Nell's Diary

4th of Junet, 1581 TR

Dear Diary,

Where to begin? I met an elf named Erhivor as I was traveling to Ashden’s Point. He is pleasant, though strange. He was going the same way, so we decided to travel together and he let me put some of my gear on his donkey (or is it a mule? I can’t tell the difference, honestly). On the road we came across Brom, a real live barbarian. He wears furs and has braids in his hair and he smells atrocious. I knew I would come across some up at the wall because of the treaty, but I wasn’t expecting to meet one so soon, nor was I expecting that he would come along with us to Ashden’s Point. As it turned out, he was also supposed to meet Lucian Banebright. He managed to remember this despite a nasty hangover.

When we got to town, we met Lucian Banebright at an inn called the Salted Pork or Tasty Pig or something. He was expecting me and Brom, but then Erhivor informed us that he was going to the wall as well. I was quite surprised at this, as he looked far too dainty to be a decent cadet, but he explained that he was to study with the Tower Initiates. Lucian Banebright then gave us our first orders – escort a convict with us to the wall. A convict. Escort a convict. His name is Gideon and apparently he’s been spared a trip to the gallows by agreeing to serve on the Watchguard. I’m not sure what he did to get arrested in the first place, but seeing as he’s from the Fen, I’m not surprised he committed a crime. I imagine he’s committed many, but was only now caught. However, despite his background (or, actually, probably because of it) he was quite handy in the fight against the undead.

That’s right – undead. Walking corpses. Well, one walking corpse and two skeletons – both of whom I dispatched with my maul. Part of me still can’t quite believe that I fought undead, but it really happened; it’s all so strange. First, we had Gideon released from his jail cell. The jailor, Knute, seemed to be completely incompetent, but apparently that was all a ruse. That evening, as the four of us were eating dinner in the Ham place, we heard a woman scream. We rushed outside to investigate, and saw a decapitated corpse lying in front of the jail. Brom knelt down to investigate, and suddenly the corpse’s hand lashed out! Brom stood there like an idiot and got a good walloping, and then Gideon and I attacked it with a dagger and maul, respectively. Erhivor shot arrows at it, and then when he realized how futile that was, started throwing rocks, which always seemed to hit me. Brom turned out to be even more useless than Erhivor, running back to the inn and trying the door (which was locked). After Gideon finished off the zombie (I can’t believe I just wrote that down), an animated skeleton broke down the door of the jail. I jumped in front of it and started to fight, not realizing that I was blocking Gideon’s way. After I saw him standing there with a rocking chair held over his head, I backed off and let him into the fray. The rocking chair broke of course, but still, I appreciated Gideon’s attempt to do some actual damage. Imagine – the convict is more helpful than the elf or the barbarian!

After I crushed the skeletons into ash (there was another inside the jail), I was in quite a bad state. You’d think I’d be complaining about the pain, but after what happened to me later, I’ve realized just how much pain a person can be in, and the injuries I sustained in the fight with the undead really pale in comparison. So, I was bleeding from the ear, and Gideon tried to patch me up (that was awkward). Then he put me in a panic when he handed me a radish and said I had to hold it to the wound to keep from getting cabbage ear! I wasn’t quite sure what that was, but it sounded awful. So, I wobbled back into the Salted Piggy and found Brom eating away at his stew, completely healed. I was quite curious about that, and I asked him about it. Seeing my bandages, he suddenly produced a bone and waved it at me. I was afraid he was cursing me with some filthy primitive magic, but miraculously, my wounds began to heal. I was unsettled to say the least, but I suppose I have to be grateful, as the bone did save my life later on.

Suddenly we heard some commotion from outside. Gideon was being interrogated by Philip, the head priest at the local temple of Heironeous. He wanted to know what had happened, and why there was a decapitated corpse. We explained about the undead, and found the body was not Knute as I had previously believed. Erhivor explained that he thought he had seen Knute run off behind the jail and into the forest. Then Gideon took Philip inside the jail and showed him clues as to the criminal activities that had been going on. Knute had a trunk filled with a disguise kit, a forgery kit, and a silver coin with a six-pointed star on it. Also, there were human bones that appeared to have been skinned of their flesh. Gideon informed Philip that he had suspected Knute of selling prisoners into slavery, but the discovery of the bones (and the whole undead incident) had us wondering if he wasn’t involved in some sort of necromancy.

Honestly! The things that go on outside of Tiryns! I had no idea. And the food is terrible. The Salted Ham served “food” that was barely edible. What I wouldn’t give for a bit of cheese and glass of wine! Oh, or how about scones with clotted cream and marmalade? Oh, it's torture! My mouth is watering at the very thought. Brom doesn't seem to mind the food, nor does Gideon. I can only imagine the kinds of food they're used to eating.

Anyway, Philip was very interested in the silver coin, so he told us to come to the temple the next morning to talk with him about it. However, when we got there, we found Philip near death, and most of the other priests lying dead around him. Brom healed him with his bone, and he told us that Knute had returned in the night to steal back the coin. Apparently, it’s Eastern currency, which is highly unusual because they are not allowed to trade in these parts. Outside the temple, Gideon found Knute’s trail, and Brom tracked him.

Gideon was annoyed that we were risking our lives to pursue Knute. He said as much at one point, and I pointed out to him that for someone who has been spared a death sentence, he certainly complains a lot. And just what does he think we’ll be doing as members of the Watchguard? I’ll admit, I wasn’t expecting undead or fighting alongside convicts, but I know that this life will put my life in peril again and again. Tracking down Knute was the right thing to do, and I think our duty as well, considering we are cadets-to-be. Gideon needs to learn this – fast.

So, Brom tracked Knute to a little river, and then up the river we found his boat. We followed his trail until we spotted a campfire. I stayed back as I make a lot of noise in my armor. The boys went ahead to sneak up on him, but then Brom fell over a log (isn’t he supposed to comfortable in the outdoors?) and cried out. That startled me, and I thought they’d been spotted, so I went charging into the camp. Knute was there, along with a bizarre creature in a robe – an Orgosh. He was small, and had lizard-type features. He ran off as soon as he heard us and blew on a horn to alert the rest of the horrid little things. Gideon fired off an arrow and pinned the creature to a tree.

Meanwhile, I made quick work of Knute with my maul (the others helped too). I even got him right in the groin! He really deserved it too, not just for the priests, but for slashing me with a poisoned blade. When Knute was near death, Gideon got him to submit, and I searched his trunk for an antidote. I also found some papers which turned out to be forged orders of execution for fellow prisoners of the Ashden’s Point jail.

We tied Knute up and then Erhivor, Brom and I started off towards the river, dragging Knute along behind us, while Gideon (rather valiantly, I have to admit) stayed behind to pick off the Orgoshi as they chased us. Unfortunately this plan didn’t work out so well as were ambushed when we got to Knute’s boat. That was the fight where I felt HORRIBLE HORRIBLE PAIN.

I’ve realized now that it's one thing when you're playing in the garden with your brothers. You get a few skinned knees, a twisted ankle, maybe a bloody nose, but you forget about it in an hour or so and go back to playing. How is one supposed to go on when there are JAVELINS EMBEDDED IN HER CHEST?! And the horrid things were barbed which made pulling them out especially painful. I really thought I was going to die, until Brom shook his bone at me.

In any case, we managed to get out of there, but were unable to make it back to Ashden’s Point before nightfall, so we camped in the woods. During the night, while Gideon was on watch, an Easterner came upon us and killed Knute with poisoned darts. Gideon alerted the rest of us and together we killed the assassin before he could kill us, thankfully. We went back to Ashden’s Point the next morning.

It’s amazing to me when I think about all that has already happened, and we’re not even at the wall yet. I have a suspicion it’s only going to get more difficult. Oh well, at least I got to bash things with my maul, which is always good fun. And when I think about what my life could have been, either married off to an old man or stuck at home with Mother until the end of my days, I know I made the right choice in coming on this journey.

You know what? I’ve just realized that there was also the body of the woman we heard scream in the first place. I assume Knute ran after cutting her throat, knowing we were in town and would catch him if he stayed. But who was she? What was she doing in the jail? Why did Knute kill her? I’m very troubled that I did not think to ask Philip who she was before we left that sorry little town. Currently we’re camped along the road. I’m writing this entry before settling in for the night. I was thinking I’d try and write a letter to Lex, but I’m not sure how much of my adventures I should include; I don’t want to worry him. At the very least I must tell him of my companions so he can inform Mother. I’d give anything to see her face when he does.

Love, Nell