King Yalaring's Journal

21st August 821

I sent my dear Yalvan off this morning with Annen Sone, Wulfa and my most trusted hunters. I'm desperately hoping time away from the luxuries of the palace will make a man of him and curb his youthful indulgences. I found out too late that he took that Aquilonian whore Sextilia Wideread with him.

We have to find out what's behind the strange requests for offerings coming out of the Winter Palace in the last 10 years. The temple here has run out of money for Valar's increasingly bizarre demands and I've had to start digging into my own coffers. And it only gets worse each year.

Yalvan is initially going to the Ruins of Kupchak as it is rumoured one of the lizard men there has somehow returned from the Winter Palace. The rumours are quite frankly unbelievable. Torath tells me this can't be true but he's not coming up with any answers.

3rd September 821

Annen Sone has sent news that Yalvan has not made it to the Ruins of Kupchak. Instead he's headed east and ended up in Yaryg. It appears he's engaged Publius Sharpaxe as an archaeologist. Publius, although an Aquilonian, has a good reputation and it this gives me hope that my dear Yalvan hasn't given up on the mission.

Annen disappointingly tells me that Yalvan is engaging in his usual habits with Sextilia and other women in Yaryg. Vania is as worried about all this as I am.

30th October 821

By Valar it's cold today. A messenger has arrived from Annen Sone with good news. Publius Sharpaxe seems to have got the mission back on track. A shrewd decision on my son's part to hire him. They've made it to the Ruins of Kupchack. One of the party is fluent in lizard man but they got ambushed. Annen tells me the men fought well and Publius's guards are an asset to the force. It's good that Yalvan is learning about monster slaying first hand. He'll make a famous hunter yet.

Annen asked after her sister. I sent word back that Dushi is causing trouble as usual amongst the other priests of Valar. Ar-Ym-Sr took a dislike to Dushi for some reason and she narrowly escaped being eaten. She won't tell me what she did that angered him. He's one of the few crocodiles I didn't feel uneasy in the presence of but I guess Dushi can cause trouble anywhere. I sometimes wish I hadn't met Annen and Dushi in the Shambling Satyr but Annen's service has more than paid for the trouble her sister causes.

15th November 821

Annen tells me they retreated to the old dwarf ruins of Vagrahm after Yalvan fell sick. They discovered a temple of sorts deep in the Ruins of Kupchak but Yalvan was leading the way and inhaled the spores of some sort of mould. He's having terrible dreams. Annen tells me that Wulfa is taking good care of him and he's recovering. This is a worrying development. It's why I've always hunted monsters above ground.

Nevertheless they captured a lizard man and interrogated him. It seems the stories of one of them returning from the Winter Palace were true. They refer to him as the messenger of Valar.

22nd November 821

Another messenger from Annen arrived with good news. Yalvan is recovered! Annen tells me he's still having disturbing dreams and not sleeping much but is determined to get back to the temple. It sounds like Yalvan is turning into a real leader.

29th January 822

It's over two months now. Not a word from Annen. My dearest Vania has left with Ogolorph and hunters who range up as far as the Ruins of Kupchak. Decius Sunsword has a man watching every warrior leave the city. I know he is just waiting on word from Izabra.

11th February 822

My dearest Vania has returned to me. She found the secret passage to the temple in the Ruins. There she found evidence of a massacre. She found the remains of our men. It appeared as though they had been pulled apart by animals but she said no bite marks could be seen. She could not find Yalvan or Wulfa. They were beset by a large force of lizard men and were forced to retreat at the loss of many lives I cannot spare.

My only hope is that it seems odd that none of my men were eaten. Maybe the lizard men captured my son for some reason as yet unknown. I have sent out a few trusted hunters to see if there is any hope.