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Below is presented the papers and information the PCs obtained from the Lake Cald fortress from Ragyfir's chambers.
QUICK GLANCE:
Maps are many and varied. One rolled up one seems to be of Onlor as a whole, then another within is of the Relum region, and another within that of the guildhall of Blood and Thought, with notations indicating guards, wards, traps, and Nemis' chambers. Other maps indicate various locations around the Far Coast with notes regarding contacts and friendly agents of House Mercur and/or the Splintered Arrows.
A few tomes seem to be ledgers for the accounts of the Splintered Arrows, and various bribes and bits of extortion enacted by the group as well as payments for jobs done.
At least one tome seems to be a journal penned by Ragyfir himself.
Other parchments seem to have various notes upon them, or are missives sent to Ragyfir from various persons, including many with the seal of House Mercur stamped upon them.
INTERMEDIATE PERUSAL:
The journal of Ragyfir seems to extend back for some time. There are entries dating back to his flight to Jaggarth, and the first, dated in the spring of NS 13, details the reason he fled the Empire...his slaying of a senator's son who cheated him of 100 gold coins. The latest entry is dated a week before the PCs left for the Lake Cald region and tells of Ragyfir being summoned to House Mercur for an urgent mission. It mentions that two other Houses may be up to something involving the Thaneeri, and that Ragyfir is to investigate and waylay a specific person known to be travelling into the barbarian lands.
Examination of the ledgers proves that the Splintered Arrows are heavily subsidized by House Mercur. A great many payments have been received for a great many jobs, involving extortion, intimidation, and even murder.
The missives seem to be from a great many sources, some of them obviously spies and contacts around the Far Coast, informing Ragyfir of the movement of various caravans, giving intelligences on targets for assassination or kidnapping, and ordering Ragyfir to proceed to this or that location or perform this or that action. Many of the latter are stamped with the seal of House Mercur.
FULL STUDY:
The Journal:
The journal indicates a great many items:
It details the assault on Blood and Thought in Onlor:
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18 Light NS 16: MM has ordered me and my group to undertake a dangerous new mission. We are to raid a distant guild of mages on the Isle of Onlor. Specifically, we are to assault the treasury of a powerful wizard named Nemis and take from him an artifact of immense power that he possesses. How he has come by this artifact is not known, and MM will not tell me what the thing does. MM only says that the thing is a crystal wherein a flame of ebon burns. MM says the crystal is extraordinarily powerful, and that under no circumstances am I to touch it or attempt to wield it. MM assures me it would destroy my mind should I try. Of course, MM is always saying things like that! But MM is not one a wise body ought to ever consider crossing. I now await MM's servant, who will come with maps of the place and details of the traps and wards guarding the place. How MM got ahold of all of this information is beyond me, but most of what MM does is beyond my ken. |
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23 Light NS 16: MM's servant has arrived, and tomorrow we teleport to Onlor directly into the teleport chamber of Blood and Thought! I pray the magical wards are sufficient to allow us to appear unharmed and undetected. I am very excited at the thought of weakling mages scurrying before me, protected as I will be by MM's magics! |
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24 Light NS 16: Our departure has been delayed. MM's servant has brought with her a strange gem that seems to be a powerful magical prison. She has told me that MM has given me the gem as my reward for undertaking this dangerous mission. I knew better than to scoff at any gift from MM, but I was delighted when the gift was explained to me. It seems the gem comes from a demon of the netherplanes. The demon has agreed to give it to us along with the ritual for its working. It seems the gem can be used to entrap a newly slain victim. The victim does not die, but instead is trapped inside the gem...mind, body, and soul. The gem may then be sundered into three pieces, and each piece will control one aspect of the victim...mind, body, or soul. It has been agreed that I shall gain Nemis' mind. I am told doing so will grant me the old geezer's powers! Think of it! Not only will I be a mighty warrior, but add to it a powerful mage. I will be feared by all! The demon will gain Nemis' soul splinter, in exchange for providing the gem and the ritual in the first place. I think perhaps the demon is also responsible for giving information to MM regarding Nemis' defenses. I wonder if perhaps Nemis once summoned and bound this demon and now it is hungry for revenge. In any event, MM claims Nemis' body. To toy with I suppose. MM is like that. I wish to look upon Nemis' face as he realizes that even death is denied him. That I will have his powers and intellect. That a demon will have his soul. And that MM will have his body. |
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28 Light NS 16: The raid went very well! I slew at least six wizards, including a runt of an elven lad who was, I think, Nemis' apprentice. How that whelp screeched as I grabbed him by the hair and ran my sword into his scrawny gut! But the greatest of all was when I came upon Nemis from behind and cut him from arse to crown. As he turned and spilled his lifeblood upon his feet, I placed the gem on what was left of his forehead and intoned the Abyssal incantation. There was no time to explain to him exactly what was befalling him (alas!) but I think the old man was smart enough to realize something of its nature ere he fell. I also retrieved the ebon crystal of course. No way I could return to MM without it. I also grabbed several important looking books. I think MM will be pleased with those. The wizard's staff I sundered during the battle, but I brought it back with me as a trophy, along with a banner from the guild. |
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3 Rain NS 16: It is time for the sundering. The demon has come for his payment, and I wish to have this done, for suddenly I am apprehensive at the notion that this demon will be fiddling magically with my soul, joining me to the wizard's intellect. Apparently, according to the netherbeing, it is not enough for me to simply wear Nemis' mind splinter close to my breast. Rather, the wizard's intellect must be bound to my own soul using the wizard's soul as a conduit. I am not happy with this revelation, though there is likely nothing I could have done about it had I known beforehand. But what it means is that while I indeed will control Nemis and his powers, I can only do so as long as the one attuned to Nemis' soul splinter allows it! That means my powers are beholden to this demon! Well, there is nothing now for it but to let it happen. But I think I will have to one day pay a visit to this tricky fiend and perhaps regain for myself Nemis' soul splinter, so that Nemis' powers can be mine alone for as long as I like. |
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6 Rain NS 16: The sundering is complete. Early this morning the ritual finished. The demon took an eldritch hammer in his hands and struck Nemis' gem. The stone split into three pieces. The demon took one splinter and stabbed it into his forehead. He told me that was the soul splinter. He then bid me take the mind splinter. I did, and it was warm to the touch, but quiescent. But then the fiend began to chant, and his own soul splinter began to glow and throb and a strange string of luminescence threaded between the soul splinter and the mind splinter. I heard then an inward shriek of agony, and at first I thought it came from me unbidden, and I was worried the demon had betrayed me. But then I realized the scream came from the mind splinter itself. I placed the gem in m clenched hand and held it next to my heart, as I was bidden, and I felt the energy thread pierce my own body, joining me to the mind splinter. Suddenly, a thousand thoughts flooded my mind. I became disoriented and fell to the floor. The demon laughed, and bid me good fortune (sarcastically I am certain) and vanished in a cloud of brimstone. For two days I struggled with the visions. I realized they were Nemis' memories and they threatened to engulf me and drive me insane. But my will was strong, and I have a reputation for stubborness and am known never to give up a struggle. And so I prevailed eventually, and willed Nemis' powerful mind into order, lockstep with my own. In doing so, I caught a glimmer of his powers, and I know now that with practice and some effort I will be able to master him completely! Meanwhile, I now have to hurry and deliver the ebon crystal to MM. In addition, I have the body splinter, which the demon left for MM. Standing next to the body splinter is Nemis' body. At first it startled me, for I had just emerged from my struggle with Nemis' mind and saw the wizard standing before me. Instantly I assumed I had been duped, and Nemis was here to attack me. But then I remembered and saw that the body was unmoving. A blank slate. I laughed then in spite of myself and then grabbed the body splinter. I mentally ordered the body to follow, and it did of its own accord. While I wished to play with the body a bit, I know better than to ruin one of MM's toys. So I am off to deliver that which MM desires. |
It details the attack on Imana:
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9 Harvest NS 17: We have been asked by MM to get rid of a little Indolle bitch who has been causing some trouble lately. I don't know the full details, but MM wants the bitch dead...so dead she will be. Now I need to figure out how to get at her. |
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27 Harvest NS 17: Fortune smiles upon me this day! After weeks fruitlessly trying to get at this Imana, an Aghorrit priestess named Jamminus has come to me, willing to sell me information on Imana that will let me get to her. Although this Jamminus was quite glad at the offer of payment, there was a light in her eyes that told me the thought of her betrayal excited her. Of course, her eagerness and her fit body excited me, and when she asked if she could join our merry band, I agreed, if she could prove her worth in the bed and on the field. The first she passed that night...and with flying colours! |
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14 Moon NS 17: Jamminus proved her worth on the field today. Just as she said, Imana travelled to Valorilong along the appointed road at the appointed time. We ambushed her caravan, and the priestess' warm blood drove away the coming bite of winter as she showered me with her crimson. Jamminus was beautiful herself, having clobbered that young pup who came up behind me and almost gutted me. She went on the slay half a dozen guards, some of whom, admittedly, had been lain low by Tyuloskil's sleep enchantment. Of course, I could have Nemis cast such an enchantment myself, but until I fully master the captive mage's spells, I am inclined to keep his existence a secret. At the rate it is going, it will take years to master all of the wizard's lore, though I dare say fewer years than were I to toil away as an apprentice begging some long-bearded master for even the first crumbs of a cantrip. In an event, I have Imana's head in my sack now, and am returning to MM to show that I have completed yet another mission successfully. |
It details an attack on the Erinhoru pilgrimage to Orsvale:
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3 Sun NS 24: Another assault request from MM, delivered by Q. This time we are to track down an elf...part of a pilgrimage from Vosh that makes its way to Orsvale every once in a blue moon, which Nemis tells me is inaccurate as the moon is never blue. In any event, Jamminus remarked that this job sounded a lot like the Imana job all those years ago, and when I questioned her a bit, she reminded me that Imana was supposedly a prophet of some sort who had been having visions of doom and foreboding, like prophets are wont to do. Interestingly, this elf is also supposedly having similar visions. Not sure what MM has against these lunatics, but I don't decide them...I just kill them. Except, in this case MM wants the prophet and the Erinhoru priestess taken alive...at all costs. Interesting, but no problem for me, as I have long wanted to try out some of Nemis' holding spells in a combat situation, as opposed to my slaves. |
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20 Sun NS 24: The assault went off spectacularly. We took them in the Arundel and the river-loving fairies never even knew what hit them. I was warned that they had resistance to my holding spells, but it was still easy to bind the prophet, and the priestess we beat into insensibility. She's a bit the looker, and I think we will have to wait for her bruises to heal up before I "question" her. |
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13 Harvest NS 24: The priestess is finished. Or...I am finished with the priestess. Whatever! We questioned her, but even Tyuloskil says she knows nothing special of the prophecies of the male elf. So I enjoyed her for a good while and then we returned her body to the rivers she worshipped. Now we will have to turn to the elf male himself. Less fun extracting information from a male, but Tyuloskil claims the male's will is much easier to break. Hmmm...I wonder if that is a backhanded insult at my magical abilities? After all, Tyuloskil has acted somewhat estranged from me as my control over Nemis has grown. Jealousy? Perhaps. I will have to keep an eye on that conjurer. |
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19 Calm NS 25: We are finished with the elven male. At least for the moment. Tyuloskil and I have questioned him repeatedly, and it seems he believes his visions are sent from his god, Firlott. I have made regular reports to MM regarding this, and my orders are to keep the whelp alive and imprisoned for the moment, as MM seems concerned about these visions. So, I am to leave him in the dungeons and make sure he is well fed enough to survive. These prophets can be a bit batty though, so I will have to make certain he doesn't get it into his head to kill himself. MM does not take failure well. If MM decides he can be expended, I think I will give him to the three-heads to play with. Poor thing hasn't had any fun for some time. Of course, two-heads will be envious, but I suppose I can round up a Southbank farmer to amuse him and his pet. |
It details the abduction of Vandeseen:
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23 Wind NS 25: My sources tell me that the bardess that recently arrived in Northbank has been asking a lot of questions. I will have to send Munistre to keep an eye on her. I wonder if she is the same bardess who helped Marco during the party in Dwillingir where he was almost slain by the Mergurr's Fingers. |
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28 Wind NS 25: The bitch has left Northbank for Southbank. Either she is following a lead, perhaps to Q, or she is on to Munistre. In either case we'd better act quickly. I will ask Q to contact MM and see if we should act. I hear she's decent looking. It'd be nice to have another plaything. |
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4 Snow NS 25: We got the bitch. Took her from the Barist Wrist Inn in the middle of the night. Damn Munsitre and Noddens are good! Brought her here. Gods but she is fine looking. And it didn't take long for her to admit that she had worked as a whore in Dwillingir. I'll put her to the test soon enough. She owes me for the headache she gave me by some sort of magic she used that made my brain feel like it was going to burst out of my skull! I have never felt anything like it, and even Nemis was unfamiliar with it. I best report to MM. |
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8 Snow NS 25: MM doesn't care what I do with Vandeseen. However, it may just be that Nemis' intellectual curiousity is rubbing off on me, or maybe I am just a greedy bastard who wants it all, but her strange mental powers intrigue me, and I want to learn more about them...perhaps one day with Nemis' help to master them. In addition, this strumpet is the wildest lovemaker I have ever encountered! It's almost like one of those barbarian rages that Oskkar gets into in combat, but she does it in the sheets! My back is bleeding from her scratch marks, but gods! What a lover! At least when Nemis' charm person spell is in effect. Otherwise she is anything but broken and would as soon spit in my face as take me for a roll. As long as she continues to amuse me and I can hold hope of learning her mind powers, I will keep her alive. But, I should begin to think of a suitable way to dispose of her after I weary of her. |
It also tells of Ragyfir's current whereabouts:
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12 Darkness NS 25: MM arrived personally. Told me there was potential trouble brewing in the north with the Thaneeri. Apparently two rival houses, not Riverine though, may be hatching a scheme with the Thaneeri and MM is worried that Mercur might be harmed or shut out of any potential. I am to head up north and scope out what's going on and then report back. Can't bring the Arrows with me, as this is a recon mission and I need to be unnoticed and quick. Have put Tyuloskil in charge until my return, and Q is here to watch on things. No one is to touch Vandeseen until I return. I told those pigs I'd personally gut anyone who tried! |
In addition, the journal contains a great many other entries, including references to past events in the Far Coast and other tidbits, such as:
It will be noted that Ragyfir's handwriting changes over time. The entries before his Nemis raid and just after it are in a crude and fairly unsteady hand, though the vocabulary shows the signs of a man of some intelligence. As time goes on, the hand becomes more steady and graceful. There are also several idioms in later entries that are Elvish, Dwarvish, Sylvan, and even Draconic. In addition, some margin notes are written in Ancient Amorian.
Other Documents:
Amongst the various documents are a few that are of interest.
One is in Ragyfir's own handwriting:
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Another is in a strangely graceful script on a parchment that is some years old:
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I have changed my mind. You are not to act against the person who has come to suspect us. I will take care of him. His loss cannot be obvious. It must be done with a hand more subtle than yours. MM |
And another somewhat newer, but still several years old:
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Perhaps I should have let you handle the matter of R. As it stands, the arrangements were subtle but not thorough. Apparently, one of R's books was not properly examined and may contain dangerous information. Those who have bungled that will be severly punished. Fortunately, G became aware of it. And now I need G and you to clean up this mess. This is too delicate for the Arrows. Do not involve them in any manner whatsoever. Instead, I will send along my own to aid you. G will fill you in. The trickster must be killed and his body handled so that he cannot return or be spoken with. And the book must be dealth with as well. It must be destroyed. Do not fail me in this or you both will suffer. I will brook no carelessness! MM |
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