The first page of this journal is stained with disgustingly cheap ale, droplets of a thick black substance commonly chewed by duergar to curb gnawing hunger, and sketches of beautiful duergar women.

The insignia of the 7th Mutulakt Cavalry, a scouting division that relies on steeder-mounted duergar to relay information back to the settlement and occasionally engage in flanking maneuvers for the heavier troops, is drawn prominently in the middle of the page.

Designs and notes for the process of lining cloaks with shield dwarf beards grace the bottom of the page, as well as several possible names for future Martchkt sons, most of which have been scored out.

Entry One:

She will be mine. I will be the shame of my father and his father if my sacred family line does not continue. Together, we must bring forth a gray-skinned son into this lightless world, and train him to defend clan and home against drow and the wretched surface dwarves whose stench runs thick in my new home.

Halla Martchyk

Halla Martchyk

Halla Martchyk

Halla Martchyk

Halla Martchyk

Our son shall be named Rarcyrk, son of Khaldar. I relish the day that we butcher our first priest of Moradin together, father and son.

Entry Two:

She will be mine! All I must do is toil long enough to gather enough plunder to outweigh her hefty frame. I got a respectable glance over his lusciously wiry muscles when I delivered the letter, and would place her weight at about a third of a rothe.

Letter, lovingly tucked into the journal Bring me a chest of gold, jewels, and plunder heavier than I am, and maybe I'll let you have a taste of my meat.

HALLA

Soon, all of my toil will pay off. A son. A son! My blessed line may continue.

My mates seem quite good at what they do, and I'm fairly impressed by Waylon in particular. He's as good at chopping a man in half as any enlisted duergar in the Mutulakt army. Makes a mean bowl of sauce, too. Not sure about Cecil, though. That boy could stand to be toughened up quite a bit. We butchered six or seven men last night who called themselves Harbingers. A bunch of sissy surface whores is more like it. Sure, they took a few limbs from my boys, but that didn't stop us from taking their heads.

Should have kept the bodies - I hear they sell for quite a bit!

Entry Three:

The history of Seeker scum and their unpleasant dealings with Mulutakt is long and unpleasant. Suffice it to say, the following points can be listed:

Lieutenant Claggard Vrypukt

One of the commanding officers in Mulutakt's 5th, heavy infantry. He was one the priest of Deep Duerra who got me involved in the faith, and together we brutalized many drow and surface dwarf war parties when our units worked together. Stand up fellow who knew how to handle a whip better than most.

Murdered by Seekers roughly a few miles out from our city, a whit south of Sslal'teesh by three blue and black clad assassins. Later discovered to be Seekers.

Akevrt Laurgip

One of the finest duergar arcanists I've ever seen, and smart and cruel as a whip. Used his magical skill to not only torture slaves, but also to make them more efficient workers. Carefully considered studying the arcane under him as a much younger duergar, but Laduguer had other plans in mind.

This dour genius for intrigue had a marvelous slave trading system set up, in which maximum profits were funneled directly to duergar kind. The whole wonderful system was smashed by a small army of Seekers in something they called a 'freedom raid,' and I saw Laurgip cut down before my own eyes by raiders using all kinds of dirty tricks. Only escaped by cutting the nearest Seeker down and strapping his leathers on the best I could. It fooled them for a minute or two, which was long enough to make my escape.

Sure as Laduguer's Vengeance, I'm coming for them.

Entry Four:

One surface dwarf is dead. Perhaps a dozen notable ones remain, but I am not in any particular hurry. With one of General Mur's men at my side, it should not prove horrendously taxing. I enjoyed the way he kissed my boot and acknowledged duergar kind as superior to the traitorous surface curs whose company he keeps. Now to collect the bounties on his head.

I've yet to kill any Seekers, though their time will no doubt come. Soon, by Laduguer.