[a book sits on the table, bound in black leather, and reeking of blood, and sweat]

A gorgeous day today on the farm. For once the Dales seem at peace. I spent much of the day tending to the corn crops, which will be ready for harvest soon. Tember came out to help with them for some time, much more then expected from a boy of his size. By the gods he is getting big. Seems like just yesterday he was laying in his cradle. Best get moving now, don't want Aulistra getting mad. Nothing worse than an angry wife....

-Shaow Sembris

We travelled to the market today. Tember begged his mother to let him come. For some time I might add. That boy has quite the way with words, or so it seems, as my dear Aulistra is letting him come. He insists he will not whine, nor rest until we have sold all our crops! What a claim! I do envy the little fellows confidence, that is for sure. It seems he holds well to his claims too! We managed to sell almost all of our crops! Aulistra would not hear of us travelling at the late hour it was, and so we will spend the night at the Shanty, a small inn. The gods smile upon my family this year! Tomorrow we travel back home early tomorrow, and to our own beds. Much work still needs to be done on the farm.

-Shaow Sembris

The gods are fickle monsters. My family lie dead along with the rest of the town of Tarens. I woke in the middle of the night to hear screams, howls of sheer terror. Panicking, I felt about for my Aulistra, and Tember. Finding them safe in bed, I crept out, to see who or what was making all the noises outside. Upon exiting the inn, I glanced upon a horror which would be the first of many. Ghouls stood before me, devouring Melisha, the town midwife. Unable to contain my stomach, I vomited. One of the ghouls heard my retching, and turned. I blanched in terror. To my dismay, they began to lope towards me, with startling speed. Panicking, I sprinted off into the night, towards the town center,screaming for help all the way. Glancing behind me, I saw the ghouls enter the inn, in search of easier pray. I need not mention that my first thought was my wife and son. Without another thought I sprinted towards the inn, terrified, for myself, and my family. The horrors in the inn where indescribable. Men lay in the corners, shriveled as though someone had pulled the blood from their veins. Numbed by watching the death of Melisha, I sprinted past the husks which used to be men. The stairs. Tember. Aulistra. She was a strong woman, but gods, even she could not handle such foul monsters! As I climbed the stairs, a sense of dread began to grow in my gut. Those men... Ghouls did not accomplish something like that. They had not been drinking blood, so it couldn't have been them. I approached our room, deeply afraid. Upon entering, there was a sight which will plague me for all my days. There lay the dry husk that was my wife, her face twisted in agony. Beside her, lay what remained of Tember, his body torn to pieces. Unable to believe, I walked towards what was left of my family, legs weak in disbelief. As I neared the bodies, a voice boomed from behind me. "Touching. Truly," the voice boomed. As I turned to see from who this voice came, an unnaturally strong hang gripped my neck, and tossed me out the window, as though I was a child. Before I hit the ground, I saw a brilliant flash of light.

*****************************************************

I awoke to find a lithe looking man standing over me. Grabbing my shoulders, he shook me. Asking of my health, he continued to shake me violently. Answering him with all the control I could muster, I announced I was as well as could be expected. Helping me to my feet, and offering me water. I accepted, and he began to explain himself. He was a servant of the Lord of the Dead, Kelemvor. He belonged to a sacred order within Kelemvors church, The Searing Light. He was a hunter of undeath, a foe of all that was taken from Kelemvor's realm. Ignoring my snark comments, he continued on to why he was here. A vampire of great strength had been sighted near these parts, with an entourage of undead. The church of Kelemvor quickly dispatched many of his order, to crush this undead menace. He and his fellow nights had tracked the creature to this village, but arrived a moment too late. Bracing myself, I asked what would become of me. He paused for a moment, then offered his hand, saying his name was Delcire. He then gave me these choices; I could choose to travel to Mistledale, with an escort. I could choose to leave where I would on my own. Or I could follow him and his men, and take my revenge on those-who-still-walk. Remembering the bodies of my family, I felt I had little choice. I must avenge them before I could ever live in peace again. And that is where I stand now. I will never forget this terrible night, or what did this to my family. Never.

-Shaow Sembris

We move. Where we are, I have no idea. They tell me we near an old cemetery, and that the fiend who killed my family may be inside. I do not know how to react. From what the priest-warriors tell me, I am lucky to be alive. Few face a vampire lord and live, or so I am told. I do not know about luck. All I have been told in the last few days, all I have learned, has been concerned with one thing. Death. The things I have begun to learn of scare me. Instead of living my life as the farmer I intended to be, I am becoming another gods-forsaken adventurer. They tell me I show potential. That I could become one of them. They say that Kelemvor calls me, reaches for me to join him. Serving the Lord of Death is not a choice I would consider. That was before though. My old life is gone. The dead deserve the peace of remaining so. If I am called to do that, I believe I can live with that. Strange things occur around me though. I awoke to feel something hanging around my neck, a scale shaped pendant. Thinking it some joke, I asked Delcire what it was. With a forced smile, he told me that it was the symbol of Kelemvor, the scales of judgment. He continued on to say, that this was him calling to me. So serve the god of the dead.... We shall see. If he will help me exact vengeance for my family, and for my own sanity, then I will gladly join him.

-Shaow Sembris

The undead are in the cemetery as they thought. We move at dawn. They say having the light at our backs will be an advantage in a fight. I do not care for the tactics. I want vengance. I realize now, that the undead take many more lives then my beloved. Not only theirs, but the town. The lives that where needed to create them. The many more lives they will take if we cannot stop them. And they must be returned to the Fugue Plane, where their fates can be rightfully decided. I can feel the Judge of the Damned's calls more now. The others say he must want me in his service. I do not know if I wish to deny him. I've come to understand that natural death is needed, to grant the deserving peace, or torment, to the soul. Some say that is his work on me. Perhaps it is. I will see where this journey takes me. I no longer fear the coming combat. All these days marching, the time has been put to good use. Delcine has taught me to shoot a crossbow, and is teaching me to use a greatsword, the favored weapon of the order. And I have learned another think from these warrior-priests. I will not fear death,for it comes for all men at its appionted time. It matters not if I die, but how I face that death.

-Shaow Sembris

// On a very late side note, I have a passion for writing. So please send me any comments, ideas, and definitely CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. I would appreciate it greatly. And thank you for reading, please do continue.

[A small crystal appears to have been embedded in the page]

Much has happened since I wrote here last. They say that this crystal is some form of elven magic, and that using it I can extract memories. They say it will be like viewing a dream. Some of what happened is not a dream though. It has been a nightmare. Touch the crystal if you dare, open your mind to what has occurred. But I warn you, you may be changed afterwards.

[the normally strong signature is frail, appearing to be written with a weak hand, or shaking hand] -Shaow Sembris

[Reaching out with a careful hand, your finger tips brush the crystal. In an instant, you feel your consiousness warped to somewhere else...]

You awake to clang of swords, the odor of decay, and the smell of blood. Strange. It is still dark, it cannot be dawn yet can it? Curious, you peer outside your tent. You wish you hadn't. The men of the Searing Light lie strewn about the camp, sightless eyes gazing skywards. Many show signs of combat, bloodied limbs, and broken bones. Some appear to be husks, with skin like paper. A few show no signs of combat, and look as though they simply fell, and died there. The faces of these ones are twisted in masks of agony. Terrified, you duck your head back in to the tent. The undead, they must have come in the night. Surely ghouls could not do this, they consumed many of their victims. Then what? Quickly strapping on your greatsword, and crossbow, you step out of the tent. Glancing around, you notice many of the men still fight. As you run to join what remains of the Searing Light, two corpses begin to rise. Snarling in rage at the impudent blasphemy, you pull the greatsword from its scabbard, and prepare for combat. Moans come from behind you, and you see more bodies rising. There is some powerful necromantic magic at work here. Realizing you cannot win this fight, you begin to run. The moans of the undead begin to coalesce, as more fallen rise. Then ghouls jump from the trees before you, clawed hand outstretched to strike a killing blow. Making a desperate dive, you manage to roll through them unscathed. Then a horrid sound assails your ears. The ghouls have begun to feed on the dead that have not risen. Then a cry rises out of the camp. A human cry. One of the men was still alive. Vowing vengeance, you sprint on through the forest. Revenge would come later. Survival was key now.... [The night blends into a terrifying mix of death, undeath, and a horrid chase through the trees. You feel your consciousness slowly slide back to your body.]

It is done. The horrors of that night will linger with me. I escaped, and managed to reach the church that sent forth the Searing Light. They will send more, and they will not underestimate them this time. Or so they tell me. I must stay here, to train. To learn of Kelemvor's ways, and to further devout myself. If that is what it takes for me to reach my vengeance so be it. The horrors of that night shall not go unpunished.

-Shaow Sembris

Even though their training has been intensive, I find myself in a state of mourning. In the midst of all the action of the past tenday I left my wife and child unmourned. Now that burden overtakes me. How foolish I was, my curiosity causing the death of two innocents, those so close to me. In this grief I find new resolve though. The memories of the remains of my son, and the husk that was my wife will serve as a fuel. I will right this wrong. I must do this, or cease to exist. That is not an option I accept. This cannot, and will not be for nothing. This sorrow strengthens my resolve. I refuse to let their deaths be in vain. This I promise, By Kelemvor I will complete this training, and hunt undeath in every form. For every man deserves a natural death.

-Shaow Sembris

Combat training began today. After the others and I had proven ourselves in prayer training, the rites of combat came. We were each armed with the traditional weapon of the Searing Light, a greatsword. It suits us, and our task well. Sharp enough to cut flesh like butter, but heavy enough to crush bones. Several went before me. The first one reeked of fear. He entered the arena with a skeleton. As it neared, he cried out, and brandished his holy symbol, destroying it with divine power. The second was calm, and held his greatsword en guard against his zombie foe. The clumsy thing stood no chance, and was decapitated in one stroke. The third held his sword in an overhead stance, and was reckless. Charging like a madman, he killed his foe with more blunt force then the edge of the blade. As my turn came about, I entered the cage a calmly as I could. Unsheathing the weapon, I turned to face my foe. A ghoul. One of the damned monsters that had been following me through is whole ordeal. The gate dropped, and I lost all semblance of self control. Sprinting forward in a frenzy, I swing my sword low, managing to take out his legs. As the thing fell I brought my sword down again and again, leaving the ghoul in a mangled pile on the floor. As I strode from the room, breathing heavily, whispers sounded off the walls around me. One word was repeated above the others. Mangle.

-Shaow "Mangle" Sembris

Graduation came today. It came with little ceremony, and very little recognition. Just as I would have it. We where each given our greatswords, and a plain set of chainmail. Each was then sent out, to begin their duties as full fledged member of the Searing Light. any a tenday has gone by that I have dreamed about my acceptance as a full member, and now it has arrived. It was exactly how I thought it would be, simple. Now I have the tools, the allies, and the skills. Now will come the true test of faith, and of these convictions of mine. The chase has begun. I will follow the bastard of a vampire who slew my family. This thing will end, with his head set a roll, or my death. In either circumstance I shall find peace.

-Shaow "Mangle" Sembris