Journal Found on Dead Templar
The book is a heavy leather tome with metal straps over the spine and a metal clasp. On the front is a simple cross.
There are many pages of journal entries covering preparation for the trip, and the trip itself. Although the writer's musings on divinity, life at sea and piety are certainly interesting to some, they hold little value to you at the moment.
There is a map of the island (added to Maps).
Finally, there are several pages dedicated to the time spent on the island.
All writing is in Common.
Day 1:
Mayde landfall arownd second bell. High Captain Joseph sent ahead a partee of sailors and Acolytes under the guydance of Captain Elric. They returned to report thereon the dock was sownde and there was freshe water to be had near an abandoned wachtower. I noted in my eirlier reesearch that this and some other buwldings of mean construction were left by a grate king, now dead, as an owtpost to wach the waters for trubble.
I was permyted to go ashore with the third boat, the seacond being Captain Elric and supplies and men.
We fownd the docks in disrepair but serviceable and the wachtower the same. The Acolytes got to work making what mean repairs they could wile Captain Joseph and some forces scowted the area. Strangely, there appear to be no vermin at all in the tower. A blessing from the Allmighty no dowt.
The Captain reported a path of trodden dirt leading to the north and wich splits some small distance away.
We made camp in the wach tower, tredding no further than the junction in the road to the north.
Day 2:
At dawn we set abowt exploring the northern paths, leaving a small contingent at the tower. The Captain selected his finest and allowed me to accompany so that the proceydings be nown.
Finding the Eastmost path blocked by a fallen branch, and having with us a number of hand-carts, we proceeded to the West.
I had the chance to speak with some of the wach from last nite. They claim to have heard noises they thot to be voices. Wen they imitated such for me, I am reminded of the fairy tonges. It is possible there are fairy or other Fey abowt, but it is more likely wild animals.
The Island is lush and verdant, truly a great work of the Allmighty, though as we proceeded we fownde that the climate became increasingly cold almost in defiance of the proper progression of nature.
Our path curved along the island to the North and after the better part of a day, we came to another split in the road. The Captain spent little tyme in debate here, noting that the Western path coud lead only to the islands edge wich we had spyed to be of little note from sea. Elric's decisiveness is a good syne of his future leadership potential if he follow the guidance of the Allmighty and our High Captain. We pressed East then, and by nitefall came to an abandoned stronghold of good size and simple construction. This too I surmised to be left by King Thranos, or possibly one of his sons.
It becoming dark, Elric ordered us to camp nearby. A simple meal of barley and salted beef sustains us, as does our faith and the excitement of being so near our goal.
Day 3:
At daybreak the Captain sallied forth before breaking his fast to see abowt the entrance to the abandoned stronghold. He fownd the door shut and barred, but the wood so rotted as to take little work from an ax to sunder.
Once inside, we made a careful sweep but fownd, initially, very little. The stronghold is empty, but in decent enuf condition on the inside, showing very little wear and even possible signs of maintenance though how this is possible we cannot say. I theorize that, mayhap, it has been used after its initial abandonment by pirates or others passing through by sea, though there is no evidence of them now.
All chambers were fownd abandoned, save one which was only accessed by means of force through a surprisingly heavy door. Therein we discovered a windowless chamber which appears to have been designed as storeroom with all protections against the elements. Therein we fownd several objects of interest, including the item we sot inside a heavy container of Cold Iron.
I had not tyme to make a full visual record of what we fownd, my skill with the pen being menial at best and tyme being short, but in brief they are:
A Cold Iron container holding the hand.
A clay jar inscribed with runes
A scimitar enscribed with runes
A Goblet of blueish crystal
A sealed container holding several scrolls
A large glass globe filled with liquid and containing an object I coud not identify
A sack of powder which I coud not identify
Captain Elric took into our custody the hand as well as a sword. I noted that our mission included only the hand, but he took the stance that it woud be invaluable to demonstrate the type and scope of what we had fownd. I feel a deep dread in the place, but the Captain makes a sownd point.
I cannot help but ponder the means by which these items arrived here, whether left by the original owners or else transported here later. The Captain professes to no nowledge, reminding me gently that faith is enough. In that he is right.
It being late in the day, the Captain decided that we shuld once again camp outside of the stronghold, but sent a messenger back alone to report to the High Captain of our findings.
Day 4:
After breaking camp, Captain Elric ordered a final sweep of the stronghold, there being reports from the waches of persons or beasts moving about at night. Our search turned up nothing. We sealed the entrance by performing quick repairs to the door and set about to return to the rest of our party.
It woud seem that, during our tyme at the stronghold, the trails were active indeed with the machinations of the local fawna. We encowntered numerus tracks appearing to be largely sheep or the like which may be indigenus. There may also be high winds in the region, as many small branches blocked our path.
This slowed us only slightly, and we reached the wach tower before dusk. The Captain then made a full report to High Captain Joseph. I was not privy to the details of such, but I was made quickly aware that our messenger failed to return. Whether he became lost or some other fate befell him, we coud not establish. Given this, the High Captain did think it proper to leave entirely, though we had that for wich we were sent here.
The tides being favorable according to our sailors, the High Captain chose to set sail with the artifacts in question immediately, leaving behind Captain Elric as well as myself and a dozen of our Acolytes. We were to begin a search for our missing man in the morning, and once successful in that, more fully document the island while awaiting the return of our brothers from the mainland.
We were left with supplies to last us a fortnight, though some of the brothers are sure they spotted wild sheep in the higher lands of the island. We shoud eat well enough I think.
We have been attacked! They came for us at first wach. I slept until the yelling began, one of our sentries on the road was assaulted, returning to our doorstep holding his own innards in his hands. The wach atop the tower claim to have seen nothing but some of the wild sheep.
We made a search of the area but there appears to be no sign of the attacker. The poor boy has just passed on to the Allmighty.
And again they come! This tyme we got a glance of the Daemons in the skies. They are small and winged, then again there seem to be some on the grownd. In the dark they are near impossible to spot. A wachman was hurled up over the side of the tower and fell to his death not inches from where I stood!
Captain Elric saw to securing the tower and ordered us all inside. Several of those he sent to the docks for the remainder of our supplies did not return. The Captain himself followed with me at his heels but there is no trace of them.
Allmighty save us all!
Day 5:
The Devils have left us alone enough since dawn, though I am certain I can hear their voices in the trees, tormenting us.
At first light, Captain Elric took a party out to search for those taken, despite his injuries. He came back alone some tyme later, though he was barely alyve. He collapsed at the foot of our tower and we brawt him inside, I tend to him now as I write these words.
It is now several howers since the Captain's return and I fear he will not survive. I dowt any of us will. Some moments ago we saw the return of the lost Acolytes who were with the Captain but... they are no longer men at all. I cannot write further on them for my hands shake so.
We have barred the only door and ignore their incessant noises. There are only fore of us inside.
They have breached the tower from the top, setting fire to our supplies in an attempt to drive us out. We managed to control the flames and the small Daemons have left for the tyme being.
It is scarce evening, so far nothing has happened since their last attack, but we cannot wait forever.
::written across all remaining blank pages in blood::
REDCAP BLA HA HA HA!
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 13:58, Mon 31 Mar 2014.
