Journal of an adventurer

[bobchaos]

Workshops

I'll keep this one short, this 3rd level seems rather empty so far. I found some quality living quarters and a Glassblower's workshop but there was nothing noteworthy about either. Not as many zombies as the 2nd level either. Am I catching a break here?

Further down the same corridor was a clay workshop and what I assume to be a paper workshop, but again, nothing remarkable. In fact that may be the only remarkable thing about this level so far: It looks almost pristine compared to the chaos I witnessed in the officer's quarters and the barracks upstairs.

+++++++++

A few interesting finds

This level seems to be almost entirely living quarters and workshops. Still, all pristine looking... This is scaring me, more so than anything I've encountered so far. Did the people living here just vanish one day? I've found no books or scrolls anywhere to give me any hints...

I did find two items of interest though, a better balanced, sharper 2 handed sword and a much better plate helmet than the old rusty one I had found in the armory. It's not only better quality, but also an almost perfect fit.

I also found a third item, not just of interest but of great importance: another pot of that healing salve! When I'm done exploring this level I'll probably use one of these, if the letter I found was correct and this compound hasn't lost it's potency over the years it should fix up all my scrapes, bruises, and that brutal wound on my face almost instantaneously.

If I'm lucky, this may be the last level, in which case I can return top side and keep this miracle cure. I'm sure I can locate someone who could duplicate it. This stuff could change the world if only I knew how to make it!

Anyhow, with such little opposition in my way, I might as well just keep exploring.

 

[bobchaos]

A new threat

Well I found where all the zombies on this level were, it appears they were all wandering near the smithy. They weren't alone: A skeleton came at me. While he seemed a more nimble and skillful opponent, he was dispatched with relative ease. After I put him down the zombie of a proctor attacked me, also with little success. She was carrying an excellent quality sword though, and was likely only recently reanimated judging from her appearance and state of decomposition.

I took her blade and immediately baptized it on the skull of the zombies who now seemed to be crawling out of every corner. The smithy's front lobby is now bathed in blood and zombie corpses, along with the skeleton's remains. Two of the zombies were also using quality weapons: a large battle axe and a very sharp 2 handed sword. Could it be I'm getting closer to the source of these creatures? Is the necromancer somewhere on this level, still performing wicked experiments? I've been mapping my progress, I'm fair sure I have the entire southern end of this level mapped out now, time for me to finish my exploration.

I was about to leave and noticed a locked door in a corner. One of my keys opened it revealing a very small weapons storage. In a large chest I found what appears to be an executioner's sword: Heavy, sharp, but with no point. It has a strange, shifting balance to it, as if a liquid had been poured inside the blade and was slushing around in there as I swing. I abandoned some extra weapons in the storeroom, I already have one for almost every occasion.

 

[bobchaos]

Necromancer's personal quarters

I think I may have located the necromancer's personal quarters. According to a note I found on the floor by the front door, the proctor zombie I killed earlier was originally sent here to hunt the necromancer, and almost succeeded. According to the note, after killing the proctor he retreated even further within the facility with the intention of creating some defenses.

He also says he will "leave her here to impede any who would pursue me"... Does this imply the dead are returning to life on their own while in this wicked place? Or can he raise the dead by simply wishing so?

I found two more scrolls, presumably both written by the necromancer. They both describe magical items of some kind: A helmet that prevents Thaumaturges from using their powers or to have powers used on the wearer, and an unnamed weapon that allowed a test subject to escape while causing great damage. It seems he also had a way of hiding from sorcery much like the helmet does. Perhaps that is what he stole, I suppose a powerful enough artifact could certainly be labelled as a weapon, even without edges or mass.

The scrolls both suggest that Thaumaturges have some extra-sensorial perception allowing them to feel the presence of people who cannot be heard or seen, and even know their thoughts. Does this mean he is aware of my presence here? That he can read my mind and probe my intentions and fears even now? A disconcerting thought to say the least...

[In the margin next to the following paragraph is scribbled sideways "OR IS IT ME?"]

I shouldn't think too hard about this, for all I know this necromancer is actually long dead. That said, he seemed to think there was in fact a malevolent, omnipresent entity in these halls. According to him, it was responsible for the mind altering "disease" that spread through this place and caused people to become aggressive. He claimed the helmet protected him from that presence. I should find this helmet so I can confirm if I am under some spell myself. I do not believe my behavior to be unusual, but then again, I can't really recall what my usual behavior is like... Besides, I do not know what other kind of sorcery I may encounter down here, having something that negates Thaumaturgic powers is likely to prove a great boon.

Another disturbing thought occurs: What if this "presence" was drawing me in? I located the exit, I could have left, but instead I continue to stalk these halls, violently destroying the undead. Am I being influenced by outside forces? Has the Guardian or whatever this presence is taken an interest in me? If I can find this necromancer perhaps I can beat some answers out of him...

Regardless, my mind is made, I'm pushing forward. There must be another staircase nearby. If I'm being manipulated into this, I'll make sure the person or thing responsible regrets luring me down here.

 

[bobchaos]

Symmetrical storage

I'm currently standing in a large, symmetrical storage area. For the most part it's very mundane, but I did find the large log piles unusual. Why bring them so deep underground? Were the soldier who lived here planning on building war machines indoors or something? I'm not seeing any relevant workshop either... Strange to say the least. The architecture of this place has me thinking I must be very close to the next staircase!

That said, I just remembered reading about some secret contraband in the glassblower's workshop, I'll backtrack over there real quick, whatever he was smuggling, I probably need it more than he does now.

+++++++++

Sorcery of my own

I went back to the glass-maker's workshop and search the damn place for almost an hour, inch for inch, and found nothing. In desperation, I read the letter again looking for any clues. It seems the author also wanted to check the glassblower's quarters, so I did exactly that. In there, a hidden switch next to a bookshelf opened up a secret area! No wonder the smuggled goods were never found.

In there, I found a helmet. It did not, at a glance, appear to be any better than the one I was currently wearing, but it occurred to me maybe - unlikely as it was - this was the helmet mentioned by the necromancer in his own notes. I put it on to see if I felt any difference but was immediately blinded by my own torch. It seems this helmet is granting me the eyes of a night-stalker! I can see even in absolute darkness now as long as I'm wearing this helmet, almost as if it projected light that only the wearer can see.

My eyes adjusted rapidly to the sudden flash. The torch will still be useful since the spell on this helmet has obvious limitations, but now it is no longer a life necessity. It's worth losing a bit of protection over this, most of my wounds happened while I was stumbling around in the dark with my shield in hand instead of my torch, now I don't have to choose between sight or my shield!

I'll need to remember to not stare directly at my torch when wearing this, just to be safe.

 

[bobchaos]

The Underworld

[This entry is written with a shaky, uncertain hand]

I... I found it. The way down... I'm not -

I should -

I need a moment.

------------------------------

I'm not looking at another staircase. These two bent pillars form some sort of an arch, and in the arch, some unexplainable, magical portal, floating there, as if an illusion born of my imagination. But it is very real, my senses are not fooling me. It's eerie, bluish glow illuminates the room. Where it's light meets my torch's, they blends into a strange hue I know not how to describe... Swinging at these bent obelisks with a sledgehammer with all my considerable strength shattered the hammer's head, caused great pain in my arms, and did not so much as dent the towering monuments. A shard of the hammer's head thrown through the portal is swallowed and vanishes with a small flash of blue light.

I was right, this place is the gateway to the Underworld, where long ago men excavated the earth in search of untold power and instead released hell upon this world.

[The handwriting briefly returns to it's usual high quality calligraphy, but with each sentence it gradually slips towards a hasty script]

I could not escape now if I wanted to: I cannot be the man responsible for breaking the seal and releasing demons upon the land.

No, I must cross this portal, and hope that my mortal body can survive the Underworld. I know of no man, no stories of anyone ever entering the Underworld, save perhaps the necromancer. Still, I must go through and shut this gateway forever, somehow.

I see nowhere else the necromancer could have ran to and I found no bodies that match what I know about him. He must have crossed through this portal in search of safety. Does he think the Guardian of the Underworld will protect him from pursuers? What knowledge or ancient artifact does he possess that would grant him such confidence?

[Another smudged note in the margin reads: "NO BODY, BECAUSE IT'S ME!"

This explains the log piles in the previous room: barricades against this portal. Clearly they did not do much to save the original denizens of this complex.

------------------------------

[Once again it seems a firm hand grasped the quill]

Terror washes over me, but beyond it's veil of despair, a firm resolve to put an end to this madness. I've been here staring at it for some time now. I'll rest here for a bit longer, gather my strength against the coming horrors.

------------------------------

[This final entry is written in increasingly large characters and has a bloody fingerprint at the bottom, almost like a signature]

I could not sleep, but my will is stronger than ever. Every minute I spend in presence of this evil device, my wrath and determination grows. I feel terror no more. I've sharpened my blades, adjusted my armor straps and tended to my wounds.

Now, I will enter the Underworld and scour it of the evils that dwell therein.

I will find the necromancer, if he still lives, and give him the violent demise he so richly deserves.

[A note, in dark blood, is written in the margin and reads: "HE LIVES, AND HE WRITES!"]

I will end all creatures, monsters and demons who oppose me!

The Guardian shall know my burning wrath and learn to fear mortal men!

All will know and fear me, Thurin Eldaran, the Mighty Scourge of the Underworld!

 

[bobchaos]

Apologies from the Underworld

Dear reader, I must apologize for my previous entry. I do not know what insanity washed over me. It is clear now, I too am under this spell of aggression and madness. Weither it is the work of the Guardian of the Underworld or some ancient Thaumaturgic spell, I cannot deny it's effect on me.

If I cannot be rid of it, then I shall harness it. I will turn this hatred and anger into a weapon to wield against my foes. I must take care not to fully give into it again, as I fear it may cause me to behave recklessly. I cannot afford to do so while in such... unfamiliar territory.

This journal will be the tether of my mind. Surely it will be easier to remain calm if I continue pondering on these discoveries. Now that I have entered the Underworld, out of which no accounts ever came, surely I will find plenty to occupy my mind beyond thoughts of murder and mayhem.

When I first came through the portal I was ready to engage demons and foul beasts but I was instead greeted by an unexpected environment. No hellfire or endless darkness in sight. While the architecture is peculiar, this appears to be a complex not all that different from the one I just left behind. Paved stones, large support columns, storerooms with sealed jars, logs. crates and cloth bolts. How very... mundane...

The necromancer was here, as evidenced by his makeshift writing bench and the note he left. It seems his mind reading abilities have become a curse to him. While my behavior has been noticeably altered, he seems to be driven mad by the "thunderous voice" in his mind. Hopefully he will be distracted enough that he will not hear my own thoughts as I plunge my sword into his back.

Another noteworthy detail in his journal entry: he expresses surprise, meaning he has never been here before. He just lost the home advantage.

The mention of ancient restless spirits tell me that should I die here, my own soul will find no respite...

[A note is scribbled across the next paragraph, written in dark blood: "THE HELMET ELUDES ME"

I must locate and slay the necromancer as soon as possible so that I can acquire his helmet. If it protects him from this presence, it should do the same for me and restore my full lucidity. It cannot negate my own thaumaturgic powers as I do not possess any, so it can only assist me in my quest.

There is only one way out of this room that has been unlocked, he has to have gone that way... The hunt is on!

 

[bobchaos]

The Demon

[These pages are sticky, partially covered in blood. The handwriting has become more erratic]

A demon roams these halls that even the skeletons fear. The beast has bested me in combat, but I live to fight another day. I barricaded this room and I've applied the healing salve to my wounds. It is now working it's magic. I can feel my flesh being made whole again. There's only a little left in the jar, probably not enough to heal anything more serious than a scrape, but the second one is still sealed.

I've taken a great pole axe from a skeleton that was foolish enough to stand before me, I will use this weapon the slay the beast and claim it's head as my prize! It will rue the day I stumbled upon it's lair!

[There appears to be more violent ranting but it is covered by a large blood stain]

------------------------------

[This freehand passage is hastily written in blood. It is dark an thick, not human blood]

I allowed my anger to get the better of me and was defeated again, but not before inflicting heavy wounds on it. I know I cracked it's skull with a powerful overhead blow, and a thick coating of it's dark blood drips from my pole axe's blade. Next time victory will be mine!

------------------------------

[The handwriting has returned to it's usual appearance, and there are only small drops of dark blood on the page]

The Beast is slain, and my wrath sated for the time being... Upon closer inspection, it seems to be roughly 9 feet, 500+ pounds of muscles and furious anger. In the heat of combat I did not realize the enormity of it's claws, each of it's four fingers tipped with a razor sharp, blade-like talon. It's toes appear to have fused into a pair of oversized appendages. While it is humanoid, this is certainly the result of some twisted sorcery.

When I am done with the necromancer I must return here and butcher the creature, it's claws will make deadly weapons, and it's head a fine trophy from my demon hunt.

No! I must banish these thoughts! It is dead, I do not need to desecrate it's body too. Now i look at it's head, it's seems in it's final moment it indeed knew terror... It is carved upon it's motionless face. I almost pity the creature.

What have I become? How far will this madness drive me? I need to locate the necromancer's helmet at all costs, otherwise I may become the next horror roaming these halls...

[At the bottom of the page, yet another smudged note: "WHERE IS THE DAMNED HELMET?"]

------------------------------

I have taken a minute to quietly meditate. Calm has returned to me now. While I was hunting the beast I paid little heed to my surroundings, but now I see there is great beauty to this place. I sit now in what appears to be a library or study decorated with finely crafted furniture made of a strange, brass-like metal that appears to be very common down here. The cabinets and chests would look right at home in a nobleman's mansion. I sit in what is perhaps the most comfortable chair I ever sat in, and next to my journal, I can see intricate carvings have been made on the entire surface of this table. It seems the denizens of the underworld can still appreciate beauty and quality craftsmanship.

A brief search of my surrounding yielded a full set of plate armor. It is a fine piece, and fits me perfectly. It too is made of this unknown metal. With all the straps adjusted, it feels lighter and less cumbersome than the disparate pieces I was using up to now. I'm only missing plate sabatons and gauntlets. I guess a helmet visor wouldn't hurt, but that would mean removing my magical helmet which doesn't have a visor mount.

With the beast dead, I believe I will backtrack nearer to the portal and find a nice looking room to stash some of my gear. I will likely be here for a long while, best find a safe haven from where I can write and meditate in relative peace.

 

[bobchaos]

The living outpost

I've found my way back to the private dining room I first entered after leaving the portal room. I have claimed this room for all the living! It is now my little stronghold from which I will launch raids into the underworld.

It's a bit cold in this complex despite my multiple layers of armor and padding, and it has a stench of it's own, but it's a significant improvement on the omnipresent smell of rotting corpses and the damp atmosphere of it's Overworld counterpart.

I've stashed some armor and weapons in nearby cabinets, along with the keys I collected in the Overworld facility. I also offloaded all the books I was carrying, Overworld literature likely doesn't have much to teach me about the Underworld. Perhaps when this is all over I can write a book of my own based on this journal...

[In the margin, in dark blood: "TITLED: THE GREAT JOURNEY OF THE NECROMANCER"]

I also took a moment to tend to my wounds. The salve may have made me whole again but I am now sporting a fresh wound. It would appear the monster's enormous claw found its way to my then-lightly protected left arm during our final engagement in the library, but no pain registered until now. It will likely leave an ugly scar, but it's not worth wasting salve over. A bandage will have to do for now.

While it is very dark in here, there is one of those ever-burning torch providing me sufficient light to read and write. Even without it my magical helmet would do the trick, but it feels good to take off some of this armor while I rest my overworked muscles.

It is quite puzzling that there would be such "normal" rooms as a dining room or a library in a place entirely inhabited by the dead and the mad. Does this place as some sinister history of it's own? Maybe the so-called underworld is simply another world that was conquered by the evil consuming my mind. In fact, I would not rule out that I have never left the Overworld and was simply transported to a very distant land. I'll keep my eyes opens for any clues. I'm very curious about those who erected this structure. No, I'll go with "excavated": Still no signs of a window anywhere. Come to think of it, I know what sunlight is, I can picture it clearly in my mind, but I do not recall ever seeing it.

Here's a thought I never considered before: Could my amnesia be caused by this presence? I've read nothing to suggest that, but it's far from impossible... Again, I need to find that helmet. If my current condition is the result of sorcery, then perhaps the necromancer's helmet will restore my memories too.

[Another echo of previous notes has been glued on right bellow this passage: "AM I THE NECROMANCER?"

This room is well sealed, and I can easily barricade the doors with these heavy chairs should sleep finally conquer me. It seems unlikely I will sleep though, already I feel myself boiling inside once more... I need to find some skeletons to break apart... Or maybe another flesh and blood demon to savage and slaughter!

 

[bobchaos]

Tracking the necromancer

Not far from my little outpost, I found what appears to have been an office. My prey was here. He left behind more notes from his own journal.

The skeletons I encountered are not native to the Underworld as I originally thought. They were already long dead when the necromancer crossed the portal, he simply re-animated them in order to distract the demon. I can attest that they make for a fine distraction, but if they cannot withstand my onslaught what chance did they stand against such a fierce opponent?

Clearly, the necromancer did not know what he was getting into when he entered this foul place. He repeats again in this scroll that he was terrified, first of this place, then of the demon. What a coward, I will gladly end his misery...

There is however something troubling in his letter: He says he attempted "to control it", but the beast was "oblivious to (his) intrusions"... Does this mean that not only can he read people's thoughts, but also manipulate them? Is this how I was robbed of my memories? The result of mind control? Could I even now be under his spell? That seems unlikely... why control me and then drive me to hunt him down like a wild beast? No, I am being influenced by something, but it is not this terrified, unprepared mortal.

The other note he left says he has "accomplished so much", but he does not say what these accomplishments are. Perhaps he is referring to the discovery of this portal and his thaumaturgic abilities. It is also clear he has abandoned the will to live, but not his single minded pursuit of knowledge. He would discover all he can before dying and somehow return word of it to this Thaven he has mentioned a few times before. He also suggests Thaven was fully aware of what would be found in this complex... If I escape this place I will have to find this Thaven, me and my pole axe need to have a few words with him...

------------------------------

When I first opened this office's door I was set upon by a zombie that I easily dispatched, but the only undead I have met down here were far more decomposed, down to their skeleton and plate armor... Was that the necromancer's own reanimated corpse? He was convinced he would die locked in this room since he could not escape the monster... I've turned the room upside down looking for the magical helmet but no signs of it... Was I denied both my victory and salvation on one fell swoop? I cannot contain myself any longer, I must go find something unholy to destroy this very minute -

------------------------------

I've calmed down and given it some more thought: this body is unlikely to have belonged to the necromancer, he would have had the helmet, and very likely been carrying at least ink and quill. No, this must have been Papin, whom I know the necromancer kept close even in death. My prey is still out there, and so is my prize...

 

[bobchaos]

Mad ruminations

[A significant section of the journal appears to have been torn off or ruined by blood. In what remains, most of the writing are smudged by blood, both human and some of a darker hue. Some of the text is actually written in blood, as if the author had ran out of ink but could not stop writing. Very little is legible, but it is clearly all the ranting of a madman]

- troubling experime -

- very ANCIENT -

- lost to histo -

- WHO IS THAVEN? DID HE SEND ME HERE? -

- Must see my previous notes, I'll just add thoughts in the margins -

- AM I THE NECROMANCER? -

- my memories, if only -

- so much blood, the sound of shattering bones and -

- what if the Guardian did -

- WHAT IS THIS? -

- Death awaits all wh -

- rule the Underworld -

- need ink and glue... it's blood will do just fine for b -

- MUST FIND THE HELMET MUST FIND TH -

- ese thoughts are rotten, no good at al -

- mind control? Is it really -

- great builders and arch -

- it is wondrous, and unsettl -

- If I had the helmet I could end this... GET OUT OF MY MIND! -

[Before the next entry a few blank pages were left]

 

[bobchaos]

Speculations

[The writings are once again in black ink with fine calligraphy]

I seem to have had somewhat of a breakdown. I cannot shake this idea that I am, in fact, the necromancer, that I was in league with Thaven, came here and fell under the Guardian's spell, performed vile experiments on both the living and the dead, was pushed to retreat through the portal and into the underworld, and then somehow escaped to bring word of my findings to Thaven. Somewhere along the way, I would have lost my memory along with my Thaumaturgic abilities, waking up in that storeroom...

This notion will drive me mad if I let it... I must continue my search before I ruin this entire journal. There are answer down here, I know it. Perhaps more entries from the necromancer's journal will shed some light on this matter. I was not wrong earlier: If I am indeed responsible for all this, then it falls on me to end it.

I must turn my thoughts to other things, this is not helping...

------------------------------

One can easily conclude that human beings lived in this Underworld palace. These skeletons were already here when we arrived through the portal according to the necromancer's note. Did they also come through the portal while they still had flesh and souls? Did the men from ancient lore actually cross the portal and build all this before being violently beaten back? I suspect the great beast I felled must have been one of the demons sent by the Guardian that forced the portal to be sealed.

In one of the offices I found evidence that there once was a well organized society here. How else could all this have come into being? This complex is obviously man-made, as evidenced by the latrines and other human accommodations scattered around here.

I found very ancient scrolls presumably written by the makers of these halls. In one of them, there is talk of conflicting opinions within a council of high stature, more evidence these people were highly organized. Another speaks, with sarcasm, of a "glorious hero", who apparently slew these people's gods, whatever those were. It seems they worshiped something material and tangible, contrary to the religions of the Overworld. I think the dissension in the council must have concerned this so called god-slayer. It seems not everyone was happy to be free of their deities, suggesting death would follow shortly thereafter. It appears the dissenters were right as the locals are now serving in the necromancer's dark army.

This is pure speculation, but I believe the Guardian did not send his demons at once. The men must have come through the portal, built this facility and lived here for some time before angering the locals and being expelled.

It would explain the emptiness of the Overworld facility's portal level. They did not vanish, they crossed the portal knowing full well where it led. The facility was a staging ground both for military forays against the outside, but also for establishment of this outpost in the Underworld. I suspect as I continue exploring I will find more information to solidify or falsify this theory.

++++++++++++

Bathed in blood

I went back to finish exploring the office area. Past a larger office with many of these luxurious chairs, I found what appears to be a meeting hall or perhaps a chapel. In my earlier rage I had taken no notice of this place, but the floor is covered in both my own and the demon's thick blood. The entire room is thoroughly trashed from our 2 engagements in here. Pews have been tossed in every corner of the room, pools of blood accumulate on the paved stones and a lone skeleton in slouched over near the western door with visible fractures to most of it's bones.

Brief memories of the conflict flash before my eyes: dancing madly around the pews doing my damnest to maneuver my pole axe into the beasts head, blood flowing profusely from both our mortal wounds. Giant claws seizing me by the head and tossing me across the room, the beast mindlessly tripping over the long benches, trying to get to me while fending off the incredible reach of my weapon.

If not for the healing salve, this journal may have ended somewhat abruptly. I rejoice in these memories of violence and slaughter, yet another sign that my mind is slipping from me...

 

[bobchaos]

Great craftsmen

I've gone over the southern part of this complex. Mostly storage areas. I did find a dining room and a break room with some human games, further supporting my earlier theory that these halls are the work of the same men who dug out the Overworld's end of the portal.

One storeroom contained dozens of extra seats and some desks, it seems they were producing them in large quantities. Everything they built is quite masterful, I wonder if they had some secret crafting technics or if they were assisted by Thaumaturgy. This metal seems to be in everything they build, and it's properties are astonishing: strong, yet malleable, clearly it can be shaped and carved with ease (provided the right tools I suppose, but I have yet to locate those). Edges made with it are extremely sharp and don't seem to dull with age. There is not a single speck of rust on any of it, as if it was impermeable to the passage of time. I must find where they put their smithy, it must be filled with untold treasures...

I also found a deep pit. It seems impossible to say how deep it is, thrown objects never make a sound.

Another interesting find: Another pot of the healing salve! Were these people the ones producing this stuff? What about the lamps? Perhaps I'll find answers to those questions too when I locate their workshops.

I'm writing this from the library. I needed to come and check that the beast was well and truly dead. Again, visions of our battle flash before my eyes: It's face twisted with rage as it tried to swing ineffectively at me across the table, the thick flow of blood as my blade found it's neck, the final look of terror when it understood it's end had come as my axe head buried itself deep into it's chest, sending blood flying across the room. My blade striking it's slouched, dead body until my blood-lust was sated.

I must think of other things... I've also located a double gate that was locked, I'll go look for the key now...

The council room

In the northern part of the complex, there is a very large room with a large, circular table. 12 high quality chairs surround it, and in the middle, a carving representing a spider. This symbol is also made into a wall mounted sculpture on the North wall. Were these people worshiping some sort of spider demon? If so I cannot blame the "hero" who decided to slay the things. For all the beauty in this place, this is a nightmarish prospect.

I found three scrolls on my way here that shed some light on the events that unfolded within these halls. One I found on a skeleton (now mostly dust). The skeleton belonged to a guard who had lost his sense of purpose, presumably after the slaying of his idols. He writes that doubt assailed him and all his comrades.

The next scroll indicates this place was once dedicated to writing. It speaks of scribes and archivists stealing things. Were they performing research, or simply copying existing material? More importantly, where have all those writings gone? I see very large bookshelves and scroll cases everywhere but no books and very few scrolls. Perhaps after their society fell apart the survivors saved their accumulated knowledge and moved it somewhere else?

Hah, the answer lies in the third scroll: they burned it all at the command of a traitor, likely the god-slayer. It seems everyone involved had decided to move forward and ignore their past...

I also found a key, there's an adjoining room here I need to check but then I'll go test my key on that double door I found at the south end of the building.

Also, I found a two handed mace made of this mysterious metal. I cannot wait to crush bones with it!

------------------------------

There are two more locked doors at the south end of the building, but my key won't open them. I guess I can reclaim the rest of it now, it has been thoroughly searched and there is nothing left here that is hostile, except perhaps me. I will leave these spider-worshipers behind and go explore whatever is through that gate I saw near the portal. I'll return here for my extra gear if need be.

Also worth noting, I have found no more notes, or indeed any trace of the necromancer... This is quite disturbing...

 

[bobchaos]

The temple

I've backtracked to the portal and went through the metal gate. I find myself in yet another large stone building with architecture reminiscent of a temple. The idols, however, are these spider demons... There are sculptures of them mounted on almost every wall, and the light fixtures, the same bluish lights I've seen everywhere since I awoke in the storeroom (it feels like ages ago now), are shaped like spiders. The walls are lined with cupolas, each one filled with a 7 or 8 foot tall set of armor with an enormous polearm. Too bad the the armor is so big, I looked to be very sturdy. I tried to pry one of the polearms free but it appears to be part of the sculpture. This decorum is unnerving to say the least. No skeletons or undead in sight either... It does not appear the necromancer came through here...

Many of the doors appear to have been torn off their hinges despite them being made of the brass-like substance so common down here. The others look very ominous, I dare not open them just yet.

I'm writing this from a storeroom where I found a pair of bracers made of a very light, unknown metal, distinct from the one my current armor is made of. I'll continue exploring for now, but I'll be keeping an eye out for more equipment made of this new substance. It is worth noting I am feeling much calmer than I did while wandering the archives. Perhaps the Guardian's reach does not extend to this place?

------------------------------

This place gives me the creeps. I carefully approached one of those ominous doors and noticed for the first time a symbol carved on the ground, probably some reference to their insane religion. I thought better of it and figured I'd start with the unmarked door, it seemed less likely I would walk in on a ritual sacrifice or something such...

The western corridors led me to some offices and more storerooms. I found a large coin of some sort with the spider-god's symbol on it. Probably some creepy object of worship. I know not why, but I still decided to pocket it. Perhaps if only as a reminder of what kind of people I'm dealing with.

I've found nothing hostile down here, it's in fact eerily quiet. I can't help but suspect I'll get jumped by some new horror at any moment....

------------------------------

I locked myself in what is essentially yet another empty storeroom. I've past a few circular halls with more of those armor statues and large braziers, still burning after all this time. I also found what appeared to be a few offices, but not much noteworthy. I supposed I found a new sword, but it's doesn't look much sharper than my current one. I also found another one of those coins, marked with a shield this time...

++++++++

The necromancer lives!

I have found more notes I believe to come from the necromancer's journal! It appears he escaped the demon after all and has made his way here. Once again, he tells an unsettling story, as if this place did not creep me out enough already... My skin is crawling, which i guess is to be expected with all this spider themed imagery around.

In the first scroll he says those statues I've seen everywhere in this temple are in fact monsters, or golems as he calls them. He claims they are inhabited by something much darker than his own magic. He makes further theories about the nature of this power but I dare not repeat it here.

This is strange, because none of the golems have come after me. Do they only come to life for Thaumaturges? What are they protecting in here that would have been so valuable to the spider-demon cult (for lack of a better name)? I'll need to be on my guard, if the necromancer could not get past them, they must be worthy foes.

The other parchment speaks of two characters from the demon-cult's religion: Spellgiver and Corruptor. Specifically, he speculates they are both the same entity, "condemned for atrocities, corrupting mortal souls". I remember Spellgiver being reference in another note I had found, I'll have to find it when I get back to my outpost. He goes on to suggest (through his choice of word) that he and Thaven both are descended or somehow akin to the members of this Underworld society, and that abandoning their old belief system (Guardian worship? Spider-demon worship? Perhaps those two are also one and the same...) is the right thing to do. He goes on to say that Thaven probably has a different opinion, and that he must be stopped. Perhaps the necromancer is seeking redemption? With his helmet, he can now see clearly...

Anyhow, it seems he found a way to send word of his findings to Thaven somehow. Not surprising, considering the vast array of power at his disposal. Perhaps he could make a powerful ally now that he has turned from the darkness? I must find him if I am to know... or slay him.

------------------------------

Yes, he was here, these skeletons I just destroyed with my mace prove it! They appeared to have come out of some sort of an arena and they were wearing some ancient looking, rusty armor... Perhaps this place is not a temple after all. Come to think of it, I also passed an archery range on my way here. No, despite the strange architectural design this is a military installation, and the golems are the guardians of it's secrets.

On the subject of secrets, I have found a pair of glowing crystals, one amber, the other blue. Glowing things have done good things for me so far, so I put them both in my strongbox until I can reveal their purpose. I found them in a storeroom with a long workbench right next to what I believe to be an infirmary, perhaps they have healing properties too? I'll look for information on them.

 

[bobchaos]

Zombies?

I was just attacked by a zombie. The corpse was certainly not recent, but it still had plenty of flesh. Where did it come from? has the necromancer brought it down here with him?

No, more likely his body was just better preserved thanks to the full set of plates he was wearing. Still, I had not heard anything screaming at me in anger since I felled the demon in the archives.

I'm writing this from what is likely a changing room for the arena fighters. There are many cabinets with weapons in them, sharp blades at that.

------------------------------

I have found the source of the undead: a desecrated crypt. Judging by the amount of empty sarcophagi, I'm not done with the dead just yet.

++++++++++

Arenas

I'm not sure what this facility's exact purpose was, but it sure involved a lot of fighting. I'm currently in the locker room of a third arena. There are in fact so many of these locker rooms it is easy to imagine many dozen fighters all preparing to enter the pits at once. Weither they were doing this for practice, entertainment or as some brutal religious ritual I cannot say at this time...

What I can say is that whatever befell these people it is not lack of training or weaponry that brought them down. They seemed to have both in bountiful supplies. I've carefully hand picked a few of those weapons and some pieces of armor for my own collection, I'll need to make a trip to my stronghold soon to offload all this equipment I'm carrying.

I've also had quite a few of those weapons swung at me, and I can assure you, they hit hard, even through all this plate and chain I'm wearing. I was almost knocked unconscious twice while battling these ancient zombies. They appear just as aggressive as the ones I was fighting in the Overworld portal facility, but wearing full plate and wielding all sorts of polearms. I'm currently using a pole-hammer I stole from one such undead who had shown me how efficient it can be when swung with force. I've already put it to good use, it can break bones right through armor with ease.

I've found more ancient scrolls likely written by the builders. One states that a lot of the locals were starting to show up at the fighting pits, but it seemed to offend the author of the note, presumably the person in charge of these arenas. This seems to support the theory that this is in fact a temple and the arenas were just one aspect of their strange religion.

The other contained clues concerning the collapse: it appears an outside party had infiltrated their society and the spies were murdering the locals one by one. This explains why so many flocked to the fighting pits, so they could be prepared should someone come at them in the night. This reminds me of a note I'd found on the 2nd level of the gateway facility: Something about the "conservers" infiltrating the garrison and being allowed to do so out of fear a manhunt would trigger a wave of paranoia. The author of this note says that there were rumors the spies were let in deliberately, but perhaps it was just an error in judgement by the men stationed in the Overworld?

I'll keep looking for clues, this place may give me the creeps, but it's better than the creeping madness I had felt claiming my mind before I entered here.

 

[bobchaos]

Council worship room

I've been collecting these coins - no, tokens - out of morbid curiosity but I now believe they are the reason the golems have been idle. Each token has a different symbol on it, and those symbols have matching carvings in front of some of the "ominous doors" I mentioned earlier. It seems as long as I have a matching token, the golems will leave me be. That, or the necromancer has really lost and is now talking utter nonsense in his logs.

I wanted to start this entry on a positive note so as to minimize the impact of what I'm about to say: I was defeated in combat by a mere zombie! I've been using polearms since entering the Underworld, but I'm much more adept with sword/mace and shield. I blame the bloodlust, I couldn't help myself but to use the most brutal weapon I could get my hands on. Thankfully, my trusty armor once again kept all the bad wounds at bay, I'm only sporting a new bruise on my back. Those weapon have such long reach, the hammerhead swung right around me as I was winding up a great swing of my own. Anyhow, I'm back to using a war-hammer and shield, both made of these advanced materials that apparently only are made in the Underworld.

After my disheartening defeat and subsequent vengeance, I continued on my path and used a double ribbon token I had found on a skeleton to open a door to a new area. The most remarkable room in here (so far) is a vast, circular hall. It features a massive altar of some sort, with another wall mounted spider-demon sculpture (again, on the north wall... Does this have significance in their dogma?). Around the altar, a long table forming a sectioned, hollow semi circle. Each of the 12 sections of the table has an identical engraving of the "3 ribbon" symbol I've seen near the very first golem-guarded door near the entrance of this complex, along with a high quality chair - no, more like thrones really. I suspect this may have been another room used for meetings of the ruling council of this Underworld society, or perhaps a private place of worship used by them alone.

Behind the north wall, there's a small room with a small table, seating for 12, along with many cabinets and scroll cases. All of them are empty, making it hard to guess what the function of this room was. At any rate, I'm now using it as a study so I can write in peace and recover from my defeat. My body may not be harmed but my ego is another story...

[The next passage is written in freehand] I'm now standing next to the altar so I can take a closer look at it. It is finely sculpted piece of granite made to resembles an hexagonal, stubby pyramid with 6 triangular "beams" supporting it's "crown". Said crown appears to be made of many different materials, but resembles and hexagonal basin with a large "tooth" sticking out of each side, and a polished silver round shield set within and facing outwards. I'm probably wrong about the materials, but it should convey an effective description to anyone who reads this (should anyone ever).

It is an interesting structure, but I can only imagine it was used in dark thaumaturgic rituals, or some soul breaking religious service to their spider-demon-god-things... I should keep moving, my imagination is conjuring some pretty evil possibilities I'll gladly be distracted from.

 

[bobchaos]

Devilish trap

What devilry am I looking at? There's some sort of a device here, all I can see is two slits on the walls opposing one another, and in between, lighting bolts are apparently conjured. I've never seen such a thing... Monsters and demons, OK, but projected lightning? Can the necromancer do such things with his own thaumaturgic abilities? Or is this some contraption similar in design to the one I disarmed in the armory near where I first woke up? No, making fire is no secret, but making lightnings...

I'll have to find a way around this or a way to disable it. I'll backtrack a bit, I had spotted a door earlier with a "double ribbon" symbol and I have a matching token. It is worth nothing I also came across another "triple ribbon" carving, but having no token I dared not open it.

------------------------------

As soon as I opened the double ribbon door I noticed a barricaded door. It never occurred to me on of the undead would be inside, they were just recently reanimated, why would anyone barricade a lifeless corpse in? I guess whoever died in there had been barricaded for centuries because there it was, with full plate, sword and shield. That might not have been that big a problem, but the sound of the heavy door rebounding summoned another plated zombie wielding a polearm. Those zombies are not like the ones from the gateway facility, they are faster, stronger and smarter. The necromancer must be getting better at this.

Anyhow, point is, they beat me up pretty badly and gave me a major bleeder right on my face, again. They maneuvered themselves on both sides of me and I could not shake them, and when I suddenly turned to face the polearm-wielder I basically put my face right to the tip of his spetum. My jaw was broken and pieces of flesh were falling everywhere. I'm not going to lie, I thought that was it, but when I came to they were gone, and now the healing salve is once again restoring me. It shouldn't even leave a scar. Only one left... I'm going back in there, but this time I'll leave the magic helmet in my strongbox and use my other one, it offers protection for my jaw.

It's worth noting all this happened right under the nose of some of those golems, and none of them made the slightest movement even when I tossed a zombie into one of them.

 

[bobchaos]

The mask

It appears I was right, there was indeed a man locked in here ages ago while their were still people living here. According to the notes in his office, a battle broke out in the temple when most of the worshipers were gone, presumably between the locals and the spies, and he got locked in here. He said he had a magical mask that would help him sustain himself, and I think he was still wearing it when he was reanimated, but I can't find him now. I killed his polearm wielding friend and another zombie, but the mask wearer eludes me...

He also believed all his comrades were dead. It seems this insurgency was the end of this outpost.

While I was looking for him I stumbled on the source of the lightning: It was indeed some cruel invention, but a simple lever throw seems to have disabled it. Clearly, in addition to thaumaturgy, these people had advanced knowledge of machinery. Or perhaps the entire contraption was imbued with energy?

------------------------------

[In freehand]

Here zombie zombie zombie... Come to me I'm all nice and juicy!

------------------------------

I finally found him, he somehow managed to slip through the doors I was planning to breach next... The mask is indeed in interesting find. It has a socket for one of those crystals I found earlier and a worn out one currently in place. It has become dark, visibly depleted.

I'll need to experiment with this later, I hear more of those nightmares running this way...

+++++++++++

Thaumaturgic creations

I've returned to the ground a lot of zombies and skeletons. I did not count them but I'm fair sure I've got all the sarcophagi I saw earlier accounted for now.

These latest animated corpses I found in the golem assembly area. I wanted to find their smithy, but now I'm not sure I want to be here... It feels like on of these incomplete creations could come to life and strike at me any moment. Still, this foundry was indeed full of treasures as I suspected: A fine piece of armor, very light (if somewhat less sturdy than my current one) with a matching, perfect quality helmet. I've never seen such exquisite craftsmanship.

This foundry is also the source of the magnificent weapons strewn around the temple. No wonder all they made here is so impressive: the literature found here suggests that in addition to advanced foundry technics I can see here, the operators were imbuing their materials with Thaumaturgic energy and alchemical compounds.

Scattered in containers around here, I've found many more crystals for the mask. Some are blue, others green, some amber, and a peculiar blue one seems to have some sort of an external casing, either to protect it from harm or so it can be inserted in a different type of contraption. I suspect these crystal to be some sort of power source for the golems, giving them life eternal. I can confirm that fairly easily: I'd simply need to anger on of them and slay it to examine a complete one. All the golems here are half-way assembled.

At the back of the foundry, there is a door marked with the triple ribbon. I have yet to find such a token, but I've explored most if not all of this level already... I'll face the golems, it is the only way forward it seems... Besides, I can test some of my theories once I deactivate one.

 

[bobchaos]

The might of the golems

The three ribbon door turned out to be unprotected. The room beyond however had one of those giants standing in the middle of it with a powerful blue light emitted from it's helmet visor. I engaged it head on but found I could not do much to harm it. Such extreme reach, and what powerful blows...

Like the undead, it seemed to have no interest in finishing me off. When I came to, it had returned to its post guarding the room. I decided to take some time to experiment with the mask. The note I found concerning it said it would sustain the user for a long time, so I figured it may do the same for me and restore my fighting strength. It's even more powerful: when slotted with a green crystal, it heals my wounds much like the salve does! This mask will be a great boon to me.

That said, I still need to find a way to defeat what is essentially a ton of living armor wielding a polearm... I'll see if I can either push it up against a wall to negate it's reach, or maybe lure it to a more cluttered environment where it could not move about so effectively given it's massive size.

------------------------------

I engaged the creature and tried to lure it to more favorable grounds, but instead it has barricaded itself inside the room... Very well, I shall return later...

I backtracked to the other 3 ribbon door, where I was assaulted by 2 golems. I could not defeat those either. It seems no matter how much damage I inflict on the they will not stop attacking... Are these guardians truly invincible? Fortunately, much like the undead, they are too stupid to operate a door handle, so I was able to trap them in a dining hall. Through there I found what appeared to be high quality office space, perhaps for the ruling council. I found many a fine piece of armor and weapon in there, including a very unique mace with a slot for a crystal. I wonder what it does... I will have to test this mace on the golems, perhaps it will finally be their undoing.

------------------------------

I tried inserting a green crystal, but it did not appear to do anything at a glance. When I inserted the blue one however, the mace came alive with lightning! Now I have a magical weapon of my own to stand against these giants.

<and that's it for now, maybe I'll update this after the next content update, assuming the forum admins don't delete the whole thread for clogging up the DB XD>

 

[Syllabear3]

Thats a lot of text... i dont think i will read that but it seems that you really enjoyed doing that.
They should make a character's database to expose these journals, because typing all that for only yourself is not making sense. People could read and rate, only rp's.

Maybe updates with journals split over the map, made by players for players to find them and use them as "guide"? That would make it even more interesting.

 

[bobchaos]

I'm all for a central journal database players can opt-in, would sure be easier than copy/pasting this stuff.