When I return to the Keep…. I will worry about that, when I return.

After that wizards stupidity I had been teleported to some deep cave. I was teleported shortly after waking as I dressed and prepared for the morning devotion. I am grateful that I briefly held the book of Bane when I was teleported, it is a stronger weapon then the strongest sword and better armor then the thickest plate and I am glad to have it with me. It is however the only thing that traveled with me besides the clothes on my back.

If I die and this journal is found and though it is seemingly impossible to do, bring this writing to the Keep of Zhentarum, you will be richly rewarded.

My name is Matho Jolic. I am a priest in service to Bane near the bottom of the hierarchy of the Keep. I am satisfied with my position, service to Bane however I am instructed to do it, is enough.

I have found a city mostly of runaway slaves nearby. There is no realistic prospect for immediate escape to the Keep.

I am stuck in the underdark. I desperately wish I could ask my superiors for proper instruction and order but they are not here and I have no way to contact them. I am not alone however, Bane is with me. I will do the best I can and I will succeed, I know Bane will show me no mercy should I fail to please him.

[written later the day] This city is ripe for conversion. I predict that the people of this city can be converted to Bane, in droves.

I have found a member of the army here. He has told me a great deal of his activities. I am impressed with his success without any guidance from superiors. We talked about our plans for sanctuary and mostly came to agreement on our motives. This place is a piss hole unworthy of Bane. We must focus our efforts on finding a way to return to the surface so we can report for orders.

Every head that bows, is pleasing to Bane and Praetorius has already had some success in conversions.

He is an entirely reasonable man and he has not forgotten his loyalty to the Keep and to Bane, even in isolation. With no orders, he has acted efficiently and effectively. We have quickly come to agreement and collusion. We will begin a relatively peaceful conversion of as much of the populace as is possible for the time being, every head which bows is pleasing to Bane and they will be useful in our efforts to return.

I am however worried that while we are here it could occur a more senior priest not from the Keep arrives and unaware of our efforts or the intricacies of the situation and presumes to order him to act in a way which is not beneficial to the desires of Bane.

Already I have met a follower of Bane whose allegiance is not to the Keep.

The will of Bane, flows through the Keep and no other place. The will of Bane is too important for there to be ANY room for error or misinterpretation. The Great Black Hand has time and time again made it well known that all of those beneath him are to follow proper ranks in service to him.

I told Praetorius that until he steps foot on the soil of our land on the surface, he is to hold no allegiance but to Bane. I am well aware I have just sacrificed any potential authority I may have had over him but the alternative could potentially be worse should some Calim-shit priest of Bane appear and demand mass slaughter.

We have agreed that among our initiatives, giving free food to those who bow head in the lower part of the city is likely to prove hugely effective-there are many who are starving in this city.

Some idiot named Coronado is also present. He is not from the homeland. He is, from Ahm. He knows nothing of the Keep and questions its authority. All authority, flows through the Keep. He claims to have a dream where Bane speaks to him, orders some conquest of the city and then the under dark.

Praetorius has been trained well, without me even needing to tell him, he asked if it was not true that all such visions come only to the priests.

Bane has not sent this Coronado a vision. His plan is ridiculous and full of flaws. Bane does not much desire the service of idiots who work counter to his cause, when Coronado fails in some ridiculous conspiracy with the spellguard and the council, the backlash will fall against myself, Praetorius and our new converts.

I tried to explain to him the lunacy of his ideas to him, even flattering him and saying his faith and loyalty are unquestioned.

He persists.

We have exposed his ridiculous plans publicly, sending letters to some of the local government officials but also posting it publicly.