998 Lharvion 28th - Barrakas 19th

998 28th of Lharvion early morning Fairhaven, Aundair

I must confess, if only to myself, that I do feel somewhat foolish. In trying to protect innocents and minimize destruction, I have been made to look the buffoon. In the days prior to the Cannith gala my companions and I were haunted by the same strange dreams. The dreams seemed to be hinting that assassins, perhaps from the Dragon Below cult, would launch some sort of attack at the Cannith ball. Dark figures that might have been dolgaunts or undead shadows slaughtered the dream-revelers mercilessly in this seemingly prophetic vision. This attack “dream” was also somehow connected to another surreal vision of a babe falling from the heavens. Given that the four of us, including an unsleeping war forged, shared seeming identical dreams, I was sure that this was divine intervention from the Sovereign Host themselves. I was so convinced that we were facing a blood bath that I wrote a less than complimentary letter to Lady Elaydren insisting that she enhance the security forces at the gala. I was concerned enough that I even had the temerity to imply that she was responsible for those slain by Xulo. Now that my fears are proved groundless, I am worried that I have alienated our former patron beyond hope of reconciliation.

Despite all my anxious vigilance at the Cannith ball, little out of the ordinary occurred. I was so upset that I nearly murdered a cloaked and cowled “mistress of the dance” with a force missile. This was due to her uncanny resemblance to the dark figures in our dreams. In the end the only violence that actually occurred at the ball was the abortive kidnapping of our elven companion, Elarin d’Phiarlan. What was seemingly a Dragon Below assassin attempted to knock Elarin insensate and take him prisoner for some nefarious reason. It was not much of a fight from what I heard. Elarin managed to stay conscious after the initial surprise attack (a severe concussion from a lead-filled sap). In rage and desperation, Elarin imbued his enchanted elven blade with his own magical might and drove it through his assailant’s chest, thus killing him with a single blow. I suppose, as they say, if you poke a lion with a stick, you deserve the mauling. Of course, as it turns out, I was correct about someone dying at the gala. The only problem being that we were the ones that killed him!

998 Barrakas 15th Fairhaven, Aundair night

We have decided to investigate the second part of the dream, that of the child falling from the sky. This vision seems to be somehow associated with the range of small mountains know as the Far Cry Hills. We are now organizing an expedition there in hopes that this part of the dream was a true vision and not a hoax as was the scene at the gala. Traveling with us are Dorb Grittar a rowdy swordsman and Borin an animal handler of House Vadalis. Borin travels with us only to care for the horses and ponies. Grittar however intends to fight along side our company at need. He is a friend that Zed made in Fairhaven and, if I am any judge of men, his sword will be of significant aid in battle.

998 Barrakas 19th somewhere between Fairhaven and the Far Cry Hills

Horror of horrors. Our horsemaster Borin met a hideous end last night. Some sort of vile tentacled Xoriat-spawn was living inside him like a monstrous parasite. The creature slew Borin when it was unable to use him to destroy us. It killed him by exiting his chest as though launched from a ballista. My companions, Grittar, and I ganged up on the squid-like aberration and hacked it to pieces. I sincerely hope this living nightmare does not happen to the rest of us. It occurs to me that the tentacled horror might have crawled up into one of Borin’s orifices while we were camped out. In which case, it could happen again to any of us. It is a most gruesome and unpleasant way to die.