Erahain the Chronicler
I am known as Erahain the Chronicler. I am an emisary of the Church of Erathis sent to Aerim to record these ever changing lands, be they noteworthy locations, their dark inhabitants or the threats to it’s people. Some believe that it is best to infiltrate the dark corners of the continent to gain these morsels of information, but it seems that Erathis has granted me a unique opportunity to chronicle all this and more from the a different perspective. As my presence among you personally would have drawn much undue attention to you, I have opted to follow you in a different manner.
You now hold an artifact of great value, The Tome of Arabesh. This tome is bound to it’s sister The Tome of Ibbirish. This bond allows me to scry upon you from great distances and chronichle your experiences and deeds. In return, The tome of Arabesh allows you free perusal of my notes on this land, access to my knowledge, and those few contacts I have among the people of this continent. You’re questions are more than welcome, as knowledge is never gained through laziness. I did not mention this previously, but at the rear of this book you will find three sheets of what look to be tracing paper. Any question you may have about something you run into, you may ask upon these pages. It may take some time for me to research the question and return you an answer, but be assured, I will see it and do my best. Use this information wisely and offer please offer your corrections of any mistakes I may have made in my chronicle.
Erahain The Chronicler
Melorda the 23rd day of Lhavarion, 1147
The Year of The Blue Flame
Edge of Darkness
In the last two days I have seen much through my scrying that concerns me, and so little to explain it. The undead seem to have infested this region and I worry that there is more at play here than the fires. Daggerburg forest most certainly needs a revision in this book as it has become apparent to me that either a great calamity has befallen the elves there. It saddens me to think that so many could have lost their lives, but to what?
This house is another thing, I heard mention of a journal. Might someone read that aloud that I might gather what I can from it? Let us hope that what you have witnessed is isolated and that these ills have not spread north toward Thunderspire, I cannot imagine what would transpire if this madness has infected the wizards enclave there. Be swift, but please marshal your resources and take caution as your guide. Your lives and so much more hang in the balance.
I should mention that there are rumors going back centuries, that a portal to the shadowfell is located in that region. If the rumors are true, it most certainly could have something to do with the undead you have been encountering. Be wary on the road ahead.
A Community Split
I witnessed your descent into madness yesterday and was shocked by the way that some of these communities are breaking down. I have a sneaking suspicion that there was more to that place than you confronted, but I also think that it was wise of you to make haste from it’s troubles and continue on your expedition to Thunderspire. Your newest additions only lend reinforcement to my belief that someone or something is drawing you all together. A paladin of the Raven Queen is a force to be reckoned with, and a Cadamar academy graduate no less. Judging by the resistance you have met in recent hours, it seems that is for the best. I still do not know the parts that Iris nor Jendra-sha have to play, but I am sure that they will reveal themselves in time.
Your plan to stop at the Raven’s Roost I believe to be a wise one. It may provide you with some respite and some details of what lies ahead. My sources of intelligence are limited at the moment and I have naught but basic geography and history of the region beyond Fallcrest at this time, especially since the church went underground.
New Recruits
Coincidence is an odd bird. Either the sheer randomness of the world is shaping things, or some grander force has you in it’s sights. For I see no other way that such adept players might take the stage along side you, nor how it could be that I would be so closely linked to one of them. Eckamennus, I have heard you speak the name of your patron Aramil and am honored that the old knight would have you seek me out for answers. My answer to you is that you have been chosen, perhaps by Erathis herself, to serve a purpose in these troubled times. Civilization is in decay my child, and the seeming causation of this disaster, or at least a piece of it, is something that the those surrounding you have born witness to. They may hold the keys to deciphering what has happened. Even I do not know all that they have seen. Learn what you can, and offer them what assistance you are able to in deciphering it all. I will be watching and listening. Good luck child.
The Return
Let me first say that you have my sympathies. I see that although you have made it back onto the prime plane, you have unfortunately suffered a dire loss. By your chatter I can discern that my assumptions were indeed correct. You have been in the Feywild, though it seems from your confusion that you must have slipped awkwardly back into the stream of time. I know it may come as a shock to you, but you have been away nearly six months by our calenders here. I will let you catch up on my older posts without rehashing it again, but it is needless to say that the world has grown grimmer by leaps since your departure. I can only hope that you are close to Thunderspire and some answers from Sage Maltheon.
On another note, your return has prompted at least one answer that we have been searching for, though it was obviously at a great cost. We have suspected for some time that the souls of the departed were lingering on this plane after their demise. Rumors floated about like dust on the winds that people had seen their loved ones in the fire light. Unfortunately it seems that with the passing of Cade and “Neve” we now see that this may indeed be true. Our understanding is that they manifested somewhat differently due to the infusion of the flame, or whatever fell magic caused the flame, into their bodies. Judging by the effect that the flame has had on the souls we have seen, it seems that that energy allowed them to coalesce or shall we say manifest more strongly. Again, I am sad for your loss.
We have much to consider here, but please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions.
Unrest in Fallcrest
Reports from the Temple in Fallcrest are dire to say the least. There is no doubt in my mind that the city has descended into pure chaos. The initial reports were of a underlying civil unrest, but they have become a woeful tale of riots, mob violence, infiltration or perhaps just a revelation of evil splinter groups that had been laying low in the city. The populace has been overwrought with distress about the flames and many have surely succumbed to what can only be called the corrupting influence of the flames. We (and by that I mean the sages and I) have begun research here in Winterhaven to determine what exactly is happening. Evidence pointed to a loss of morality and a onset of insanity, but I fear that it is worse than that. In any case, the monarchy has either gone into hiding or has perhaps been killed by the people of Fallcrest. The church of Erathis has done what it has in so many other cities and gone underground, insinuating itself within the populace, recording the events and will eventually begin orchestrating the effort to retake the city. For now, all they can do is lie low and determine the key players and key influences that have reshaped the city.
I should now note that if you, my wards, should find your way back to this world. Contact me before going anywhere near the city of Fallcrest. I may be able to help you join up with the resistance. That goes for any other city that has fallen prey to the efforts of evil. Should you not hear from me, then please seek out others of the church. I can not name them here though as one can never know who’s eyes might land upon this page. I pray for you daily my children.
Children Lost?
The party has still made no contact with me since their dissapearance and my scrying spell seems unable to find anchor upon them. It has been two weeks now and I am starting to get quite worried. Who knows how long a detour through the Feywild might take them, or if they will even survive. News is becoming dire here. We hear reports daily from refugees of terrible things happening in villages surrounding Winterhaven. I have also recieved word of riots in Fallcrest. There is panic among the people and no answers to be had. Rumors are starting to circulate that those newly dead are beginning to rise in some places around the Vale, and others are contending that they have seen the spirits of their dearly departed lingering near the flames of the blue fire. While certainly I have seen the faces of people there, I cannot personally say that I have seen anyone that I know. Let us hope that these are just superstitious rumors for if they are not, it would denote a dire shift in the heavens.
Havoc
Here in Winterhaven, things have calmed to a reasonable level. Most of the township has moved within the fort’s walls to avoid the plague of goblins that continues to attack the farmsteads surrounding it. Many of the people here have lost everything to the pillaging little pyromaniacs, but we have had no further serious incidents of spiritual malevolence here. There have been a handfull of cases of madness among the cityfolk, but they have been dealt with quickly. It seems to be affecting only those who spend signifigant amounts of time around the fires. As to other ailments, there have been a number of cases of illness associated with the eating of raw meats, but very few died from it. It seems safer to eat the fish than it does the red meats, unless you are eating it immediately after butchering. Lord Padraid has allowed a few establishments to resume the use of fire, but those that have worked there seem to be prone to insanity and depravity. Lord Padraig insists that there be a contingent of militiamen stationed outside of these establishments and the workers must be interviewed twice daily to prove competantcy. He has also offered a large sum of money to anyone who can help solve the forseeable problems associated with the extended duration of this plague of fire.
Loss of Contact
I watched as the party made it’s way out of Winterhaven along the King’s road, southeast toward Fallcrest. Their journey was slow as the King’s Road has become rough and uneven with lack of care over the past two hundred years, but it is most certainly better than travelling through the wilderness. It became apparent that they had decided on a detour to Gardmore Abbey on a pilgrimage of sorts for the dragonborn warlord Darius. Unfortunately as they broke trail north off of the King’s road, they encountered what seemed to me, at least by the dim light of the moon, to be a pack of lycanthropes. The party made short work of the beasts, but as the last surviving wolf tried to flee it seemed to open a portal of some sort. The party quickly chose to try and take a shortcut through the portal and dove blindly in. I have since lost contact with them. My scrying does not seem capable of viewing them wherever they went. Most likely they have found their way into the Feywild judging by their conveyance. Let us hope they find their way back out soon enough.
The Lightblades
Designation: Organization
This outfit of Rangers patrols the forests and the Old King’s Road in roughly a 5 mile radius around the town of Winterhaven. Made up primarily of elves from the Sunraven tribe and a handful of humans, these Rangers constitute the first lines of defense against the darker denizens of this part of the Nentir Vale. Due to the shared tragedy of the Bloodspear wars, the peoples of the Sunraven tribe and Winterhaven maintain close ties to this day, with the rangers acting as the most common emmisaries of good will between them.
Known Members:
Sumnar Ravenclaw – Captain
Yerslin Elora – Captain
Aldrin Elessar – Lieutenant
Sindarin Elessar
Jaydin Woodbinder
Orom Jin
Enna Bre’en
