Diary of Amra Tanvia

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*This book looks neatly kept and is written in what looks like Halfling, though many of the symbols look a little off and the grammer has an old feel to it. There are several notes and drawings in the margins making reference to other volumes called her log.*

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Oclar 17, 1385

Yesterday I finished my rounds in Karthy. I had spent the day following a shopkeeper and taking notes. I tucked myself into my small bedroll behind the shopkeeper's stove and fell asleep. It was a restless night and I awoke not in the kitchen, but in front of an enormous creature. From tales and stories, I believe what I saw was a gold dragon, and it spoke to me in my head. A penetrating voice telling me I was needed. I did not understand and the dragon gave little more information. I tried to wake up, but could not. Either this was no dream, or I was somehow trapped in the world of dreams. I found a cave entrance that led to a well worn path. The path wound across the land and at the end I saw a prismatic gate. I entered and with a jarring feeling, I awoke, this time the world seemed more real, but it was not Karthy. I was in a strange foreign town, a hamlet really. It was rural, though many large people were bustling about.

My common is still poor, though I work at it every day. It seems I can understand almost everything, at least the gist of it. I just have trouble coming up with the right words when I try to speak. I'm sure it will all come eventually. One of the first people I saw though was another Brownie! I didn't think I would see another of my kind so soon. Her name is Fizel and she seems to have a way with magic. Her father was a wizard and had even traveled. I think I even remember stories of his name as not many ever left the island. He had taught Fizel common so she has been able to speak with the people of the world much easier than I. We spent some time talking near an inn and met a few people. Most seemed quite nice.

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Oclar 18, 1385

I met a kind dwarf named Gulnyr today. He smelled heavenly of pies and spices. He is a pie salesman and after living for quite some time in Karthy I have learned those outside the island insist on trading gold for goods. His pies cost a hefty 500 gold pieces and are much beyond my simple means. He introduced me to Florah, a local citizen, as well as two large armored men with swords. Florah asked us to retrieve a book of some sort from the undercity and I went with the two large men to seek it out. We came across many rats of all sizes and even saw a tremendous creature that stood on two legs like a human, but had the head and shaggy fur of a rat. He attacked us on sight, without a single word, but we managed to put him down. We found a book in the creature's pack that matched the description Florah had given us. We made our way back out and gave her the book. She was so happy she gave us each some gold. I still do not have much, especially not enough for a pie, but I will continue to gather more.

I thought it might be best to explore out of the town some, I could see some trees beyond the town gates. Outside town was quite open, but heard many noises from all around. I think I even spotted a goblin across a field. As I made my way carefully among the trees I saw a woman that almost seemed at one with the trees. She called me over and gave me a blank book, just my size, almost like she knew I would be there. She told me to use it for my records and also gave me a warning to listen to the land and what the animals had to tell me. They were quiet at the moment, but I happily took the log book back into town and started drawing a map of the area I had seen and made several notes of the people I had so far encountered.

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Novlar 3, 1385

I've spent the last few days exploring Hlint and meeting people. I met another Brownie named Talisen. He is quite helpful and we've had a few adventures together exploring the town and the surrounding area. We both got a full tour of Hlint by a friendly Halfling named Balit. He introduced us to a lot of people and showed us every area of town. Most people seem to think we are cute. I have even been snatched up a few times. Luckily they didn't bruise anything. There are some enormous giants lumbering around. Many of them seem to want to eat me so Talisen and I tend to run when we see them.

One kind man though offered to show us where to find some berries. He took us far from Hlint, past an outpost he called Fort Llast and finally near another town he called Krandor. We picked raspberries but were spied by a small tribe of ogres! With our guide's help we managed to escape them, berries and all.

I saw a fantastic man with wings like a bird. He was sitting in the grass telling stories. Fizel, Talisen, and I sat and listened. It was quite interesting and I took many notes in my log. When story time was over, the three of us decided to help out the undertaker who had in turn asked each of us at one time or another to look for a darksoul haunting the town crypts. None of us had wanted to go alone, but together we thought we could brave it. The kind bird man, Plen, cast several spells of protection. He seems close to the goddess Katia. Another man, Celgar, who was also a priest of some sort cast some other protections as well. We cautiously explored the crypts and after fighting skeletons and zombies, we found the dark spirit at the very bottom. It was a tough fight, but we destroyed it and even scraped together some of it's essense for Erag. What he does with it, I'm not sure. He was happy though and gave us each some gold.

The wagonmaster Ronus was also looking for help controlling the goblins outside town. He asked us to go find and kill the leader of this evil tribe. We accepted the mission and set off. The caves were deep and full of goblins but we made it to the bottom and killed the leader. We met some others in the cave who were mining and helped them as we could. We stood guard while they mined and put down any goblin raiders. When we got back to town Ronus was quite pleased, though he warned another leader could rally them together soon.

After all this, I noticed my gold pouch had inflated. I counted out my coins and found I had over twice the amount I needed for a pie. I searched through the town and found Gulnyr. He was running low, but still had several pies. Each of us, Fizel, Talisen, and I bought a pie each. I got an apple pie and it is wonderful. Gulnyr told me where to find the kitchen in the inn. I'll have to start baking again.

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Novlar 13, 1385

I loved the pie I bought from Gulnyr and decided to start baking my own right away. I quickly found out it would not be so easy. The kitchen is very nice, but the tools and appliances these big people use are complicated and much to large for me. I think I will eventually learn them well and be able to overcome the size issues, but it will take a great deal of practice. There is a nice barley field in the town though so I have been practicing on all the appliances with the barley I gather. It's slow work and I've created more ash than substance, but I feel I'm making progress.

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Decilar 24, 1385

I spend most of my days meeting people, making notes, and helping when I can. Many of the people are nice and will open doors for me that are much too difficult to open by my self. My log book is getting full and I feel as much as I have learned, it is only a small fraction of what can be learned.

I am getting better in the kitchen. I have yet to make any food of substance as I am still getting used to the appliances for processing grains. Soon I will attempt a few loaves of bread. I think pies are still a far away dream, but I will keep trying to learn these big people contraptions. I am not sure where to find ingredients for any pie I would make anyway. People offer me apples and berries, but I do not know where they find them, and I usually eat them before I have enough for a pie. I could try and show some self restraint, but I wouldn't want the fruit to go bad.

No one seems to know what happened to my homeland on Daraghan. Many do not know anything happened at all. Those few that have heard, no little more than I do. I fear it will be many years before we learn the truth and will be able to return. In the meantime I have been evaluating this town of Hlint and the surrounding area. I think there is much too much going on and too much danger for a permanent settlement. I will likely have to travel to find other potential places. The world is dangerous though and I will need strong friends.

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Jenra 4, 1386

I met several new people today including a dwarf named Tormak. I helped him explore the crypt with another townsman and it was a great success. Later he came to me once again asking for help. This time asking for help finding some willow-o-wisp essense. A mage named Dalton in Fort Llast also asked me to do this and I haven't been able to find any yet.

Many people have mentioned willow-o-wisps in the swamps not far from Hlint. We set off for the swamp and found a willow-o-wisp and a large lizard man! I only heard tales of a willow-o-wisp but now I know what they do. The lizardman fought hard and sliced me with his axe. The wisp sent electricty coursing through me. I fought hard to protect Tormak, but I failed. I was no help. I died. Prunilla was watching me though and I awoke in Hlint. Tormak was there. He had run from the swamp when he saw me fall and made it away safely, though quite bloody.

I cannot help all people.

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Jenra 17, 1386

Two wonderful things happened recently. Fizel showed me she had fashioned a copper wire into a long hook. She uses it to open the doors around town. I have been asking everyone to please open the doors for me. This is a wonderful idea. Jacchri was near by when she showed me and was nice enough to give me a piece of copper wire of my very own. I copied what Fizel had made and tried it on the inn door. It worked! I later showed Talisen and Jacchri gave him a piece of wire as well.

I also had a breakthrough in the kitchen. I successfully made two rice cakes! I gave one to Talisen. I've also made a good deal of berry juice. People bring me berries all the time. I tried to make a few loaves of wheat bread but things did not go nearly as well. I ended up with several charred lumps of dough. One was even completely burned on the outside and a sticky doughy mess on the inside. I have no idea how that happened. I'm out of ingredients for bread though, so I'll have to go on an adventure again. I hope Talisen is up for another trip.

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Mai 12, 1386

I have been doing my best to help out around town and occationally leave to find ingredients for my baking. I decided I needed corn and Talisen and I usually find corn in the public fields of Fort Velensk. I was leaving town, a bit apprehensive to make the journy alone, but then I spied Jacchri. He was headed that way actually and offered to walk with me to the Fort. I was disappointed when I got there because all the corn had recently been picked. We were about to go when we noticed an angry mob and some soldiers trying to keep them in line.

After some investigation we found that a girl had come down with an illness and only one man knows a cure. He sometimes comes to town when someone falls ill, but not always. The last time someone fell ill of this deadly disease, he did not come and the widow left behind was bitter and angry. This time he did come, but the woman berated him and feeling insulted he left, giving her one week to appologize.

The sick girl's mother was obviously upset at this and blamed the woman for letting her daughter lay dying. Several people who happened to be in town questioned the mother about the past and what was currently happening. While this was going on, that recklass brownie Karyth broke into the widow's house and nearly scared her to death. The guards locked him up in the jail. I feel bad for him, but he really needs to learn how to behave.

Unfortunately after this, the widow was so shaken and scared she went into the jail tower for protection and we couldn't try to reason with her about appologizing. Eventually the man with the cure returned, but he slipped into town quietly and had words with the widow. She refused to appologize and he left without leaving the cure. I'm sure the girl will now likely die.