of the Tomb of Alaxus from Pharos and his companions.

At the back of a cave long used as a goat pen by herders, they located a secret door with a bull's head carved into it. By pressing the eyes, they were able to open it, and enter the tomb itself. Inside, they walked down a corridor to a chamber with three other passages leading out. In the chamber itself, they discovered a monolith carved with a tribute to Alaxus, as well as a mural on the ceiling depicting a scene from his life.

Down the corridor leading deeper in, they found it had collapsed from water damage. Heading one direction, they discovered mounds of bones, the unfortunate remains of the slaves who built the place likely, and among them, the animated remains of three of the perverse beasts known as minotaurs. Fortunately, they were able to slay them without loss. Heading down the last passage available, they found another bone room, and prepared to face more minotaur skeletons. Instead, they found something worse. From their description, it seems to have been some sort of ambulatory jelly of massive size. It sent out tendrils that stuck with great power, and which paralyzed Pharos for a time. Some sort of poison I suspect. Once they defeated it however, they discovered not only had it put paid to the skeletons that had been here, but that it also had hidden a small tunnel in the earth leading deeper in.

Pharos led the way on hand and knees, and the group passed through the tunnel, emerging in a room of unknown purpose that held a band of the sniveling beasts known as kobolds. Fortunately for the party, they were surprised, obviously having expected the jelly had dispatched them. With this opportunity, Pharos was able to force entry into the room, and provide space for the others to follow. Three kobolds were slain, and one was taken prisoner. This last upon being questioned, lied repeatedly about the Tomb's other inhabitants. It seems Pharos himself is honest to a fault, and took the vile creature at its word. this nearly proved their undoing, as the very next "empty" room they entered contained a further dozen of the foul things!

Despite this, they triumphed, but were forced to return to the first chamber to rest. this caused part of their delay in returning.

The next day they continued on, discovering a treasure room with chests they bypassed lacking Niles to open them, a room converted to raising centipedes the kobolds used as food, and finally the lair of the kobold leader, his guards and his pet weasels. Another fierce battle ensued which forced them to delay their final assault yet another day. However, they had recovered several items of import. Firstly, the Blade of Runes that had slain Alaxus the first time which the kobold chief had taken for himself. Peregrine was awarded this and used it to great effect the next day. Second, the key to the Tomb which enabled them to enter it easily. Third, a wand firing the magical force bolts mages seem to love so much, and which Sunblayze put to excellent use the next day. Finally, just outside in a third chamber devoted to Alaxus' life, the found the remains of a noble warrior of Rao who had obviously discovered the place accidentally years before and been slain. They returned him with his armor and shield, Patriarch Garvin later awarding both to Pharos for his services.

Having rested another day, they opened the Tomb and entered.

They discovered four minotaurs that were merely animated corpses, zombies as some term them. And they discovered a minotaur, seemingly alive, clad in ancient clothes. Engaging them, Mitchifer called upon the Power of the Sun and managed to send all four zombies shuffling off, saving everyone's lives. With no guards, Peregrine and Pharos were able to engage who I believe was a restored Alaxus directly. With Sunblayze adding bolts from her wand, the beast fell in short order. Though it never used magic, Sunblayze asserts it was trying to do so at least twice before combat damage disrupted its castings. After that, the zombies were dispatched with ease, and a rich treasure taken from the place by the heroes.

But my dream still haunts me. Was that Alaxus? Is he really dead? And what will come next for these heroes?

I am currently alone.

Pharos and those who were with him have gone their separate ways for now, Pharos seeking out another Olven relative of his, a mysterious warrior known to be a master of the spear. Why such a one has chosen to train a barely blooded relative is beyond me. I wonder if some future vision will provide me some clue as to why.

The others have likewise dispersed for now.

As for myself, despite this victory, I fear the whole thing is far from over. My dreams continue to be riddled with horror, and I have received one more prophecy as well which I shall record at the end of this entry. I continue to pore over the books recovered from the Library, as well as new ones from the Tomb of Alaxus, searching for anything that may help. I have learned a few things, but they disturb more than inform me it feels.

It seems Alaxus built more sites than we previously suspected. Further, it seems more than one of them was built on a previous site, left by some older person or group, the references are unclear. These Elder Ones were from Beyond or Outside, I cannot be sure, the language is so old and stilted. They had come to the Vale because it was a place of Power, as did those who first built Mathghamnha. Alaxus knew of that place, but was unable to broach it as did the aptly named Japheth Arcane some years back. That seems the only good thing I have learned so far.

Alaxus studied what he could find of these Elder Ones, and eventually began looking Outside or Beyond where they had come from. What he learned there, gave him his great powers it seems, though it could not prevent his death.

Still, all this "Outside" material seems to resonate with some of the prophecies I have received, I simply have to put them all together. Like this most recent one:

'...in the domain of He Who Was Not Fallen, the Mouth of the Gods will fall from grace, and will whisper in the ear of the line of He Who Was Not Fallen, and shall spread a rot of death and blood into the land. The line of He Who Was Not Fallen will be dispersed, and the Mouth of the Gods will rise in power, until one who can stop him shall rise to glory...'

I must continue to study this all.

The dreams and prophecies continue.

This time, I saw a strange beast, like a centaur, but with the body of a bull and with horns upon its head. Somehow, I knew it to be connected with Alaxus, but I do not know how. A terrifying thought crossed my mind as I watched it, for the thought of the poor women stolen from the village in my first dream resurfaced. Nothing more was revealed to me of that, but I saw this beast running through tangled paths and coming to a group of huts. there, it shrieked commands to some unseen beings before racing off into the woods once again. As I watched the paths seemed to take the form of words, and more was revealed to me.

'...beneath the Sanctuary, a road is being made by those who seek the fall of men. The furred beasts will enter the place by stealth, and will seek to slaughter and enslave those found within...'

This was a warning I could finally act upon as Pharos returned the morning after I had that dream. I quickly consulted with Patriach Garvin as to where this could be occurring. As we did, Falgur Ironstone, a dwur who is both the smith of Haven as well as its militia leader came with news. Something had slain the guards in the watchtower!

The Patriarch and I exchanged a look, and together we gathered with the other Elders to discuss the matter. He said nothing about my dreams to them, and I kept silent allowing him to lead. They quickly and easily decided to commission Pharos to investigate, with Falgur's nephew Thordar to accompany him. Niles was still in town, and after being told of the mission, he quickly asked to join as well, obviously seeking to redeem himself. Lastly, a Flan warrior calling himself the Darkblade was asked to join in, despite his reputation as a bandit in other areas.

The four of them proceeded to the tower, with myself and Falgur observing, where a quick investigation revealed a flagstone that had been tunneled up to from below. I was sent to inform the Elders, while they entered and Falgur kept a watch.

In the tunnels, which Thordar reported were quite old, they discovered signs of recent efforts to dig upwards. As they explored, they came across some bugbears who they slew with great courage and no loss. In another place, more bugbears, with some of those nasty creatures called xvarts as slaves. Again slaying the bugbears, Pharos chose to talk with the xvarts rather than slay them as Thordar suggested. One of their number then led the group to a lair of the small menaces, where Pharos oddly accepted an offer to enter unarmed and talk with their leader, their guide serving as a hostage. Fate must be with him, as the leader said little more than the bugbears threatened both the xvarts and Haven, and that it would be good if Pharos were to defeat them and free the xvarts they were forcing to dig access tunnels to the surface. how the xvarts got there, or what they intended were not revealed, but Pharos saw the obvious need and agreed to do what their leader asked.

A few more chambers, and more dead bugbears and freed xvarts, the group returned to the entrance tunnel, and asked for healing, showing many wounds and saying the job was not yet finished. As Haven obviously came first, both the Patriarch and myself worked to cure them and send them back quickly.

Returning to what was the last room in the place, they discovered more bugbears, two large guards, and what was obviously a shaman. Worse though, the shaman commanded two animated skeletons. Thordar and Darkblade both froze momentarily upon seeing them, but Niles did not, and with Pharos held the line. As the others joined battle with the bugbears however, the shaman unleashed a wave of magical fear that sent Pharos fleeing for a moment, and almost overwhelmed the defenders. He rallied quickly though, and together they managed to put paid to the skeletons, whereupon the shaman tried to flee while the bugbears held them back. Niles slipped past those two and managed to wound the shaman, who hesitated momentarily to stab at him. One bugbear fell, and Pharos rushed to aid Niles. The shaman tried fleeing, but collided with Pharos, who stabbed him with his short sword through the heart as Thordar and Darkblade finished the last bugbear.

No treasure was found, but a scrap of parchment confirming a plan to dig under the town and slay its people was. The tunnel connecting this set of caves to the bugbears lair was collapsed, and so it seems that threat is ended for a time at least.

Perhaps my dreams will not prove to be so bad after all.

One thing though, these caves. What are they? How did they get here? And no one ever knew of them? Are they connected to Alaxus? Or something older and worse? I must investigate further when I get the chance.

As I have mentioned, it has been peaceful the last week, and my studies of the recovered books continue apace as do my nightmares. No new prophecies have been given to me, nor have I discovered anything more of significance in the books.

As I suspected, it could not continue. Last night, my dreams were filled with horrifying winged monsters, swooping down to devour the people of Haven as I stood by helplessly. Finally departing, I was left to wander amongst the torn corpses they had left, and in the spreading pools of blood I read the following:

'...the Winged Beast's Orb which was given to the Horned King will be reclaimed, and its taint shall be unleashed upon the world once more, spreading the corruption of the Other...'

Upon awakening, I turned to the books looking for anything relating to this, and in one I thought I had been over a dozen times already, I found mention of something called 'The Eye of the Wyvern'. The text seemed to suggest that this item was how Alaxus called his wyverns to him. Indeed, if one were to stretch the point and take it that it was actually penned by the hand of Alaxus, it might be assumed that this item was how all wyverns actually came to plague the Flanaess, putting forth that they are actually winged servitors of some Outer being as they keep being referred to.

And as has been all too common it seems, confirmation came by noon. A delegation of traders recently arrived from Kleine sought an audience with Patriarch Garvin. They reported that the farmers of Kleine have recently been plagued by flights of small winged beasts slaying their cattle and once attacking and killing a farmer who tried stopping them. Though the description does not match that of wyverns, it might refer to their young, though so many would be most peculiar. Unless of course this 'Eye' does exist.

Still, they brought a sum of money the farmers had pooled to pay for help, and Patriarch Garvin promptly summoned Pharos. After a brief interview, it was decided that he would ask Peregrine, Mitchifer and Niles to accompany him, and that the four would see what they could do to help. Again Patriarch Garvin advised me to hold back on revealing my dream, and again I concurred. He feels these warnings are not meant for any but the hero seemingly foretold, and he wishes to see if Pharos can accomplish these tasks with no warning as a test to see if he is the one. While I am unsure, I continue to defer to him and his great wisdom.

The four set out, and I waited nervously for their return, knowing it would be a week or more before I saw any of them again.

I have been waiting anxiously for the return of Pharos and his companions, but there is still no word of them. I have had continued to have disturbing dreams since their departure.

This current quest of theirs seems connected to the wyverns Alaxus was known for. My current dreams...

I have had further visions of women being taken from villages. I see them dragged off screaming by hordes of bugbears and gnolls, with cackling orcs and goblins watching and assisting. The women seem to know what is waiting for them, by my dreams have not yet revealed this to me.

Still, I am filled with a deep sense of despair when contemplating their fate. What unnatural horror awaits them in their captivity in the pits of Alaxus? Why do I sense it is related yet not related to this Eye of the Wyvern?

My concerns about my recent dreams were forgotten briefly, as Pharos returned, and we heard the story of the quest for the Eye of the Wyvern. The bad news was apparent immediately, as three walked in, a body tied over a horse. With heavy hearts we sat and listened.

The four had headed up towards Kleine, passing the days calmly until they met one Murri Thistletoes, a hobniz merchant heading towards Kleine as well. talking with him, they learned some more of the wyvernlings that had been menacing the area. Apparently the beasts stingers swept over their heads like scorpions tails, indicating a definite connection to true wyverns of some sort. Setting camp with Murri, he produced a fine meal for them, and they set a watch for the night. This proved fortunate, as 3 wyvernlings attacked just around midnight. Niles was on watch, and alerted the others who quickly acted and managed to defeat the foul beasts with little damage.

The next day they entered Kleine, and meeting with the group of farmers who had sent for them, learned that the beasts were believed to come from above the Falls. As the meeting was ending and turning to dinner prior to a night's rest for a morning departure to put and end to the menace, a child ran in from an outlying farm. More beasts were attacking that very moment! Racing out, they found the farmer already injured from trying to stop them, and then two of the beasts menacing the livestock within the barn. Racing to confront them, two more wyvernlings leaped down from the loft, and they were suddenly hard pressed to survive. Still, they managed to prevail, despite suffering severe injuries, and the poisoning of Niles. Murri volunteered a magical elixir he had been hoping to sell as gratitude for the group saving him the other night, and through dint of both Mitchifer's magic as granted by his Lord Pelor, and Peregrine's healing touch as a Paladin of Rao, they were ready for the trek into the mountains the next day.

Here we broke off to let them rest and catch their breaths for a moment.

Picking up their story again, Pharos told of us their day long trek into the mountains, up and beyond the Falls. Past there, they found a trail parallel to the stream feeding the Falls. Following this only way upland, they walked until dusk was upon them, when they spotted the leaping flames of a bonfire, and heard harsh chanting. proceeding forward, they saw the collapsed walls of some ancient building, with a bonfire within, and apparently a cage containing some wyvernlings, and a few goblins, chanting. Moving closer, they noticed a larger wyvernling on a chain, apparently the lead goblin's pet or mascot.

They approached openly, despite some half murmured cautions, and were sighted by the goblin leader who immediately ordered his followers to attack, as well as releasing his pet. Despite this, a quick volley of missiles, produced two superior hits on the goblin leader who promptly fell. As well, Mitchifer struck and killed one of the charging goblins, who immediately attempted to break off battle. This allowed the entire group to concentrate on the large wyvernling which quickly fell to their efforts, though again Niles was poisoned.

Looking around, the group found three wyvernlings in the cage and dispatched them to prevent them doing any harm to the Vale. Looking through the belongings of the dead goblin leader, they discovered evidence he was a shaman, as well as a map of some place further along the trail into the mountains. As well, they found a satchel containing two elixirs like the one Murri had produced earlier, as well as two scrolls that would protect one individual from poison for a short time. Taking counsel, they decided that as the wyvernlings poison in Niles seemed likely to pass in a very short time, they would wait until he healed and then head out. The two scrolls would serve to protect half the party, while the two elixirs would serve for the other two for whatever might await them at the place indicated on the map.

The poisoning indeed faded after a nights rest, and they headed out with the dawn. A half day's journey this time led to a rockfall, at the top of which, a large red stone glinted in the sunlight. Watching, they saw the ghostly form of a wyvernling take shape within it. Watching, they decided to attempt missile fire to interfere with this process. While they missed the stone, they did succeed in flushing a true wyvern from it's lair in a cave up from the rockslide. Pharos and Mitchifer quickly read the scrolls while Niles and Peregrine fired at the approaching beast, scoring hits but not stopping it. It charged Peregrine but missed. Mitchifer and Pharos then joined the melee against it, while Niles continued to ply his bow, now against the wyvernling that had formed from the Eye. A hit by Pharos diverted the attention of the wyvern, which almost slew him with a bite and its stinger, despite the poison being ineffective. Only quick action from Mitchifer kept him alive by way of healing spells. Unfortunately, this left Peregrine to attack the beast alone, and while he injured it severely, two bites from it brought him to the brink of death. Its tail then delivered the final blow, slaying the noble warrior. His heroism was enough that one more thrust from Pharos put it down, Niles having finished off the wyvernling before.

Afterwards, they recovered the Eye of the Wyvern which seemed to have been exposed by a recent rockfall. As well, the cave proved to be some lost storeroom of Alaxus, as within were chests packed with coins bearing his minotaur head symbol.

Gathering up Peregrine, they returned here.

Patriarch Garvin is obviously devastated by the death of his great-nephew, but he is concealing because of the obvious threat to the Vale we now face.

I am not sure what we will do.

I dreamed of the women again.

They were being held in cells under the ground. From time to time, gnolls or bugbears would come to drag one away screaming.

Something struck me as odd about this series of dreams that I finally placed. No minotaurs. It makes me wonder. I had been shown the source of the Wyverns Alaxus used, will I now be shown the source of the minotaurs? And what is horrifying about it that I am being tormented by seeing it revealed slowly?

We buried Peregrine in a simple ceremony in the Churchyard.

The Blade of Runes has been placed in a secure storage until someone can be chosen to wield it.

I am afraid.

I dreamed again. Another warning from Berei it would seem. Another prophecy.

'...from the times of antiquity, the lair of the Exiled One shall be found within the circle, and in his lair, the miasma of the Other does pool. It's servants lie within, serving their hideous lords, brought into the lands of the living by one who is no more. In the days to come, the bonds holding them within the lair, and they shall slowly creep forth into the lands of men, causing death and corruption...'

Word arrived that one of the stones of Cahervaniel had fallen, and a shepherd named Kurt had disappeared within. this is the only circle in the Vale that I or Garvin can think of. We shall send for Pharos tomorrow.

I am so tired.

We talked with Pharos, and he agreed immediately to investigate the fallen stone at Cahervaniel. We also revealed my dreams and the prophecies I’ve recieved have been given to him. He still did not hesitate.

Mitchifer and Niles will accompany him again. His kin Sunblayze has returned from a trip and will go with him also, likewise Thordar, Falgur's kinsdwur. Finally, the Flan Darkblade will replace Peregrine. An exceptionally ominous choice I fear.

They gathered their equipment and left with little fanfare. I noticed Pharos had some new equipment. He was finally wearing the plate mail they had recovered from the Tomb of Alaxus. He has a split minotaurs skull enameled on the breastplate. As well, two mighty rubies set in the wyvern's skull now graced his helm. With my own sanity so fragile I dare not question his, yet...

That night I learned where the minotaurs of Alaxus came from. It is calling the Breeding Yoke. A woman was dragged in and secured within, then a bull led in by cackling gnolls. I can't say more on that.

I then saw a cow braced within and a minotaur brought forward. Later, the centaur-like abominations called manotaurs by some appeared in the forces of Alaxus I saw arrayed throughout the dream visions.

What was Alaxus? What madness led him to embrace such abominations and perversions of nature? And what unholy force gave him these things, this Eye of the Wyvern and Yoke of Breeding?

And now I must wait for the news of Pharos and his party.

They are back. two days late, and one member short.

Passing down into the hole exposed by the fallen dolmen, they found ancient stairs leading down. Thordar declared the place older than anything he have ever heard tell of. A thick blue mist greeted them at the bottom of the stairs. Wending their way through it, Pharos proceeded to fall into a pit, being slightly wounded by his encounter. As they sought to pull him out, something pushed Thordar in after him. The others turned and found themselves facing an abomination. Part arachnid, part human, it wore armor of hardened webs and bore a dagger later shown to be a tooth of some great wyrm. Fortunately, despite its horrific appearance, to proved unable to stand up to the blades of the party. They continued about the chamber, finding three doors, and two more pits, one of which contained the unfortunate shepherd Kurt. Later, they brought his body out and restored it to his grieving family. They also discovered a sculpture of a dragon about one of the doors, the smoke issuing forth from its nostrils. They stoppered it up and managed to clear the room of its pervasive mists.

Investigating one door showed thick webs beyond. They proved oddly impervious to fire, so they abandoned hat passage for the moment to check the others. A second door lead to a waiting room and armory, which despite the obvious passage of time contained a few still intact weapons. Each of these weapons bore the imprint of a skull on hilt or shaft. As well, they found ancient coins with he skull and infinity motif.

Another door led to hallway, and the party headed out to investigate. Down one way, a chamber still held some plaster from ancient times, said plaster showing a painting of a grinning skull biting infinity. A comparison with the weapons found showed those too bore tiny symbols clenched between the teeth of the skulls found upon them. A clue, but to what?

Empty chambers filled with little more than dust alternated with rooms containing oddly glowing webs of a luminescent green. Finally, two statues of unicorns were found. One was missing both horn and front leg, the other intact. A twist of the horn one way gave forth a viscous mist and the first delay, as the whole party save Niles fell into nightmare haunted sleep. The dauntless hobniz managed to drag them into a nearby chamber and spike the door shut then keep a sleepless watch for a full day until they awoke from their enchanted rest. they all reported sharing the same nightmare - a unicorn confronting a sculpture of the infinity consuming skull, a burst of power and unnatural screams, and the unicorn stricken by bizarre beasts before falling to a blast of unholy energy striking its horn.

As the party paused here, we also paused to allow us all a break from this tale of horror.

Mustering themselves after their nightmarish interlude, they returned to the unicorn, determined to gain something from it. A twist in the opposite direction revealed a secret door this time, a last pit trap before a door, and within, a wine storage and three intact casks containing a magnificent vintage. They took this with them and continued.

More empty rooms and a corridor, they turned back and found a room with inhabitants. Freakish creatures, neither bird nor insect. Despite there being a dozen of them, and their webs entangling both Darkblade and Mitchifer, the party slew them with little damage and found an ancient scroll before continuing.

Another door leading to a connecting chamber, through a door within they found a room past a room with two bizarre birdlike creatures. Feathered yet flightless, they attacked viscously to protect what proved to be a nest. They were not much threat, but at the same time, two persons, later proved to be olve bounty hunters attacked from the rear. They had poisoned darts fired from had held crossbows which felled Sunblayze. this forced the party to split to face both threats. As a result, Darkblade was severely injured, and only saved by quick action from Mitchifer.

Heading through the only other exit resulted in Pharos plunging into another pit, where he appears to have found four enchanted arrows for his trouble. This proved fortunate later on. Three empty rooms lay beyond, as well as a spiraling stair down. But also, a wraithlike spider that proved resistant to normal weapons. Still, the group had enough to enable them to defeat it with no damage. Later, they would find and slay two others like it, though still not suffering much in the process.

Down another corridor, they discovered some ancient caryatids whose worn surfaces gave hints of tentacles instead of hair, as well as a chamber with odd runes that we are sending to Mathghamnha to be translated. Indeed, several other runic inscriptions were found, and all sent on to be translated by one of the sage-wizards therein. They had a choice then, between an earthen floored chamber with a ceiling barely high enough for Niles or a door to an unknown room. A faint glow in the earth floored chamber chose that to be investigated first, the glow proving to come from a harp. Pharos took it, only to find it was attached to a zombie that nearly tore his throat out. Fortunately, his skill with a spear is becoming so great he was victorious despite the cramped conditions.

With harp in hand, the group headed for the door, only to find another dirt floored chamber that promptly teleported them to an isolated room containing only a skull. here they learned of the power of the harp Euphonious. It enabled the dead to speak through its strings. Forthwith, the skull challenged them to a test of wits or might to prove their right to leave the place alive. Choosing might, the party fought and defeated four more zombies, receiving for their trouble a bag with some minor treasures.

A little more exploring revealed another stair down. Not wishing to head down just yet, they returned to the dragon door. It proved impervious to tampering, producing an acidic mist that blew out the cloth stoppers they had used to prevent the blue mists from taking over the entry chamber. deciding to look elsewhere, they chose the webbed passages above the stairs, and as they cut their way through, two more man-like spiders creatures waited to attack them. The magic arrows Pharos discovered earlier enabled Darkblade to slay them both immediately before they could issue a warning cry for help. Exploring the now revealed passage, they went ahead, discovering what seemed to be a wrecked magical laboratory. Thordar found a shifting wall hiding a secret door, and within, Pharos found another pit, and Niles opened an iron chest containing some potions and other magic materials. Down another way available past the webs, they discovered a barracks with a full decade of the vile abominations. Fortunately, they were able to put them to the sword with no great effort, the leader being taken prisoner.

The leader upon questioning proved totally hostile, a spell was used to determine his totally corrupt and Evil nature. The decision was made to slay him then and there to prevent him from escaping and warning others of his kind that might lurk, or worse, him escaping outside to threaten nearby communities. A second room held a higher leader of these creatures, with pet spiders that obeyed it. This one was an exceptional fighter, bringing both Darkblade and Pharos to unconsciousness before being slain. Healing spells were used, and the group pressed on to the last room in the area despite their injuries, hoping it would not present too great a threat. It didn't, holding four weaker specimens of the freakish creatures that tried fighting and died, and a score more that simply cowered. Not being able to bring themselves to slay creatures that had never offered them harm, the decision was made to seal them in with iron spikes under the door until the party left the area. A merciful decision that was carried out before the party retired victorious a few days later. At that point however, another day of rest was mandated, and another break for us was as well.

Rested and restored, the group sallied forth again, taking the spiraling stair down. This led to some natural caves below the earth. A short exploration found an underground pond with an island in its center and a skiff waiting to take the group to it. On the island, they discovered a being claiming to be a noniz, though unlike any that anyone had every seen before. Paler, nearly hairless, and speaking a dialect nearly impossible to understand, the group was still able to learn that he was called Clinker, and was a bounty hunter looking to claim a bounty that some group had placed on the spider abominations. He had been captured and placed on the island pending a decision as to his fate, likely death, and he was glad to offer to assist the party in return for his rescue. He told them of the large community web they had nearby, as well as a drop off leading somewhere else that seemed to be important but was avoided by nearly all of them. Heading there, a lone spider-thing was discovered that spoke our tongue. it claimed its leader Callum had gone below, and none were to follow. Pharos forthrightly asked about a key to the dragon door above, and was told simply it would not be yielded peacefully. And so, they took it violently.

Back upstairs, the door opened to the key, an archway led to a chamber holding a freezing sphere set in an iron tripod. Thordar went to it, and revealed the trap likely cautioned of in the runic warning the party could not translate as a scything blade went over his head. Seeing this, the rest entered on their hands and knees safely. Determined to free the sphere, they pulled and pried it loose from the iron grip, but not before receiving a message from inadvertent contact with it. The message, a name. Pyorrhea. Upon liberating the sphere, a creature that sounds identical to descriptions of certain elementals connected to cold and ice appeared, and issued a simple warning to flee the place before the party lost their souls before itself leaving the place through some inherent power.

They did not, returning to the now unguarded door below and speaking the name "Pyorrhea" to it. It opened, and they passed into a nightmare.

The room beyond the passage the door opened into contained three savage reptiles, larger than men and equipped with viscous claws and a savage bite. The party was able to defeat them though with great effort. Three exits led from the room, each with a pit that Pharos fell into [[ed. note: one would think they’d learn to check for pits before doors by now]]. One led to a flooded chamber they would brave last of all. A second, to a chamber containing a number of ambulatory polyps that proceeded to attack the group wholesale. At the time, it seemed they were all slain. Since the return of the group to Haven it seems a number hid themselves in bags and packs instead. It seems certain that one or more have escaped and will now plague the countryside.

A chamber beyond this one showed an arch to yet another. A trapped arch that collapsed a stone upon Pharos. Inside, they found a butchers shop with meat smoking over a fire. Past this, a converted room serving as a bedchamber for a viscous subterranean humanoid Clinker later called a meazel. This meazel nearly garroted poor Clinker, but quick action by the others resulted in its death at their hands. A last door in this room led to a large iron portal with three skulls and a button below them. The button, when pushed, lit the eyes of the middle skull. More was needed.

Out the third way, an earth floored chamber held ghouls which attacked but were swiftly turned by Mitchifer. The ghouls retreated into the earth and the party headed on out the opposite door. Twisting corridors revealed an ancient work chamber, with four shards of stone and three piles of dust from the last project ever undertaken therein. Beyond this, more passages led to a long corridor with two urns. Each urn when overturned proved to hold undead spirits of some power which promptly attacked the party. through luck, they slew them without loss and discovered each urn also held an enchanted ring. At the end of the corridor, a door leading to a chamber with a second iron door and skulls above a button. This time the left most skull lit up.

They turned back, ready to deal with the flooded passage, but stepped to check out one other area they had bypassed. It seemed to have been a prison once, but now held a family of the reptiles that had attacked the group when they entered. Thordar fell to them. Worse, one picked up his body and tossed to another room. Despite wanting to do something, the battle was too fierce. Indeed, Clinker nearly joined him before the last of the four beasts was slain. In the other room, a dozen hatchlings were found. They had been feasting on the body of Thordar that their parent had tossed to them. They were slain, but it was too late. A second had fallen.

The night was spent nearby prior to a final assault on the place.

We had to take some time recalling the fall of Thordar for his uncle Falgur. At the end, he seemed content that his nephew died as a warrior. Further, Pharos' heartfelt offer to spend any money to try and have him brought back impressed the stolid smith greatly, despite it having to be rejected. Thordar was gone, and nothing could change that.

Two doors led from the ghoul room that had not been explored the day before. The group decided to check them out just in case. A set of unicorn statues, glowing with some odd light let loose a weird strobing effect in the chamber beyond and the stairway down from it. Halfway down the stair, amidst the lights, a creature appeared. Seeming to change from unicorn to centaur with each flash of light, it attacked the party, doing minor damage before being slain. Beyond a statue on the landing where it was fought, a door to a hidden chamber was found. Inside that chamber, a small figurine of a unicorn, impregnated with some foul black rhizomes was found in a niche. They took it with them. More on it later.

At the bottom of the stairs, a blasted chamber was found with a skeleton in one corner. They used Euphonious to speak with it. What it told them is unthinkable. And yet... [[ed. note: this seems to refer to the Fragment entitled “Pyorrhea’s Lament”]]. I have recorded that after the finish of the story of this quest, as it requires separate and special consideration.

Going to the flooded passages, the group paused to leave behind equipment that would be vulnerable to the waters then headed in. This nearly proved fatal, as five amphibious humanoids with frog like features attacked them with disease ridden claws. A hard fight that nearly used all the healing spells of Mitchifer ensued, but they were slain, and a passage beyond was sought.

A chamber lay ahead, filled with rotting bodies of the reptiles fought the day before, as well as two doors. the one chosen led up to a last iron door with skulls and button. they pushed it, the last skull lit, and the door was unlocked.

They raced back to their shed equipment, rearmed, and headed into the last chamber through the meazel's lair. Inside, they found a great stone, carved in the shape of the skull biting infinity. As well, the spider creature calling itself Callum was there, armed with a blade of ice. It spoke to the party, asking them to join the service of the Master of the Stone, obviously itself, and live.

They refused.

The creature turned into a hideous spider-centaur and attacked. It suffered massive damage and returned massive damage nearly slaying Darkblade, Mitchifer and Clinker, before being struck down. However, some unnatural power sustained it even then, causing its pieces to regenerate. Finally, Pharos thought to cover the stone skull, and some quick effort did so, whereupon a palpable force left the place, and the body stopped trying to regenerate and swiftly decayed. The creature’s sword was taken, as was some minor loot uncovered while digging to bury the skull, and the party gathered up the body of Thordar and headed home.

I will save my comments on the whole matter for another time.