Amulet on a Leather Strap

It was plain, wooden, very well used judging by the smooth rounded edges, and practically worthless as Khalin had suggested. It's only distinguishing feature was a small swirl decorated into one side of the wood, filled in with some dark dye. The leather strap was fairly new, but again ten-a-penny.

Helvec's Tome

This book is leather, or other skin, bound and looks very worn and used. The pages within are of high quality vellum, but are ragged and stained, perhaps with blood, in places. Within the pages are a number of rituals in carefully lain silver ink, with hastily scrawled notations and sketches alongside and within them. Most of them seem to have some form of hand-written notes beside them, possibly to alter them if you can decrypt the writings. There are some further rituals within the book, but these are indecipherable, and come with sketches and diagrams that look somewhat foul.

Message from Goblins Lair

‘Ahem,’ he coughed, drawing everyone's attention. ‘It looks like we have found a message. It is addressed to one “Irontooth” — I suggest that is the large goblin. Interestingly it is written in Common.’

‘“My spy in Blackengorge suggests we keep an eye out for visitors at either the burial site or the keep. It probably does not matter. In a few more days, I will completely open the rift. Then Blackengorge's people will serve as food for those our Lord sends to do my bidding. Keep this weapon for my spy, I'm sure it may need it close by.”’

Kireth paused, the contents of the letter sinking in. ‘It is signed by a “Skauril”,’ he concluded, the letter in his hand dropping to his side.

Parchment from Water Cave

Kireth read the letter aloud. ‘“Greetings, Skauril. I have recently learned of your activities in the area and have an offer for you. During your time in this region, if you should capture any humanoids, we are eager to buy them. We have duergar allies in Dunbaradrun in need of slave stock. If you are interested, send an envoy back to me. My messengers will show the way.”’ Kireth intoned. ‘It is signed, “Chief Krand of the Bloodreavers”,’ he finished.

Parchment from Water Cave

He took the second parchment from Zero's hand and studied that for a moment. The writing was smaller, but the script was the same, likely from the same hand. ‘“Remember, don't wet the nodule — unless Skauril is not receptive to the offer. Then, wet it only from a distance, and then, turn and run. Water will bring the creature out of its dormancy, and it will consume anything it can reach.”’

Parchment from Water Cave

Taking the third he unrolled it fully, and a short smile played across his lips. ‘A map,’ he gasped. ‘Perfect!’ The map was rough — very simple lines denoting boundaries, and crosses for locations. A simple dotted trail extended from a cross at the left-hand side of the parchment denoted “Caulkin Keep” over what appeared to be hills or mountains labelled “Stonemarch”. This area had a pair of squiggles, perhaps with wings, that dominated the area. The dotted trail led away to the north and east, assuming north was ‘up’ on the parchment as Kireth held it, before cutting sharply down the the southeast, with the word “Pass” next to it. A final cross towards the right-hand side of the parchment was simply labeled “D”.

Five Dragon Idols

There was nothing remarkable about the northern altar, but a small compartment at the bottom of the southern one sprang open easily when Kireth poked and prodded around it. Within appeared to be five small dragon figurines, sparkling in the light that reached them, about the size of a fist.

Double-Headed Eagle Signet Ring

In the trash and detritus of the chamber Kireth spied a few coins and trinkets that appeared to have been possessions of those now long eaten or decomposed. The coins and cheap jewellery did not interest him, however, such items interested only those of weak will or small, petty greed. Disgusted, he turned on his heels, and knelt down ready to traverse the passage once more.

One of his knees scraped against something and he scowled, brushing it to one side. His hand caught around something and he lifted it up from within the grime. After a moment of examination he frowned, pocketing the item within the folds of his robe, and began the unpleasant task of returning through the passage.

Kireth fished into the darkness of his robes and pulled out a ring. A signet ring. A signet ring with a double-headed eagle insignia. ‘I think we should hear more about this… “uncle”’

Old Journal

A golden glow reflected lavishly in the torchlight — a strange spherical object the size of mailed fist sat upon the table next to an open book.

The book was old, plain and bound together with thin leather strips rather than a proper spine. On the left hand page as they looked were a number of scrawls and marks as though writing had been rushed and frantic, but with no legibility, some of the words were covered with blood or spit or even with mud. With a glance at Kireth and a returned nod the scribe began to leaf back through the journal. It was delicate, perhaps it had been left here open for many years, but most of the pages were usable. The script appeared archaic to the two scholars, but the words within were decipherable albeit in an odd grammar.

Bloody Book

Kireth's main interest, however, was the book, that somehow had managed to stay upon the lectern during the melee, unaffected by blade, bolt, or fire. It lay open before him, a large tome that smelt sickeningly of blood when he got close, blocking out the taste of tobacco. The writing upon it was messy, almost illegible, in a dark crimson that the mage surmised dispassionately was that of the seer's own blood.

‘“The last,”’ Kireth muttered, more to himself than to any of the others, ‘“Ayver's ward” he said, “a warden, and perhaps a shadow and a light”. What was he up to?’

Even for the scholarly Kireth not much of the text appeared to make any sense. The majority of the words were garbled or misleading or jumbled into meaningless phrases such as “eyes are the foe”, “looking is blindness”, and “only the dreaming eye can see the truth”.

Libelle Parchment

There were literally thousands of parchments stacked upon the shelves. Many were stacked as quires, two dozen sheets tied together with a coarse black ribbon. Others were in larger reams held together by a wrap of black cotton.

‘“Light must be snuffed, perfection decayed, order dissolved, and minds fragmented.”’ he croaked out loud. ‘But there's more… “The very threads of existence must be torn asunder, then burned, then the ashes scattered, until all is nothing and no one exists to remember existence.”’

‘And then there's some smaller writing. “Channel power to the Chained God, so he can break his chains. Retrieve lost relics and shrines to the Chained God. Pursue the obliteration of the world, in anticipation of the Chained God's liberation.” And then there‘s one of those spirals at the bottom. Joy.’

Spiral Arrowhead

Through an iron will he brought his limbs under control and stepped coolly away from the shattered holes in the ice of the creek, bending down and picking up the broken arrow that had been lodged in the zombie's eye.

Zero looked long and hard at the arrowhead. Its design was eerie and familiar. He pondered, running through his memories, before finally settling on one. With a low register in a fearful key, he reported, ‘This design was on those amulets we found beneath that mansion back in Deepingwald. This was just after Tradden and I met up with all of you.’ He rubbed his chin. ‘And… there was a letter, stained with ink. It mentioned new recruits and mind-washing and something about snuffing out light and basically making everything horrible.’

Letter from Skauril

“Khase, first spear, may you eat of the flesh of our Lord and drink his blood, and through him gain life everlasting.”

“I have need of you to the west and demand you make haste, the search at Sunderpeak can be continued by Korosphylax as we need to spread our own wings. Helvec has sent word that one of the reflectors may be located far across the Stonemarch. I will go myself to supervise and find a suitable base of operations rather than have him mismanage the situation again.”

“Take two dozen of the Severed Eye and a hobgoblin slave wagon and bring them to the Mouth of the Sleeper. Korosphylax can give you the location of the Mouth now it is open to the skies. Gather what wretches you can on the way — there are many chances here to slake the thirst of our Lord, but keep them from the Seer that still lives here, he is quite mad I am sure, although may be turned to be of use. I keep him alive if only for amusement and the chance that he may scribe something that will swing our fortunes.”

Beltak turned the parchment over a couple of times. ‘It's definitely signed as Skauril,’ he confirmed. ‘From what I can tell it seems to be from the start of the second tenday of Alturiak. Just over a month ago.’

Letter from Skauril

“Helvec's site looks to be of great interest and we have already started excavation. To the north we have found a ruin which will suffice as a base of operations. I have sent Helvec back to the west to monitor the settlement and bolster the goblins there in case they are required.”

“Aethelinda has headed for Gorizbadd to speed up our search there with strict council to dispatch the reflector there with one of the Aeneators to you at the Mouth as soon as it is found. You may need to use it to before I return.”

‘This one is definitely after the first and its dated on the back — the twenty sixth day of Alturiak.’