Adventure Log:

Pyraday, 24th of Goldgleam, 681 of the Harmonious Age

Foreword
I, Dr. Schmirz, present to you this factual retelling of this day’s events, drawn from memory and
further informed by what has since come to light. In doing so, it is my aim to document this
journey for future generations, that it may serve to guide those who follow in the footsteps of
the fight against the perfidious foe known as Zathroth.

Regarding the prior night: Collapse of the Soul Vortex

As you may recall, the previous day (Aquaday, 23rd of Goldgleam) was one of heroism and
tragedy. At the behest of septic-worker Varro, we delved into the fetid bowels of the Thais
sewers in search of a missing worker, the young Timothy. We battled a strange, amorphous
"water weird" and suffered burns from traps of alchemical fire. We encountered the mushroom-
loving Mycol, and before long, uncovered the hidden lair of a cult. There, poor Timothy lay
upon a malign pentagram – bled nearly dry for a foul sacrificial rite. Battling these vicious cultists
and trapping their devilish imp within the very walls, we defeated them and saved Timothy's life.
Yet their ritual had already begun, and its consequences loomed.
After collecting what clues we could, we returned to the city above and carried Timothy to the
safety of the Dungeon. Though we claimed our reward and shared drinks with curious travellers,
all was not well. Thunderous sounds and dark omens stirred unrest. We made our way to the
Temple of Galgorasula, where we bore witness to the collapse of the Soul Vortex. A dire sign
indeed. Without heroes to lead the charge, how would our world resist the growing evil?
The city guard soon enforced a curfew, and most of us returned to the Dungeon for rest. Ernest,
our priest, wrestled with his doubts: memories – both of rejection by his fellow monks and of a
dear childhood pet – and questions of his worthiness as Galgorasula's servant. Baelor, ever noble,
ventured to the city's upper quarters, where panic gripped the bankers and lords. His mentor, Sir
Thaibald, had returned, bringing a semblance of order to the chaos. They agreed to speak the
next day. As for myself, I immersed in study, and by working through the night to decode the
phonetic roots of the runes, I managed to decipher a single phrase: "Library of Zathroth." A
grim portent indeed, hinting at the arcane domain of that dread god of Chaos.
Old Faces and Ominous Truths
Morning found us in our shared quarters at the Dungeon, groggy and only questionably rested.
My beloved Schnussi, it turns out, snores like a warhorn. Still, Aruda's fine breakfast brightened
our spirits. Ernest flexed in his usual manner while chatting with Agheel, who was plucking twigs
from between his toes. Their talk wandered to nature and faith, with Agheel sceptical of
Galgorasula's divine claim to nature's creation. Elia, hopeful as ever, took Aruda aside and
begged her to join our company. Aruda declined but gave heartfelt advice on bonding with our
elven trader, Rhea. She also promised Elia a farewell pie, with extra cinnamon.
I spoke to Ramdalore, and he answered by drawing me into a quiet communion of minds,
through which his story became known to me. Though he appeared even more frail than I in my
advancing years, his state was no result of age or ailment – but a summoning gone awry.
Ramdalore was born frail, blind, and deaf. The Priesthood of Galgorasula tried to heal him, but
all efforts proved futile. He was sent to Ankrahmun in Darama, where desperate hope turned to
horror as he fell into the hands of a cult. Somehow, he survived their ritual, escaped into the
sands, and gained power – but at great cost. He had made a pact with an old god, trading his
very soul for strength.
Aruda had informed us of visitors. Two young priests had arrived, requesting our presence at the
temple. Brother Quentin wished to speak with us. We followed, though Ernest's wariness of
Quentin was clear. The temple bore a calm but grieving air, the Soul Vortex's loss still fresh. In a
modest rear chamber, we met Quentin and the paladin Sir Thaibald.
Ernest made no effort to hide his disdain, but relented upon learning of Quentin's repentance
and current efforts. "Stay priestly," he said. Baelor reunited with his mentor Sir Thaibald, and the
two exchanged a firm embrace and heartfelt words.
Quentin and Thaibald had heard of our encounter with the cult and asked for details. We agreed
to an exchange of knowledge. Our discussion linked the ritual, the collapse of the Vortex, and
the Cult of Zathroth. From the tome we recovered, we learned of the mythical Library of
Zathroth, a vault said to contain his arcane knowledge and ancient artefacts. Wax seals on the
cultist's documents bore an "F", leading Thaibald and Baelor to suspect a familiar name:
Farumbas. Once a student at Edron Academy, he had been expelled for dark practices. Though
unknown to me personally, I could not help but feel a bitter kinship with one driven to shadow
by the Academy's scorn.
The cultists' map revealed a connection between an occult site in Darama and a message from
Brother Kazmir, Quentin's ally in Darashia. He reported a growing concentration of dark energy
west of the city, likely the same that claimed the Soul Vortex. We were to travel to Darama by
day's end, meet Kazmir, and investigate. If he knew anything of the Library, we were to learn it.
We would receive 2000 gold now, and another 2000 upon reaching Edron to report to Sir
Thaibald. As duty-bound defenders of Thais, we accepted the task without hesitation or heed for
personal gain.
Of Supplies, Sales, and Slimes
Gold in hand, we prepared for the desert: supplies, equipment, and magic items – all recorded in
the addendum for future reference by those who may follow. As our errands concluded, a
strange tower caught our attention. Spiralling black marble, jagged and unnatural, as though the
earth itself had grown it upward. Xodet's Xenodochical Xenolith.
Inside, we met Fixit and Cleanit, two bickering imps with a far-fetched resemblance to dwarves,
much to Ernest's amusement and Agheel's dry acknowledgment. Ramdalore, haunted by
memories of injury at the hand of the now-imprisoned imp, grew wary – until Xodet himself
appeared.
He was a master craftsman and scholar, much like myself. I had read of his devices, but seeing
them with my own eyes stirred both awe and envy. Though I praised him freely, I confess to a
jealous pang, for true talent achieves in days what most require decades to grasp.
Xodet offered us a dazzling collection of magical tools, all curated to aid our quest. Too dazzling,
in fact, for our coin purses. Fortunately, he proposed a bargain: clean his laboratory, and he
would halve the prices.
Within the lab we found a scene of chaos: acidic goo clung to every surface, noxious and
corrosive. A familiar sight, if not on this scale. I attempted to tame the filth with prestidigitation,
but the room's enormity proved daunting. Rhea and Baelor turned their attention to the massive
cauldron at the center. Rhea traced the overflow to a jammed input valve. Without hesitation,
Baelor braved the scalding metal and turned the mechanism, enduring the pain until the boil
ceased.
Meanwhile, Ramdalore, guided by arcane senses, spotted an odd creature: a slime, amorphous
and reeking, slithering through the filth. Instead of striking it down, he halted the creature with
magic and engaged it in thought. Its name was Goobgo. Though the imps demanded its
destruction, Ramdalore struck a deal with the creature: it would cleanse the lab if we helped it
escape. It devoured the mess with gusto, swelling alarmingly, until we feared it might not pass
through the crack it sought. Ramdalore reshaped the stone, widening the gap. With a final push,
Goobgo slipped free. I only hope no one stood beneath.
With the lab clean, Xodet kept his word. We bought several fine items at reduced cost,
supplemented by selling gems and the Elven Chain taken from the cultist den. Before we
departed, he made us another offer: 10,000 gold, should we return with a pure Glooth sample
from a Darama sandworm. Tempting – though I had far more sophisticated plans for Glooth
than anything Xodet could imagine. Night approached, and we parted ways to gather what we
each required. I retrieved materials for my lab; at last, I could resume my research. Elia returned
to the Dungeon and shared one final, heartfelt pie with Aruda.
Into the Circle
We reconvened at the temple. Brother Quentin led us deep beneath it, into long-forgotten halls
coated in dust and silence. Our animal companions waited below. We passed through a rusted
door into a chamber of sand, ancient, older than the crown of Thais. At its heart lay a circle of
runes. Old magic, dormant but potent. It would carry us to Darama.
We affirmed our purpose: find Brother Kazmir, investigate the energies gathering west of
Darashia, learn what he knows of the Library of Zathroth, and continue on to Edron to report
to Sir Thaibald.
As we stepped into the runic circle, Brother Quentin began to chant. Space and time twisted
around us. He spoke the final words: "Ute Ores Darama." In that last instant, reflected in the
eyes of my dwarven companion Agheel, a dark figure with long beard and pointed hat
approached Quentin.
And then we were gone.
Addendum A: Supplies for the Darama Expedition
To ready ourselves for the long and treacherous journey, we acquired the following supplies:
∙ One (1) Bag of Holding, essential for the transport of goods, valued at 150 gold coins.
∙ Seven (7) Waterskins to carry our water, valued at 14 copper coins.
∙ Thirty (30) days’ worth of Rations, valued at 50 gold coins.
∙ Three (3) Large Water Barrels to quench our thirst, valued at 3 gold and 7 copper coins.
∙ One (1) Bale of Hay to feed the animals, valued at 2 copper coins.
∙ Five (5) Tents for shade and rest, valued at 5 gold coins.
∙ Light and Covering Clothes to escape the twin suns’ rays, valued at 2 gold coins.
∙ A Shovel and Adventuring kit, as is vital in any heroes’ journey, valued at 12 gold coins.
Furthermore, to enhance our strengths and aptitudes, the following armaments and
equipment were obtained:
∙ A Potion of Healing (2d4+2 healing) for use in emergencies, valued at 100 gold coins.
∙ A mighty Hellfire Sword (4d4 fire) with which to cast down foes, valued at 900 gold coins.
∙ Bracers of Defence (+1 AC) to strengthen the frail among us, valued at 250 gold coins.
∙ The Moonlight Rod (2d6 cold, 1/day Cone of Cold, DC15 CON), valued at 850 gold coins.
∙ An Ab’Dendriel Twig (1d8 healing) to lend aid without expenditure, valued at 300 gold coins.
∙ A Tattoo of Power (Unknown) and service, valued at 200 and 300 gold coins, respectively.
∙ Extendo-Cane (+1 Lance), refining an already brilliant invention, valued at 300 gold coins.
∙ An Elemental Quiver, for tactical diversification, valued at 200 gold coins.
∙ Two (2) Burst Arrows (10x10 ft. radius, 3d6 force, DC13 DEX)
∙ Three (3) Poison Arrows (2d4 poison + 2d4 acid)
∙ Two (2) Shiver Arrows (2d4 cold, difficult terrain 10x10 ft. until next turn)
An Elven Chain (worth 1800 gold coins), Baelor’s Armor (worth 50 gold coins), and Gems
(worth 244 gold coins) were exchanged from our possession, leading to an approximate total
cost of 1206 gold coins, leaving 794 gold coins for the journey ahead.
Addendum B: Time and Money for the Otherworldly or Uneducated
The days of the week on Galgora are counted and called as follows:
Day Name Ruled by…

1 Solisday the Sun crystal

2 Lunaday the Moon mirror

3 Terraday the Stone golem

4 Aquaday the Sea serpent

5 Pyraday the Fire elemental

6 Ventoday the Air djinn

7 Aetherday the Astral wyrm

Similarly, the months within a year are as follows:

Month Name Approximate “Span” Inspiration

1 Frostwane Deep winter frozen peaks of Yalahar

2 Icemist the thaw’s first breath breaking ice on Kazordoon lakes

3 Greengrove spring awakening forests of Venore

4 Suncrest early summer warmth deserts around Darashia

5 Highflame midsummer fires infernal peaks near Thais

6 Stormswell rainy turn hurricanes off Port Hope

7 Harvesttide first harvest farmlands of Carlin

8 Goldgleam late summer sun golden wheat of Liberty Bay

9 Duskwatch autumn’s cool shadows haunted ruins of Ankrahmun

10 Emberfall leaf-turning fires red forests of Kazordoon

11 Nightveil deep autumn’s early chill crypts around Kazordoon

12 Starhollow longest nights stargazing on Edron’s towers

Finally, currencies adhere to the following value conversions across Galgora:

Copper Silver Gold Platinum Crystal

1⁄100 1⁄10 1 100 10,000