I finally have something noteworthy to put down! The sheer excitement of it all is almost too much to bear! Todark, after doing my diligient duty as a proper citizen of our fair city, and casting my ballot, I headed to the 'Crone to experience that "other side of the tracks" feeling I am growing so fond of. The drudgery I called a life in upper seems to be comeing to an abrupt end. What a fool my father was, a taylor... hogwash..honest days work..the life of adventure and danger, that is the way to feel alive!

I shall leave the details out for now, less this fall in to the wrong hands before it is ready for publishing, but suffice it to say I tasted mortal combat this dark! It was exhilerating! My adrenaline surged, my senses sharpened, all I had practiced so long came into play! And what worthy prey it was! Fate saw fit to keep my mortal coil well shackled throughout the encouter mostly due to my chooseing the winning side in the engagement. Alas, I did not strike the killing blow, but by all rights my first true kill. Not a beast or monstereous thing, but an exquisite specimen of life! And as luck may have it, I may yet get to view a fine trophy to memorialize the occasion...we shall see. My very being feels electrified by the experinece, I can only imagine the sheer ecstasy that will overcome my soul at moment I extinguish that frail spark of life! Such a precarious thing, so easy to snuff out..so fragile. Perhaps ..no, enough said for now, time shall tell, fate has a way of bringing what one wants to the patient....

So much has transpired since I took time to put my thoughts to paper. I have killed, no, slaughtered, many. Nothing has matched that first kill, what seems eons ago..the spellguard agent. So sweet a morsel, so full of life. Drow, dwarf, elf, orc..none of these compares to that kill. I have ripped the spark of existence from so many, I loose count now. My magical skill has faded to almost nothing, I have neglected my studies, dedicateing my time to the art of mortal combat. Few can stand against me unaided, but rarely is there one so foolish as to match me steel for steel. I write now, as this may be my last quite moment. We go to finish the Grand Work todark. The Scholar has granted me my fondest wish, and made killing so frequent that it has become mundane. Still, the academic in me cries out to see this to it's conclusion. We face one of the greatest of the deep beasts..I am sure death will come knocking. It always does. If I return, perhaps I will walk the path of the Scholar, a foot in both realms,that of the living and the dead..only I will have none of the compunctions about adding the former to the later. We shall see.

We gathered, at the apointed time, in the apointed place, but the call never came...at first, crushing despair, but I soon found numerous distractions to fill my day. One particular noteworthy development, I have found that by incapacitateing my - there is no other word that fits now- victims- first, I can attempt various methods of attack , finding which to be the most lethal. In doing so, I know am confident that to strike the humanoid form in the floating ribs, or under the arm, near wear the lung reaches it's apex, but just to the right, or even just above the abdominal muscles, I can inflict a devastateing blow, delivering the full measure of tissue damage. I am sure to discover more of these vital spots, and they must vary from species to species, but oh what fun to find them!! They scream at my first cut, and usually the second. Some of the strong ones even make it to the third before they pass out. Glorious music!! How I love to hear that symphonic orchestral cry!!!I hope to learn much more by the time we do make our assault on the beast. Perhaps even such foes have these weak spots, these chinks in the preverbial armor. I have yet to worry about the bodies, beetles, cave prowlers, even some of my victims kinsmen tend to devour the remains..how resplendid of them. I must not tarry to long, already I feel the pull to find more of my unwilling medical assistants. Yes, my laboratory is the underdark, and they my unwitting staff!!! To the persuit of knowldge!! Oh how life has become such an overflowing cup!!

I find I am no longer satisfied by the act of merely killing. Kobolds, goblins, even drow offer no more exhileration. I find my self more and more looking around me, to my fellows, my brothers in lockstep for survival, the human rable that we are. This is where my appetite leads. And there are so many deserveing, so many in lower that would live a better life with the simple stroke of my axe. Tyrants that kill in the name of a twisted dogma, prejudice of all stripes strikeing down those deemed unfit. Yes, these are the prey I shall seek. They have earned my ire, and I shall feed my desire on the spark that ingites there souls..

*his writing seems a bit erratic from the normal methodical script* I have made a new discovery!! I had the great fortune to hunt goblins and other things less..tastey, with a savage and his companion. The savage called itself Shedyet, and had the most intrigueing of habits. It would eat what it killed! Why this has not occured to me before, I do not know. Not only to extinguish the spark, but to actually make my victims part of my being, by absorbing them!!!! By devouring their flesh!! It was exquisite! The salty warmth of the blood as it drained down my throat! The chewy tanginess in my mouth as I consumed their muscle and bone! Just when I think I have gone as far as I can on my new path, a teacher arises to open yet another unto unforseen door! Glorious, glorious life! How sweet the taste!

Strange, I thought I would of felt something. I watched them burn her, after the insolent little goblin shot her. I cannot blame him for his actions, I myself was moveing to take her head, as he shot. It is for depriveing me of this, that I will kill him, perhaps many of his kind. I thought I was growing strangely drawn to her, but, at her death, I felt nothing. Indeed, the urge to finish what was started was the strongest of emotions, to see my blade cut cleanly through such succulent flesh, to snuff out that spark, that burned so bright the very buildings of lower felt it's heat. Well, she left me a gift, even in death. What to do with it I wonder??? Political leverage, carnage? Though I favor the later, I must induce self restraint. I have yet to be labled a murdering thug, true, the only deaths I am truely responsible for were hers, and the Agent. I must be more diligent.

Oh how the winds of fortune blew to my favor this eve!!! I was repayed ten fold for my gift to Teth and Pearce. But I get ahead of myself..I went down stairs to see whom I may ply to hear the cause of the Scholar, whom may seek solace in his protective arms. I quickly was approached by Teth, some sorted lower buisness no doubt. And what buisness it was! Apparently some rival tavern owner had crossed the Nancies and the Crone, and needed a reminder of to whom was in charge..he took his beating well! So well infact, it did little to move him, whatsoever. He seemed to actually enjoy the pain. Such fun I could of had with this one, if left just he and I for long hours, my blades and his flesh. I wonder if more of his kind wander lower?

But this is not the great gift I speak of. No, in her infinite wisdom, Teth decided that this one should die, and left it to me to see it done! I did not hesitate, not wanting to give any time to rethink what they had asked, and doused my blade with alchemists fire, to sear the wounds closed as they were made. With one quick strike, I severed his head from his body, he fell lifeless to the floor. His silver eyes gleamed for a moment, as the head rolled to a stop , then the light behind them went out. The alchemists fire did it's work, and the cut was clean and precise, a perfect decapatation, one of my best! My heart was beating so fast, I fear it would burst from my chest. My breath slowed then, as the head lay motionless on the floor, my eyes locked on the now dim windows to where Mr. Silvers spark once dwelt. Not in self defense, but simply because I could, I took from him what he would willingly throw away. What power, to rip from him the time of his chooseing, to send him on his way when I felt it time! What a day, what a day. I did not think it would feel this....good. Yes, that is exaclty what it was..good. It was decided to leave a small message for those whom would come upon the body, so I set about my work, hands, forearms, biceps, feet, ankles, knees and so on, neatly fitting him into one sack, left on the floor of that place for perhaps his goblin to find. How ironic, he may have become the next meal of that wretched thing. I must rest, and think on this new feeling, not to take a life in mortal combat, but to exert my will against anothers, to snuff out that spark not out of self preservation, but as an extension of my will, my desire. A new day is dawning, and I think the light shall shine blood red on my Sancturary...

I must admit, dear reader, whomever you may be, in whatever age comes across these mad scribblings, that I prefer the blood of an agent of good to all others. Only todark, I was privleged by my enableing cohort to remove the rather dull head from the neck of a Watchmen. Unfortuneltly, I was not able to claim my usual trophies, but in time..in time. The black pit of Fate has spawned another door for me to step through, and I went willingly. I almost pitty my next victim, my newest skillset shall ensure their suffering. The ability to render one helpless, on a whim. Well worth the price paid. *the writing is blurred here, a large blotch of some liquid blotching out the writing* apologies..damn annoying that is, and I am sure will be. Two nights, two heads taken, two sparks extinguished. I can barely contain my anticipation of what the third night will hold!

*a strong measure of control is evident in his latest writings* Time has a way of changeing everything. I suppose this should come as no great shock, for everything is subject to change, even the great wyrms and long entombed lich will eventually be vanquished. So it goes in lower. The Watch have done there work well, and very few of my playmates remain. I am not sure that the Watch are even aware of my work, save as another faceless mercenary that makes lower his home. As much as I thirst for another conquest, and I have picked my next, to be true., caution is my watchword, patience my vice. Perhaps it is time to fade into the shadows, allow things to play themselves out, to only take up my calling when all is forgotten. Death comes to us all, but sooner to the foolhardy. As for the Scholar, I have not seen him in weeks. Perhaps he has retired to his undead fortress, to leave the squabbles of men to play itself out, leaving even more fodder for his armies...

Patience has proved a worthy mistress. I find it best to hide in plain sight, and so I have. I shall make this new venture my mask of illusion, this new duty my cloak of normality. To my great surprise, my dear departed friends left me many gifts, waiting to be discovered. Oh, how I will make such delightful music with them!!! Know thy victim, and become he, slip into his world unannounced,ripping away all that he holds most dear. Such fun I am about to have!!! If only you were here to see it, my dearest Teth. Your death has given new guise to terror that will stalk the night. *the writing becomes a bit irradic, a large stain blots the words" ...curse this thing, so useful but oh so demeaning, to always be blotting up the discharge. But such an exquisite device, a simple and effective tool. Perhaps I can have him do something about it on my next trip out. For now, I will continue the facade, redouble the Mask, ensureing all of Sancturary comfort and joy...until death next comes calling.

Postmordem:

Even as he lay, helpless, bound to the table, steel probeing his skull, he thought to himself *the Watchemen's scream as I ripped his throat out with a swing, the spray of warm blood across my helm, coating my eyes, to see his spark go dark even as the valiant Sergent Lothor tried to save him, it was worth this high price, and if I am very lucky,I a may yet find solace and rescue in the fools benevolence, this final......PAIN, PAAAIN, RIPPING ME APPPARTTTT!!!!MY MIND IS ASSSUNNDDEERRRR