Calagora's Quest
You have gathered in the library of The House of Arrold Wiseminster. Arrold sits in a padded leather chair. Before him he has the original scrolls and a new parchment with the translation carefully penned. Arrold drinks from a heavy goblet filled with wine, pauses then begins to speak.
“With the help of the Tomb of Igrurthorn, which you had recovered from the burial vault, I have been able to decode the magical encryption upon these scrolls. At first you may wonder, as I did, why so much effort was put into protecting this text. For it is nothing more than a personal journal kept by Calagora as he traveled from Boreamorr on his quest. But after translating and reading Calagora’s journal I came to a startling realization. Of this I will discus more, but first I will let you read the journal entries.”
Arrold hands the new parchment to Loki, asking, “Since your voice is well trained, would you read this aloud?”
Loki looks over the text, clears his throat and begins.
July 22
My departure from Boreamor appeared to have been subtle. The lights of that city have long since faded and this night is dark. I head north and travelers upon the road have dwindled, I am more at ease. My quest has begun; I pray it is right and that I succeed.
July 25
I have been traveling north for three days now I have seen no sign of any danger. I have taken precautions not to encounter other travelers, however I do not feel alone. Perhaps it is just the cargo I carry, or perhaps there is a true danger, I cannot tell.
July 26
The danger is true, a lone goblin, a spy for someone more than likely, I have dispatched of him with little effort, but I fear the damage is done, and I must be wearier than ever.
August 14
As I had feared, although the darkness is defeated and light is returning to the world, many of his dominions still pursue me. I am all the more convinced that we were right, and my quest all the more necessary.
October 7
The last two days have been uneventful. I continue my travel and have reached the meadows of Roane. If I am to head to Wyn Inish I must leave the shelter of the forest and travel within open fields, I do not cherish this thought but feel it is the right choice.
October 8
The goddess has created a beautiful land here, but I am a-nerved, I miss the shelter of the forests and am not used to this openness.
November 3
My council at Wyn Inish was beneficial. King Adron has long been a friend of the quest. The earlier dangers and King Adron’s council, has convinced me that this is not a quest that should be taken alone. Jorthan, a veteran of the shadow wars and a man skilled of sword, has joined me, Lockar as well, a ranger of Roane and an invaluable ally. I continue north more at ease with these two by my side. The King had tried to persuade me to let Roane protect the key until spring, but I fell there is still a good month or more of travel and even if not I do not dare delay.
November 16
We have made companions with Ognin Feruth a fine dwarf of Deep Water Well. He is willing to lead us to Turgoryth although he has tried to persuade us to jurny to Deep Water Well instead, I do not believe it wise. I do not regret the addition of Ognin’s axe to this group either.
November 26
We have traveled the hills for months, gradually rising to what I believed to be mountains. But now that we are into the Misty Mountain Range proper, I find that none has compared to the dramatic topography of this. Ognin has told me of the higher and more rugged mountains of the Thunder Tooth and the Troll Steps, however, without having seen these I must agree with Ognin, that none could match this beauty.
November 30
The night was harsh and we fought hard to keep these creatures at bay, the shadow demons are not extinct, however I believe their power weakened, we struggled through the night to defend ourselves. We are taxed from the struggle but I dare not rest.
December 10
The gates of Turgoryth Mines are before us. I can not describe this site. I have seen many wonders on my travels but none as grand as this. We have entered the halls and I am awded all the more. I have heard that the dwarf craftsmen are masters with stone but those who tell of these sites cannot do them justice. We have dined with the dwarves and have not eaten so well in months.
December 14
It is done, Turgoryth has crafted the first of the three intimation of the key. I leave it to there wisdom to decide how to guard it. Although the dwarves have also attempted to persuade us to hold our quest here untill spring, tomorrow we shall strike out again.
December 17
This storm buffets us. The wind drives the snow from all directions and we are exhausted from traveling in such deep snow. Ognin at times moves through snow waist deep and leaves a strange trail with the end of his beard. If not for the dwarves of Turgoryth’s generosity I feel this storm would be all the harder on us.
December 19
I leave the Misty Mountains behind me with a mixture of relief and sadness. Though the travel should be easer I will miss the splendor of her range.
December 22
We have stumbled upon a halfling community. They call it Quiet Dell, and its name is quite appropriate. They seem almost untouched by the burden of the Shadow Years. A marvelously glutinous people, they are in the midst of celebrating Endyear, a solstice holiday, similar to our Midwinter. Food, drink, fine tobacco, and dancing abound.
December 24
The Spring of Llelithil does exist. These halflings are clever beyond compare. They have ingeniously provided the second intimation. My spirits are lifted, though it is still long to the completion of this quest.
I copy below the writing upon the stone.
Arrolds interrupts: “There was a significant gap in the text. More than likely one or more of the scrolls are still missing. The text that follows this was not as well documented but I have attempted to piece together what I could of the writings.”
These Kels are a unique group. This clan, they are called the Bear Clan, have helped us and we continue on, re-supplied and healed. Men like this are not found in Boreamorr.
Jorthan has been killed, he should be honored in the songs of the Bards, he died well, and if this quest succeeds, it will be in no small part due to him. We could not do him proper honor in death, but I hope to return after the quest and correct this. We have laid him in a grave and marked it with the sign of honor.
Lockar is past due by three days, I know not his fate but I can delay no longer I must go on without him. I pray that the gods will protect him.
This tribe of northmen are a rugged bunch. They are friendly and I find I can trust them. They are skilled sailors of these small boats and know the Forever Islands well. Why they have been so willing to help I am not sure. But they are a blessing of the gods and I feel the quest may reach an end soon.
Again Arrold’s interrupts: “At this point I was shocked to find the hand, penning this scroll had changed. Who’s hand it is I cannot tell, but as I read I learn why.”
Calagora has fulfilled his quest but at the cost of his life. The Key is secured and will rest with this man of Wisdom. The northmen are taking me back to the mainland. They have given much of themselves and only two make this journey back with me. I have not told them but I fear my wound will be fatal. I will do one last service to the quest, if this costs me my life I do not regret it. I am not sure what Calagora had planned for these documents but his council is no more so I have made this decision, and the outcome of it lies only with me. I trust his magic and the wisdom of The Goddess.
As we return to the forests of my home we are set upon by orcs. A small party but in our weakened state they exact a great toll. Ognin gave himself to destroy them. After surviving this quest so unscathed it seems unjust that these vile creatures, doing no more than raiding for food, should take such a great man from this earth. We have left one orc alive. With him I will commit these scrolls and give him a fate that is probably more than he deserves.
Loki rolls the scroll carefully. Arrold sits, supporting his chin with his thumb and forefinger, as he had through most of the reading. The room is silent.
“As I said,” Arrold breaks the silence, “Why was so much effort put into protecting this document? Why have your lives been put at risk? Just so others more evil than us could read the tail of a great mans trip?”
Arrold looks about the room at your faces. “At first I wondered if this was a hoax or perhaps a misunderstanding. But then something came to light. Bits and pieces of other text I had read or researched throughout my years in the Council came into my thoughts.”
“Let me tell you a little of what I have learned, then in context of the journal we will look at why this text is sought by those evil creatures of the world.”
“More than 1200 years ago,” Arrold begins, “the races of good defeated The Dark Lord and his evil minions. The tails tell stories of great alliances and the Council delving into powerful magics to fight the Dark Lord. Many had tried to defeat him but The Dark Lord brushed these efforts aside like a horse shooing a fly. For the unnamed had given his soul for a demon, the likes of which had not been seen on these plains for countless eons. Not even the elves had recollection of these creatures.”
“The Dark Lord was defeated no doubt by these alliances and magic. But there is references made to the Sourcer, a source of great power. Whether the Sourcer and the Key are the same, or, as I believe, the Key unlocks the power of the Sourcer, is irrelevant. Chances are this Sourcer is how the Dark Lord was defeated. In the Dark Lords defeat the Council realized that though defeated the Dark Lord was not destroyed. Some place this evil still lay. And the power of this Sourcer could not only defeat the Dark Lord, but could, perhaps also restore him. Why this Sourcer was not destroyed after its use is unknown. Perhaps it could not, or perhaps the folly of men would not.”
“Calagora took the secret of the Sourcer and or the Key and made sure it could not be used to restore the Dark Lord or for any other vile purpose.”
Arrold paused and looked about the room again. “Do you see why these words,” he says holding up one of the original scrolls, “are so valuable?”
“On this quest Calagora sealed the secret of the Sourcer. With this journal,” he said, again raising the scroll, “one can follow Calagora’s quest step by step and unlock that secret. With this the Shadow Years could again spread over the land.
Back to Main Page Back to History
