Death and Decay or Necromancer Necromantic

[Doc-Holiday]

*This journal collects dust on some forgotten library shelf, its author ages dead. Written some 40 years after creation of the Forsaken Islands and the Call for defenders in Mistone. No dates are recorded, and the author a known Necromancer by the name of Reana Forner lends little credibility to this tomes verasity.*

- It accoured to me late last night. The only way to really get any reliable information from the Forasken Islands is to send an undead agent to collect this information. I will speak to Father of this after I have tended to my prayers tomorrow morning.

- A lively discussion today with Uncle Orn. He does not think our servants can handle the task I have laid out. Even returning with a sample would be prove a boon to our research. Perhapse Father will have made up his mind about the experiment by the time Relian returns with the new sail.

- I attempt my first experiemnt today. Father has agreed, but I will have to provide the servant, fortunatly the "undying" crypt I found still has plenty of candidates.

- I have, to the best of my abilities, raised a decent servant and tasked it to the simple work of gathering a few samples from the nearest Forsaken Island. Father set sail an hour ago for the Hazard Zone. After that I hope the current will take the small raft to the Island. Uncle Orn checked currents and winds, this should work. I am more concerned about return, I am not sure Uncle Orn is quite so possitive about where the raft will exit the Hazard Zone.

- FAILURE! For all the work involved, failure. I am not sure of the exact processes, but some how the sheer power of the negative energies pulsing out from the islands wiped the control I had on the sevant. Uncle Tomas tells me it was a valiant attempt but to try another method. I think I need more control, more power over the servant. Its the only way.

- Its been months but and I have scowered the libraries of anything that could reinforce the level of control I have. I will prepare for a second attempt.

- My first year truly working on my own projects is over. I had hoped for some level of success by now, never the less I will continue my work.

- Failure once more. Months of preperations and I find my work impeded by a lack of control, there must be SOME form of contruction that will warrent something stronger and more finely controled than the sevants we already possess.

- I have assumed the clerical duties for my family. I was honored to have been chosen from my many cousins. Perhapse Lucinda will inspire me during my times of study and worship.

- I am not sure if I was granted a vision, or simply a bad dream. I saw myself as neither Undead or Living. I do not remember the details but I am left with the feeling of a strong bond with the undead. Perhapse this is the problem. Current teory leads us to place a set of instructions or purpose within the servant. Perhapse a closer connection to these constructs is needed in order to refine control and to provide a better set of defining instructions. I must think carefully on this.

- I spoke with Aunt Reina last evening about my dream and my recent studies in this new direction. She was at first concerned about the darker arts, but, she was amused by the diffrence in direction this could take our research. Still getting an agent on those islands that can better assess the trouble would be a significant break through.

- I am running out of time for this year. Uncle Orn predicts the currents and storms will be worse than normal. He fears another red moon, as usual though, I am not sure his fears are so misplaced this year. I will relegate myself to furthering my theory and prepare for the experimental season next year. Perhapse I will have more fortune then.

- The winter storms approch and I am restless, so many nights spent in the crypts and days in the library. I hold strong to the threads of research I have so carefuly wrought. A side note in one of my grandfathers old tomes mentions a rarely pursued form a magic called Palemastery. I will have to examine several more texts as I am sure there must be something more.

- The winter seasons have nearly passed and I have uncovered no new information on this Palemastery. A passage in one of my old story books seems lend some light to this mysterious craft. If I am correct in my assumption and exprapolation, then my current work follows a percieved paralell to this Palemastery. This encourages me, tonight I will spend more time in meditation and prayer for inspiration.

- A dream, I am sure it is just that. So real though. A dragon called me to aid in the salvation of Layonara from Blood. I cannot imagine what purpose this Dragon has in mind. I must seek others in this.

- I dreamed the dream again, more real this time. I am sure I must leave my home and travel to Hlint, the call for defenders rings there. I hate to leave my work, I shall have to continue my experimentations in my travels. I leave for the mainland tomorrow morning, Uncle Orn predicts fair winds.

- I was awakened this eve by the cries of a drunken sailor, he babbled on about some strange sign and pointed to the moon. I must say, I have never felt such horror or chill when I looked up and the moon was orange. I can only imagine the predictions Uncle Orn will be visiting on my Father. My time runs short.

- Hlint is less than expected. My studies would not progress at all if it weren't for the "unliving" crypt in town. The creatures there prove to be most enlightening in my studies, though I hope to find something more substantial.

- An intresting find, an elvish man dressed in extreamly aged clothes. He suffers common symptoms to those exposed to the islands. I attempted to coerce some information from him but I proved only to make myself seem less knowledge than I realy am. I will need to keep a close eye on him, his advanced contamination makes him a danger.

[Doc-Holiday]

- I have met a mercinary today, he seems determined and possibly a little insane. He has expressed a desire to start a division here in Mistone. Perhapse I will look into this further, I could use the gold to further my research.

- Honestly there must be *something* to do around here. I have accomplished nothing in the past few days other than harrase the local populace of goblins. I need something more stimulating if I am to get any further inspiration for my research.

- I met with the leader of the Mercinaries today, they are called the Wolf Company. I journied with Phalleug, the leader, and he has accepted me into the lowest rank of his Company. He cares nothing for trust, only loyalty and completion of every order given. I am somewhat concerned with this, but time will tell wether or not he will accomplish anything.

- Absolutly facinating, shortly after I met a Doranite who also joined the Wolf Company a merchant from Fort Hope (the place the Wolf Company had met that day) dashed out and beseeched out little group for help from a series of raids by undead rising from the lake waters. Upon futher investigation we found hordes of the creatures unbound and roaming the far side of the lake. Takeing it upon ourselves we began to destroy the constructs as fast as possible. I noticed that their number continued to grow despite our rather effective means of dispatching them. I yelled to Phalleug that there must be some cause for this and he bade me discover the source and stop it. Scanning the lake I noticed a glowing orb at the bottom, a stone that pulsed with an odd light. Takeing aim with my crossbow I shot four or five bolts at it, striking it with the final bolt and shattered the stone. A shame really, I would have liked to have studied this articact. The remaining undead collapsed where the stood. Futher investigation and questioning of the townsfolk lead us after a Corathite priestess who is suspected to be lodged in a Fort not far from Port Hampshire. With the exteneded lead she holds over us, Phalleug has decided that we shall have to gather the rest of the Wolf Company to pursue, he suspects she may already be aware of our pursuite and will lay a trap no doubt.

[Doc-Holiday]

- I received an order from Captain Phalleugh of the Wolf Company to meet him in Port Hampshire. Upon arriving I found no one but the citizens milling about and tending to their buisness. I sent Inkwell out to find him as I toured the city, after a few hours Inkwell returned and I found Captain Phalleugh in a nearby mountain range not far from the city. It seems he plans on makeing the Guild Hall here in these mountains, the solitude will prove invaluable for my work as will the nearby port city. My only concern is the local Gnoll population, even after striking down its leader I fear they may prove an impediment to my work.

[Doc-Holiday]

- My work proceeds at a grueling pace. What little time I have for expounding my theories I am tending to the wounded and injured adventurers who so quickly throw themselves back into battle. Still I must keep my focus on my projects.

- I have realized today that if my families work is to be completed, I will have to make some... personal sacrfafices.

- Truely inspiring! I think I have finaly had a break through. By carfully applying a constant stream of negative energy to myself while a sleep, I should draw my body closer to undeath. I will have to take extra prcautions, the energy must be filtered through holywater to weaken it, application at night corresponds closest with death as the body is at its most deathlike state. Must remember to change out holywater after each application. I must first calculate an output that is low enough to avoid infection and undeath, and high enough to have an effect.

*the rest of the page is filled with arcane equations and half drawn diagrams. It is obvious that alot of time was spent on this problem. Though no solution is placed on these pages, most likley they are in another long lost tome.*

- I have completed this portion of my work, tonight I will test the spell to see if it is leathel. If not, then I will procced as planned. I pray I am right.

- No ill effects this morning, no sign of injury. The spell indeed worked, the holy water will have to be reblessed and then destroyed. I cannot afford the wrong people getting ahold of this... unholy water.

- A week has passed and I show signs of change, my skin has smoothed and paled. If nothing else comes from this, then I have discovered a dark secret of beauty... lucky me. An unfortunate accident with my dagger this afternood happened to prove quite valuabe. I have neglected to repair the torn casing for my dagger and it came loose in the market. What should have been a nasty gash in my arm turn out to be nothing more than a scratch, this is truely remarkable. I must be more careful, and watch to see if my wounds heal properly

- It has been four days and the scratch has healed, no scare is visible. I was careful to watch for negative energy infection and found none. I have ceased my personal exeriments untill I have fully healed. Better a slow break through than a quick death.