This simple, leather bound book lies in Toman's pack most of the time. The handwriting on it is flourished and stylish. The first page is fully covered with a sketch

:: Marpenoth first:: Year 152 :: 1374 DR :: This dark, as I stand alone, my uniform stained with the blood of my foes in the Dark, my comrades planning on what to do next, I decided to try to record my thoughts and life as it went yet again. I have learned much from my days out here, I must admit.

Anyway. From reading the writings of the fallen comrade, I have decided on taking the symbols of a man who seemingly lies forgotten in the dust of time, but will never be forgotten, not by those who still live this difficult life, walking amongst nightmares in hopes of finding a dream. Not by those who matter.

"The Hawk is Free and so shall we be."

I am but one man. But like the hawk, I will live free. And a free man is a force to be reckoned with.

--- Toman Vashan, the newfound Hawk.

::Marpenoth 12nd :: Year 152 :: 1374 DR ::

It's strange how priorities change, how feelings come and go like that. How you do not realize how important something is, and how things really are until you lose them, or nearly so.

James is dead. I can't believe it.

I was almost dead, too. But I'm better now. I've seen the corruption face to face yet again, and I won. This time. All it took was seeing where it lied. Friendship is a dangerous thing ( to be avoided from now on)

I need some time to think. Then I'll decide what to do. I feel hazy. My cough is getting worse again, after all those years. The same damn good timing. Things are going badly. I'm starting to hate this place. --- Toman. .

::Marpenoth 15th:: Year 152 :: 1374 DR ::

My breathing is regular again. I've decided to give this 'away from the city thing' a shot. Slowly. Once I see that James is avenged.

Oh, I've decided to change the name of the ship I stole. I'll call it "Lysik's Lancer" from now on. It's a good name. He would have approved. I'm sure he would. Now, to get a crew....

Note to self: Pearce and Teth are acting suspicious. I don't like what they are doing, manipulating people like that, but I'm not sure as to what to do. It seems Guerini is using my stupid posters too. I knew I would regret putting these up.

Seems like someone is thirsty for power. I wonder what James would do...

::Marpenoth 24th :: Year 152 :: 1374 DR::

Still made the mistake of people won't bug me when I say I'm a Seeker. Now I can't see the damned trial log. Curse that Sikara witch!

Gave out my location to Spellguard. Of course the fools wouldn't notice me, but I was afraid. Best that doesn't happen again.

I have no clue of what to do.. I also have this icky feeling that everyone, even the Seekers, think of me as unreedemably imcopetent. Even I am getting that feeling now. I need to do something, quickly. Maybe reading the files again will give me some clarity...and then to action.

That damned cough is back, and worse now. At least temporarily. Note to self: Get some damned medicin. Might help, a bit.

I'm feeling like dirt, getting ravaged with bloody diseases and my mind is faltering. I don't know how long I'll last now. But, I'm starting to get a clearer view of things. This might be helpful, in the future. We'll have to see.

The copy of an old pamphlet, in jerky handwriting, is attached to a page of the journal.

There is only one law bestowed upon man, do good upon one another.

If it is treason to believe in the power of the common man, to believe in the birthright every person has to freedom, then I fully admit it. Already my life is threatened for speaking that which so many of us feel within our hearts but fear to say. Fear no longer, for that is their goal. I say I would rather live free and die then succumb to tortures of slavery and deception. I would rather believe in something completely then be afraid of the consequences for it. In faith there is truth. I have faith in all of you and believe that our time approaches.

There is only one law bestowed upon man, do good upon one another. I say that many in the watch and spellguard break this law while hiding behind the arbitrary rules they profess to be the word of god. They call the men and women who speak of freedom insurgents, they say that the surface does not exist, they hire spies to watch us with limitless gold while people starve in the streets. All in the name of the law.

There is only one law bestowed upon man! They will come for me for my beliefs, they will come for the seekers. They would have all of us dead and our voices silenced forever. The rest they would make slaves to a system that pays them well. They will come. But they will fail! I say the surface is more then a dream! We will reach it together. The time of the ascension grows nearer everyday, and you must prepare yourselves. You must be ready to fight for it.

The spirit of freedom will live forever! Long after we die of old age in the grassy fields of the surface, long after our children's children tell the story of our ascension, the spirit of freedom will still live!

Foster Freedom! -Seeker Emanuel Lucas

The Lancers

Lancer Toman Vashan Lancer Myria Chessi Lancer Rindlegaun

To do list:

- Get ahold of the boat. See if it's still there. Do something about it.

- Write the "Manifesto of the Lancers". See if current Lancers agree with what is written. Start recruiting.

- Get the Hawk to do some mapping.

- Talk to Orsini. Talk to other Seekers. Start recruiting.

- Have a chat with Councilman Crowshire.

- Think of away to denounce Lothor ( who from now on shall be called Porty Lothor). Convince PB to help me.

- Have a chat with remaining brothers of Ascension. Yet again, start recruiting.

- Work on speeches. Work on ways of convincing people. Work on decision making skills. Stop being so damn insecure.

Sketches

MC A sketch of a pretty blue eyed woman with blond hair wielding a bow adorned with hearts blowing a kiss towards some blurred image in the back. There's a large question mark above her head.

Rindle: A sketch of a small gnome with an outrageous hat and long hair wearing black and blue colors and pointing at something. There are various charred corpses, from illithid to beholder, and some dust where he seems to be pointing.

Drin: A sketch of a small halfling in blue, tackling on several large monsters at the same time. The monsters seem to be losing, badly.

James: A colorful, detailed sketch of an imposing human figure in battered black and blue armor, standing over the corpse of a man in black and red robes, greatsword in hand. Darkness is all around him and red, evil eyes seem to be watching him. The man seems to be smiling, in a strange way. He is saying "Long live to Ubel!"

YR:

A sketch of a woman with a book on her hands, smiling slightly. Mechanical devices and piles of books lay around in a mess. There's darkness hovering over her, too.

Jamie: The sketch of a scarred woman in armor shouting angrily at a tiny man. The tiny man seems to be running away from her.

FIRST OF HAMMER, YEAR OF 1375 SINCE THE DALE RECKONING

First thought of the year:

Find a way to the surface. Any way. Follow it. Screw Sanctuary. Screw freedom. Screw-------. I just want to see the sun.

This is going to be a good one! Started well enough.

A tattered noticed is tucked into the journal.

James Lysik Men of the Sanctuary Below.

As I stand amidst the ruins of the Canal District, the putrid stench of blood simmering into my nostrils, the gaping maw of apathy threatens to consume us all. We have become complacent, content with this prison inflicted upon us by the accursed hands of our ancestors. Our brethren of Ubel brood in exile, forgotten in memory and song. And now even as they weary and fall into darkness, their corpses decay alone, and we remain, resigned to linger enchained and waste away into dust. We have become a staid people, beaten and withered at the hands of tyrants who bear the chains of luxury, and our dreams of freedom echo upon the wind.

And now even as we go about our lives, a new foe was poised to bring untold destruction upon our people. Innumerable goblins lurked at our borders, on the edge of our consciousness; and yet we did nothing. However, there still remain men in The Sanctuary Below who would bleed for it's people. This dark, a force lead by the Lowersmen Aurin Guerini and Lucius Westmore stormed the terrible bastions and battlelines of the Slugcrawl Tribe, and defeated them utterly. And yet our foes still remain, awaiting a fatal time to strike.

As stormclouds darken around us, as the Tower casts its shadow into word and action, all is not lost. Lower calls! Arise, men whose spirits have long slumbered; draw steel left to gather dust and bare it anew. I call upon you, I beseech you to let the banner of Lysik be unfurled, horns of Ubel be blown. Let them sound, so that their cry rises up unto the heavens.

Let Lower arise out of the apathy, and be reborn.

Fire and Blood.

-James Lysik Last of the Lancers

Maybe we have a new chance to make your words come true, James. Only time will tell. I shall not abandon you, or my people, this time.

The solitary journal remains uncared for, hidden in it's base, distant from his owner.