2019-11-26 – One day all this will be mine(s) – Heret

26 27 Uktar, 1396 AR
at the OMTC factory, Daring Heights

Very weary, must write briefly before sleeping. Now well past midnight.

Different & greater trouble in the catacombs than expected. First, found temple in village lately occupied, with candle still (magically) burning in upper chamber next to journal of one Sir Hastor Janast – apparently a follower of the Raven Queen & a sort of disciple of Gladstone’s and one of the band mentioned by ZS, come to Stoneleaf in search of the legend of Heroditus Lex!

Traces indicate this party entered the quarry several days ago. They had somehow opened the remaining two doors and after some hesitation took the middle way, which we followed. Passed through:

• chamber with a skull on a plinth, a riddle in its mouth (‘I have a tongue but cannot speak’ &c.), answer is ‘candle’;
  
• taking NW exit, a tunnel to another chamber, not explored;
  
• taking NE exit, a dead end with corpses (the men I sent ahead, I suspect);
  
• taking E exit, a tunnel to another room, not explored;
  
• taking W exit, a comfortable study – we took this route.
  

Before the study was the body of, I think, one of Hastor’s companions, holding a round stone that magically holds the sound of Hastor’s speech. Leading to the study a short corridor with shallow pool of blood all over the floor. In the study itself, a voice admonishes any who enter with blood on their shoes, but an empty bucket & brush therein can magically clean the blood away. Took papers from the desk, to read later. Illusory fireplace.

Beyond the illusion, a chasm with a huge gaming board at the bottom. By winning the game in a single move one creates a path across. Next is a dark doorway that I think akin to a teleportation circle, for there’s a feeling of disjuncture as one passes.

By this portal is reached a large stone hall, apparently without exit. Within, the voice again. It claims to be Heroditus Lex himself! Well, anyone may claim to be a figure from folklore, but the voice does seem to have some power over what passes within these tunnels. It says that it has been there for 800 years and calls the place its own. Claims to have killed Hastor’s party and somehow possessed or enslaved him – and in truth there was a tall armoured figure in the hall, moving like a puppet and bearing a fixed expression of anguish.

The voice asks for help to leave and complete its quest for life unending. Though for the most part it spoke to us as one, it also once spoke differently to each, promising some thing or other; I know not precisely what it offered the others, but to me it held out a promise of long life and youth, time to achieve all my ambitions and more. The price of these favours, said the voice, is to bring a great quantity of blood to the hall so that the voice can be free.

No one seemed to reject the offer outright, nor to accept it. F in particular I noticed whispering much, into the air, though I heard not what they said. The voice told us that we were free to leave, and so, fearing what the others might do, I instructed everyone to depart – the egress was through some steps within the pit – and myself did the same at last. Found ourselves back in the village square and, curiously, from the place of the sun in the sky it seemed that no time had passed since we entered the tunnels.

Clearly no one else can be allowed to stray into that place. I know not whether this voice speaks truly, but if it does, I fear what it may do if it should receive the help it demands. And, besides, if it is to be released, shall I allow one other than myself to reap the reward? No, it must be kept sealed up until I can be sure what’s to be done.

I ordered therefore that we return to DH with all speed. Left the others, tired, to camp for the night beside the road not far from DH, while I (and B, who wished for her own reasons to return swiftly) rode through the evening to reach town. Now to snatch some sleep before rising at first light.

Tomorrow:

• brief L;
  
• instruct GH to identify the items we found;
  
• divide acquisitions among party when they reach town;
  
• ask them what they were offered and what they intend to do;
  
• hire ~10 capable warriors;
  
• introduce each to GH & instruct him to communicate with them daily;
  
• ride with the mercenaries back to Stoneleaf without delay to establish an armed guard outside the quarry.
  

Soon:

• study Hastor’s journal & the papers taken from the study.