After the assault against the Syndicate, Yashir, Solia, Bri, and myself all followed the trail left by those who fled to an encampment unlike any I have seen before. The force we staved off a few days prior in the attack on the Syndicate was nothing in comparison the the army of goblins, hobgoblins, bugbears, devils, and even Zhentarim that was stationed out in the Greypeak Mountains. Orlak seemed to have many friends and even stronger allies, as we all discussed possible ways of entry. Behind the army there was a Dwarven set of ruins, an archway that lead underground, which lead me to believe there might be another way in...

Which was easily found, thanks to my compatriots and their keen eyes. Avoiding the army outside and going down into the underground structure, we carefully made our way round... Bearded devils seemed to guard a set of doors, and again, we discussed what to do. Fortunately, the guards left, and we crept further down the hall. Only to run into those guards that patrolled down to the south. Dispatching of them quickly, I found an list of names, supposedly the supervisor was in for the day. The door to the west was... suspicious, so we headed south, discovering a few innocents that were held captive here.

Bri and Solia freed them, just as we were interrupted by this supposed supervisor. She started speaking to us, though, she fell rather quickly to a full on assault. Her allies, though, were another story, as they started to bombard us with fireballs. We managd to take them out, but it was not an easy task...

After a short rest, we carried on, coming across a different door. It was guarded by a ward, same as the door to the north, so Yashir managed to dispel it. However... we coudnt get in. There was no handle, and it seemed as though the door opened by a different mechanism. Going back up, we returned to the first door and made our way inside, only for a giant sawblade to extend from the wall. Rushing through, pillars began to collapse around us, and there were wards that I just barely noticed in my run. The entire hallway was riddled with these traps, and we managed to survive each of them...

At the ened of the hall there was a staircase, and we climbed it, only to be greeted by a beholder and friends. He was a high ranking member of the Zhentarim, and his main eye was a big problem... Antimagic. I stayed out of his sight as i tucked against the wall, and negotiations started. He seemed to want the book that Orlak had, which I figured was a reasonable request, though, the others said it was promised to a red wizard. These negotiations went nowhere, and eventually it came to blows. We just barely survived....

But, with the doorway activated, we could further venture into the bowels of this place, and kill Orlak.

The day started, as many do, with the intention to Spar with Arlis. He and I had just readied ourselves when the wardrums and horns began to echo out across campus, and it seemed as though we were under attack. Rushing out, we met up with Snap, and the three of us moved into action. I created an opening, a portal, directly beside the closest enemies, and we all rushed through to counter this assault.

This was a massive force, though, I heard more combat on the opposite side. Instructing Snap and Arlis to go provide reinforcements to that side, I continued to cut my way through the army. They had siege weapons and forces by the dozens, which meant I needed to move quickly. Drawing focus, along with Bri, the rest of the Syndicate started to move into action as I began taking down enemies.

It seemed to draw on for days, though, there was nothing to do but keep on fighting. Surx managed to connect Yashir, Solia, Bri, and myself mentally, which was a... benefit. We were able to communicate with one another, at least. Not that that did us any good, in the long run, as miscommunication was all we managed to get. Too many orders were being given and none were being taken.

However, we did not fall, and the Syndicate remains steadfast. Woe be to any who dare challenge us in this manner again.

It is no surprise that this past month has been the most explosive when it comes to my growth and exponential when it came to my potential. I spent almost every day sparring, as I intend to continue to do so, but that was not all. I built my home. A bastion of my own, I no longer am forced to spend my days and evenings in the Barracks. Do I intend to return every day to utilize the facilities? Absolutely; that Sparring Ring is far to special to practice with another anywhere else.

Despite the fact that I do have a training grounds on my own property, I would never subject another to the potential of death under my blade. That would do no one any good. Perhaps I will look into getting the same wards placed on my home, though, I do not know where to begin for such abjuration.

I have garnered a reputation with some Syndicate members due to my relentless sparring habits. It is not unfounded, of course, but I do find the development to be most puzzling. Not everyone views such practice as intensely as I do, which is their own shortcoming, and this has lead to a number of disagreements at their conclusions. But, I can only hope that they take something from the encounter, rather than resorting to the fallacies of emotion. Loss and failure are great teachers, too, as necessity is the mother of invention.

As I progress, my knowledge of magic expounds to the almost unheard of. I can create more than I ever dreamed, and hope to heighten this growth into the next echelon. Until next month, where I intend to reach the rank of Master.

Wet. There are a lot of things that this mission made me feel, but I believe wet is the overwhelming state that I wish to impart upon whoever it is that reads these things. I was wet. As was everyone else who came along through the portal under the behest of Captain Aurora, instructed to meet with Thalia Moonshadow in a place called the Kelp and Kraken. Yashir, Sal, Shev, Tem and myself did as we were told, arriving on the island that was more a ribcage of some great titan than anything else. Yashir and Shev caught the rest of the group up on the circumstances of the Mistborne.

Or was it Mistsworn?? I didnt get a clear answer there..

Despite the confusion, there was no uncertainty about our purpose. The Dark Tide, lead by a crazed cult leader named Uazi, were seeking to free some snake god Joturr from its prison. Apparently, it would devour the world, or something of the sort. I was busy casting Water Breathing on the group when discussions happened.

Discussions with this Thalia Moonshadow and a halfling man named Erlan Fleetfoot. He had some ancient artifact, the Tidewheel, which he stole from Uazi. He and his sister had apparently joined Uazi's cult, which was no longer exactly... human. He nearly was transformed into one of the sea creatures, but managed to escape with this orrery. It was supposedly crucial for a ritual that the cult intended to use...

But, just as I got my spell off, water came rushing in the tavern door. It appeared that the Dark Tide had risen, and we needed to keep Erlan and this orrery safe! Running through town, we fought fishy foes, and saved a family from a truly gruesome end. Eventually the orrery started to activate, blasting a ray of light up into the sky. Erlan began to transform. We managed to... well, slow the process, saving him for the time being, but the mission wasnt over yet.

Arriving at the docks, we realized that there were other civilians being taken away. I rushed in to help them, but... I couldnt be in two places at once. The party was struggling, and I had a duty to keep them safe first. A duty that resulted in them being taken to gods know where... They will not be forgotten.

Eventually, Yashir must have done something, as there was another beam of light from the Lighthouse we were told to deliver the Tidewheel to, and every creature we were fighting turned and marched that direction. We barely managed to escape...

I hope it was enough.

Perhaps the most baffling of circumstances I have ever found myself in, as I woke up from a sleep I do not remember taking. I have not slept in centuries, so the fact that I did, indeed, wake up was quite the start. A start that only got worse as I, along with Shev, Bri, Solia, and someone I have never met, though I discovered his name is Yashir, were practically naked; stripped of all our items in this liminal space. A campsite, of sorts, where there was a potion with a note attached and a collection of motes of light. The lights, of course, attempted to kill us shortly after we tried to get our bearings.

Despite our lack of memories, some of my companions understood that they could imagine items and they would appear. How fortuitous, it seemed, as I imagined a smallsword and started to strike at these monsters. With each one defeated, Bri was granted memories of our circumstances; where we were in the Cormanthor forest, on a mission for someone named Dara, and we were sent from the town of Lighthouse to retrieve an elven artifact, some Chalice. During this time, I imagined us all some clothes, so everyone would be comfortable.

A mistake, it seemed, as we all then awoke in the real world. I was getting whiplash, and everything we imagined disappeared. Once again, naked and itemless, the potion remained, harboring a note. A trickster named Dukana stole our memories, items, dignity, and tasked us with solving his mind puzzle. We had to figure out who he gave our items to, and then make them drink the potion.

The only clue we had was that they were the one who warned us of the trap. What trap? I wasnt sure. But, Solia found tracks, roughly the same number as our party, so we followed them to this temple. 'Retracing our steps', at the behest of this note. We came across a temple to Labelas Enoreth, which appeared as though it hadnt been explored in centries. I was immediately thrilled, and wanted to go inside. This, of course, clouded my insight, and I nearly fell in a pitfall trap. This was the trap they warned me of... but I couldnt remember who it was that warned me.

We go inside, meet its ghostly caretaker, who asked why we returned. We explained, and found further clues to this riddle. Memories returned, we tried to leave, only to be accosted by this Dukana, and a collection of tricky monsters... The fight is not worth repeating, nor are any of the jokes that threw me into fits of forced laughter.

We returned to Lighthouse, and solved the riddle with the assistance of our memories returning to us! Of course, we got our items back, but received nothing for the actual mission. We got robbed and got nothing to show for it.

Truly, a... unforgettable venture.

Once again, I returned to the north to deal with more giants. This was starting to become a much larger problem than I could have ever expected, especially with the first time I traversed north it was just to explore an ancient ruin. The legends of Hotun-Shûl have been paying dividends.

A rather large excursion of us; Sylk, Willow, Tova, Sal (who just so happens to be alive, despite my belief to the contrary) and myself met with Seer and a dwarf woman named Emelia, who had certainly seen better days. Apparently, in Birthright Stones, a troop of dwarves under the Order of the Gauntlet were barricading themself against a sizeable force. Lt Adrianna and Captain Ezra were amongst those trapped, and apparently they had some tablet that would help against the coming giant invasion. We were sent to save those currently blockading against the army before reinforcements arrived and utterly wiped them out.

There was no time to waste.

The journey took hours, and we did not rest on the entire trip. There wasnt enough time, and despite being buried under avalanches, fighting large centipede like creatures that burned like fire when cut, and weather that whipped at our ears, we eventually reached the encampment. Exhaustion was certainly effecting the group's critical thinking skills, myself included, as we made our way down towards the Birthright Stones. Patrolling guards with icewolves were a threat that we quickly dispatched, but someone noticed that this army had a... almost respectful culture related to duels. We approached and challenged them to a duel to let us pass. Which, of course, we handedly won.

Arriving inside, it appeared that every dwarf had survived, and we just needed to come up with a plan to escape. I got an idea to use the snow as our escape route, cause an avalanche, and ride on giant sarcophaguses like toboggans on the way out! The plan went off without a hitch, or, well, we lost some dwarves on the way, but that was... par for the course, really.

We returned, and with only a 4th of the original dwarven team missing, it was a good enough job for accolades. Both the Order of the Gauntlet and the Lord's Alliance were pleased, and Seer was thrilled.

This adventure started in Stagwick, at a place called The Weary Giant Inn, where Ivor, Surx, Shev, and myself met with SEER and Wum Burdun. Discussions were had involving movements of Giants to the north, as the pair feared that the Hartkiller Horn, the one that is said to hold the power to control all giantkind Surx, Ivor and myself read about in the ruins of Hotun-Shûl. The fact that this was a mission involving things that had previously killed me was not lost on me during the discussions. Our mission, however, was not to find the Horn, but an outpost.

The Ise Feasting. Their Frontier Scout, Blot, had apparently located this observation tower, and we were sent to find him and locate the tower. We each purchased some cold weather gear, were each given a Superior potion of Healing, before setting out into the cold and unforgiving landscape.

It was bitter cold, and the weather did not cooperate the entire journey. Heavy snowfall obscured our view, and echoing winds deafened our ears for the hours we marched. It was a slow and difficult trek, until we came across three ogres around a camp. Our ambush went off without a hitch, but it appeared our Scout, Blot, had met an... well, untimely end. His journal did provide adequate instructions on how to find Ise Feasting, which we used as our guiding light in this dark and icy frontier.

Crossing a frozen lake, we were ambushed by frozen skeletons and a white dragon. It does no one any good to recount the exact details of this fight, but as I was the last one standing at the end of it, completely spent of all my energy, I was beyond fortunate that none of my companions perished. Potions were used, and unconsciousness was a far better reality than death. It was far too close for comfort. I am ever grateful that I practice at the intensity that I do.

We eventually got to Ise Feasting, and scouted around briefly, before we were spotted by the ogres inside. We were all worn out, barely standing, as a female frost giant caster assailed us from above, hidden in the tower from our sights. Managing to clear the first floor, she eventually appeared, and we took her out with no little difficulty.

However, this is a warning to all who wish to adventure with Shev: do not stand beside his enemies that he strikes. His inability to accurately blast them in ways that avoid his companions is a detriment and danger to all. I found unconsciousness at the end of the fight, as he knocked the frost giant's lifeless corpse atop me. Be alert.

At the request of Thrax, Mimsy, Jax, and myself followed a lead towards some drow that were apparently causing trouble nearby. A... well, certainly narrow minded sort of quest, under first glance, as Thrax seemed all to eager to assume the stereotype. A fact that did not go unmentioned to him, but, Thrax seemed unfazed at our remarks. Apparently, he was serious...

After a quick journey to a cave entrance, we reached a river that lead into a cave. Jax cast a quick waterwalk, and we made our way inside. Mimsy took point as Jax and I snuck behind invisibly. Performer that he is, Mimsy charmed his way inside, the guard falling prey to an enchantment of some form. Claiming to be entertainment, the guard lead him deeper into the cave... Jax and I followed behind as quickly and quietly as we could.

There were countless captured mining away on our journey, which... while we didnt like the fact that the drow were slavers, it seemed that was the case. Rounding a corner, the details of what happened between Mimsy and the Drow Captain are cloudy, but violence immediately followed.

Focusing fire on the lieutenant, I managed to hold him in place, before my blades made swift work of him. Giant spiders crawled from the walls, and further drow provided backup as the battle carried on. It was a labyrinth of twisting cave paths, and when the true Priestess leader arrived, we had just barely managed to dispatch of the first group.

She was a powerhouse of a caster. I had safeguards in place, which she dispelled twice. Unconsciousness found me soon after when she was the only combatant remaining. Jax woke me from my rest, and we barely managed to survive the attack. But we did survive. That is all that matters.

And everyone else survived, too, and we released them back to their lives and freedom. A boon, indeed, as that was not guaranteed.

Perhaps there are some secrets that should remain hidden. Perhaps there are only dangers resting beneath dust. Perhaps death comes for those who seek truth.

Perhaps that is worth the risk.

Ivor, Surx, and myself were sent by an arcane leader named Seer to investigate the Seven Stones, a place filled with great energy and giant potential. When we arrived, the Whispering Stone was there, safeguarding the stones, which I was quick to determine that they were more than stone obelisks. They were almost like cocoons, hybernating the giants until they were ready to emerge. The Whispering Stone was leading this meditation, and needed us to visit this Hotun-Shul to uncover the secrets this ancient site contained.

We arrived to a long climb down, and slowly made our way into the dome like structure. Immediately both Ivor and myself were facinated by the carvings on the walls, and started to uncover the story they left behind. The origin of giants, told in multiple parts.
Each of Annam’s children founded an entire race of giant-kind. The most commonly known are as follows:

Masud. The progenitor of the fire giants.

Nicias. The progenitor of the cloud giants.

Obadai. The progenitor of the stone giants.

Ottar. The progenitor of the frost giants.

Ruk. The progenitor of the hill giants.

Vilmos. The progenitor of the storm giants.

Lanaxis. The progenitor of the titans.

Arno and Julin. The two-headed progenitors of the ettins.

Vaprak. The progenitor of the ogres

But this place was more than the history, it was also full of traps and terrors. We managed to use a large log that bolstered those who used it strength, and made our way through the massive halls. I discovered many traps along our journey, having Surx to disable them. Eventually, we came across Ilsenstad, the Ghost founder of this place, as his spirit would not pass on until it was finished. He told us of the Grimlochs, a species of monsters that destroyed this place. Finishing his work was going ot be A long endeavor, but was one I was willing to undertake if I had some help.

Gathering many gems, we continued on, but were accosted by two elementals. A fire and wind elemental, they killed Surx before we had a chance to save him. Resting for a moment, Ivor and I determined to continue along, uncover all we could, before going back. We discovered the origin of three runes, Liv: Life Rune, Ferd: Journey Rune, and Dod: Death Rune. We even killed some grimlochs that were locked away underneath the cave in at the end...

However, when we returned to the entrance, a guardian was there waiting for us. It killed me with one mighty swing, and I woke up in a place I did not recognize. I am certainly grateful that we got out alive, and Ivor had the sense to bring us to someone who could help, but that was far too close for my liking.

I will ensure to bring potions on future missions...

At the behest of the Emerald Enclave, Arlis, Astra, Mimsy, Jaeherys, and I all set out into the woods to prevent a ritual from occurring surrounding an Owlbear. It was a relatively straightforward mission, as we set out into the forest in search of this group. We were quickly assaulted by bears and brigands, with bows and bites, but were able to handle them through the weaving trees about. Then, we ventured further, discovering the campsite that they used to rest and recoup.

Each of us split off, taking out the members one by one and in such a stealthy order. They were performing an initiation ritual, which Mimsy was quick to interrupt, before I joined in on the fun. The woods were wild, and magical mishaps were abound. A fact that, fortunately, only seemed to benefit us, as we each either blossomed with butterflies or, in the case of one of my strikes, utterly maxed out its potential. The entire camp fell to our capabilities, and Astra discovered many artifacts that, after some further investigation, we realized could interrupt their ascension. A Lion's mask, a Cloak of Feathers, and a Bear-hide Vest.

When we arrived at the ritual, things were already in an explosive order, as lighting and chanting of three druidic cultists caused storms to swirl above and atop us all. Our items we wore caused the magic of the ritual to switch, no longer channeling to the owlbear but to our own forms. Swiftly, bolstered by this magic, we handled the three, before there was only the owlbear remaining. While I restrained from killing the beast, a kindness on my part against my better judgement, the others seemed pleased that we let the monstrosity live. The Emerald Enclave, most of all.

Let us hope this was not the wrong decision.

Perhaps I have made a grave mistake in leaving my post, coming to somewhere I have never seen before, and abandoning the responsibilities I was tasked with for the potential for something grander. Perhaps I am never meant to learn more about this world around me, and I must wait a century or more for my punishment's conclusion to be assigned a new task.

Or, perhaps taking my fate into my own hands is exactly what I need to grow.

Stagnant and comfortable, as comfortable as one can be when tasked with guarding a gate that has not been crossed in decades if not centuries, my bones ache for the thrill of exploration and my mind hungers for knowledge undiscovered. If the two who came across my plight, Stranger and Wanderer, happen to be here, then I will have made the right decision. For now, having just arrived and filled out the paperwork, I am hopeful that they will soon reveal themselves, and we may at once continue the conversations that prompted my swift exodus.

Though, if Surx is to be believed, they are both dead... and perhaps that is just the way of the world.