Various Book Quests

	Text	Location
	Diary of Lord Aldyrian Commander of the Edronian Forces in Darama 17th Day of Sun's Height We arrived at the outpost three weeks ago. The fortress stands atop a sandstone ridge overlooking the southern barrens and the endless desert. Its walls are old but sturdy. The men complain about the heat, but morale remains acceptable. Dragon sightings have increased. Three ships from Edron have failed to arrive. We suspect the beasts have expanded their hunting grounds. I have reinforced the watch towers and ordered magical wards placed along the eastern approach. For now, we endure. 21st Day of Sun's Height Another attack. A green dragon descended shortly before dusk. It burned two walls before the archers managed to drive it away. Harod was turned to ash before my eyes. The men are shaken. Some have begun sleeping in the chapel. 25th Day of Sun's Height Something unusual today. Scouts captured a vampire wandering the desert. The creature was bound in silver chains and confined beneath the keep. It refuses to answer questions and merely smiles whenever addressed. I have ordered further study. 27th Day of Sun's Height The vampire finally spoke. It claimed there are "older things" awakening beneath Darama. When questioned further it laughed until blood ran from its mouth. The guards requested permission to kill it. I denied them. Knowledge is worth more than comfort. 30th Day of Sun's Height A second vampire was captured. This one was feral. We conducted controlled experiments regarding sunlight resistance and magical exposure. Results were immediate. The creature erupted into flame before our eyes. Not ordinary fire. Crimson fire. Possibly the work of Anima herself. The men cheered at first. Then they saw what remained. Several have since requested reassignment. 33rd Day of Sun's Height The first vampire has become more cooperative. It asked me if I had ever listened to the desert. A ridiculous question. Yet tonight I found myself standing atop the western tower long after midnight. In the distance I can see light coming from one of the mountains of the barrens. The wind does sound strange. Almost like voices. 36th Day of Sun's Height Three soldiers deserted. We found one wandering naked in the dunes. He kept insisting someone was calling his name from beneath the sand. He died shortly after sunrise. No wounds. No poison. Simply dead. The men whisper constantly now. 39th Day of Sun's Height The dragons attack every night. Not one dragon. Several. They circle overhead but rarely commit to a full assault. Watching. Waiting. Studying us. As if they know something. The vampire smiled when I told it this. I struck it. It thanked me. 41st Day of Sun's Height I cannot sleep. Whenever I close my eyes I hear scraping. Stone against stone. Claws perhaps. Or perhaps something digging. The guards found nothing. Yet the sounds continue. I hear them now. 43rd Day of Sun's Height The prisoner informed me that the fortress has no foundations. Impossible. Every structure has foundations. The creature laughed for nearly an hour. I ordered its tongue removed. It continued laughing. 44th Day of Sun's Height I examined the cellar personally. There are scratches on the stone. Fresh scratches. The guards deny responsibility. Someone is lying. 45th Day of Sun's Height I discovered the scratching. It was me. I awoke beside the wall. My fingernails were bleeding. The stone was marked with symbols I do not recognize. I have burned the page containing them. 46th Day of Sun's Height The vampire is gone. No broken chains. No signs of escape. The cell was empty. The guards swear they never opened the door. One of them was later found hanging from the battlements. 47th Day of Sun's Height The dragons are not attacking. They are fleeing. Tonight I watched six of them flying north. Running from something. Even dragons know fear. What does that tell us? 48th Day of Sun's Height There are voices in the walls. The others claim they hear nothing. Liars. Cowards. The walls speak. The sand speaks. The desert speaks. It knows my name. It has always known my name. 49th Day of Sun's Height I have sealed the lower chambers. The scratching continues. The men refuse to go below. I refuse as well. Wisdom is not cowardice. Wisdom is survival. Wisdom is knowing when a door must remain closed. 50th Day of Sun's Height The garrison is finished. Half have fled. The remainder pray constantly. Food stores are nearly depleted. The dragons have returned. The voices grow louder each night. The walls breathe. I can feel them breathing. Final Entry I understand now. The dragons were never the danger. The vampire knew. The desert knew. Something beneath us is waking. Something old. Something patient. The scratching has stopped because it no longer needs to dig. It is already here. I have written to Grandmaster Pharus. We leave before dawn. May Equilos forgive whoever remains. The walls are opening. I can hear them. I can hear them. I can hear them.	East Chaos Wizard spawn
Phoebe's Diary XIV	Page 4398 I find myself puzzled by these lands. Nowhere in my studies or experiences did I ever learn about the challenges I'd face here. I've secured a cabin aboard a ship called The Ebon Mare. The lengths I went to convince the captain... I shudder to think about them. A mix of pleading and half-truths, with my heart pounding every second, hoping he wouldn't see through me. Never again. The vessel departs from Venore in a fortnight. It's a massive ship, manned by capable men, though they are an odd bunch. They use slaves for labor, dwarves, elves, and humans alike. Now, more than ever, it is crucial I maintain my disguise. I met a young man named Arnold, a human. He's grown quite fond of me, though he tries to hide it. But I know. He wears a guard's uniform, or at least it looks like one. He works for an organization called The Red Rose. He's let me stay at his house until my departure. He likes my nails. It's such a small thing, but it made me feel noticed and a little special, like maybe someone actually saw me for more than my disguise. Here, she's drawn a small version of herself with a broad smile, looking very happy. The Venorean people are peculiar. They don't seem to like outsiders but haven't shown me much hostility. Yesterday, I saw a group of traders from Carlin trying to set up a stall. The locals sneered at them, and one of the guards even kicked over their display. Yet, when I passed by, they greeted me politely and even tipped their hats. I can't help but wonder what makes me different in their eyes. I suspect this might be due to my appearance. Perhaps they sense something familiar in me, or maybe they can't see through my disguise. They treat me kindly, at least. I've seen how they treat others, so perhaps I'm fortunate in this regard. I've been told The Ebon Mare is a colossal vessel, possibly rivaling one of our warships back in Valoria. Apparently, it sails around the world as a sort of vacation ship. The Venoreans call it a "Pleasure Vessel." I'm uncertain what kind of pleasures they mean, and perhaps I'm better off not knowing. A few days remain until departure. I'm unsure what to expect. My time in Venore has been surprisingly enjoyable, largely thanks to Arnold. I hope he's not becoming too attached, given my imminent departure. I wonder if he'll try to persuade me to stay. Departure Day As I expected, Arnold was upset with me yesterday for refusing to stay. I could see the hurt in his eyes. Perhaps I should have kept more distance between us. But part of me enjoyed his company too much, even knowing it would only make things harder when I left. Now, I can't help but feel a twinge of guilt. Boarding the ship was an extraordinary spectacle. Hundreds of people gathered around: dwarves, elves, humans, scantily dressed humans, and even more scantily dressed elves. What in the world is going on here? My cabin is pleasant enough, though it's not as spacious as the quarters on our warships in Valoria. Still, I think I can make this a comfortable home for the next few weeks as we sail around the continent. I caught a glimpse of Arnold near the gangplank. I hope I haven't broken his heart. A storm is brewing. I've spoken with a few people aboard, and they've advised me to stay in my cabin. I feel uneasy, though not entirely afraid. There's a certain thrill to the idea of a storm at sea, but I know better than to let my curiosity get the better of me. For now, I'll stay put and hope for calmer waters ahead. A large section of the page is adorned with a detailed drawing of a massive ship with towering sails and two machines at the stern, one of which has smoke billowing from its chimney. At the bottom, in elegant cursive, is her signature: Phoebe Godsfrey.	Island north-east of Ab'dendriel dragon Lair
	Spell: Ultimate Revenge Words: Exevo Gran Mas Kor Mana Cost: Uses lifeforce Difficulty: Forgotten Notes: There are no blood mages left, therefor this spell is impossible to cast. But ancient texts reveal blood mages who cast this spell. Possibly as a way to commit suicide.	East Chaos Wizard spawn
	Spell: Ultimate Explosion Words: Exevo Gran Mas Vis Mana Cost: The combined mana of several ancient wizard and witches, most likely in the tens of thousands. Difficulty: Impossible Notes: Said to have been cast once by a circle of wizards and witches. Including Aria and Zoltan.	East Chaos Wizard spawn
	Spell: Treefall Words: Exani Seca Mana Cost: 15 Difficulty: Easy Notes: Not effective against every kind of tree.	East Chaos Wizard spawn
	Spell: Mana Shield Words: Utamo Vita Mana Cost: Around 80 Difficulty: Very Hard Notes: Drains mana, so be careful casting it.	East Chaos Wizard spawn
	Spell: Clairvoyance Words: Exani Fos Mana Cost: 20 Difficulty: Medium Notes: Reveals secrets. Don't cast unless you really wanna know.	East Chaos Wizard spawn