An old book with black covers. The front cover has a symbol on it - a black fist with green rays squeezing forth from it - with something no longer readable carved under it. The first page is empty for naught but a name written there - Eldiniel. The script within is elegant, but so smooth as if the writer has had no trouble writing so perfectly. The entries seem endless, and only a few seem interesting.

These first pages are considerably older.

2nd of Hammer, Year of the Hooded Falcon (1291 DR)

The Zhentarim have succesfully delivered the books I have requested. I have been taught the basics of necromancy - blessed be my kin for respecting all magic - but it will still be difficult to learn without the help of a master. No matter, my time is not limited

17th of Mirtul, Year of the Blue Flame (1327DR)

And so the day has come that my little secret has been revealed. My so called friends discovered where I kept my spellbooks - spellbooks full of magic forbidden by my kind. And as if that was not enough, they also found books about the Three, especially Bane. Thalaen foolishly read one that dealed with animating the dead. He apparently turned into a zombie himself and his companions had to kill him. Now I know what those runes in the cover do...

My fate now depends on Queen Ellesime's judgement. I expect to be executed soon.

19th of Mirtul, Year of the Blue Flame (1327 DR)

Ellesime has foolishly allowed me to live. She has only exiled me from Suldanessalar and the whole Tethir forest. I have this strange feeling within me... Emptiness? Bah. I must banish such weakness if I am to survive. I will have my revenge one day.

The Zhentarim still worship the Three. I will seek them out and join them. They will see my potential and I may learn the rest I need under the guide of one of their mages.

25th of Eleasias, Year of the Blue Flame (1327 DR)

While I have not earned a place among the Zhentarim, I was allowed to apprentice myself to a necromancer of Bhaal. I will reside at the Flaming Tower stronghold until my studies are complete.

They do not trust me because of my elven heritage, even though I allowed them to tattoo the symbol of Bane on the back of my right hand.

5th of Alturiak, Year of the Morningstar (1350 DR)

The Black Hand curse the knights, damnit! And more cursed be the fools within the Stronghold not realizing they had this coming. I must find a new master...

30th of Eleint, Year of the Crown (1351 DR)

I have found another necromancer, this time a servant of Bane. He has a house in Waterdeep. He seems to know what he is doing. I believe my studies will be complete in no time. When I have enoguh power in my possession, I will approach the Zhentarim with my proposal... Ellesime and all of my former kin will regret exiling me.

12th of Eleint, Year of Shadows (1358 DR)

My hands shiver as I write this, for I have been granted the honour to see my lord at the Zhentil Keep. Even if it was just a glance. Something is very terribly wrong with the world right now. Magic doesn't work properly, and the gods walk the Realms. And at this moment of chaos I have been sent to check out a stronghold of the Zhents to make sure everything is fine.

17th of Eleint, Year of Shadows (1358 DR)

Enslaved by the drow! Damned be my pale skin, their world is the world I should've been born to...

The rest of the pages are white and clean, and they must have been added recently.

17th of Nightal, 1372 DR

My time has finally come. Our house, House Tae'rill, has attacked House Maelorn and been defeated. Under the chaos caused by 'drow justice' I will escape. Traensyr may rot for all I care, I am leaving for surface.

2nd of Hammer, 1373 DR

Who would have thought that there'd be civilization down here beside my dark kin? The Sanctuary, they call it, a hiding place for ex-slaves... Where magic is illegal in non-warded areas. I witnessed a man casting a protection spell on himself and an officer took him with him. I must be vary lest I get caught myself.

13th of Hammer, 1373 DR

I have joined the House of Darkness, created to oppose to House of Light. Their leader, Candra, spoke obvious lies about the forementioned and threatened me to join them. I guess it is good to have allies in brothers and sisters of faith - or the allies of my faith.

17th of Hammer, 1373 DR

The House of Darkness has fallen, and a new organization has been founded from its ashes - the Magenta Blade mercenaries. Matham Diamsus seems a much stronger man.

I overheard the tree-hugger accuse some House of Light members for assassinating a Sharran. Candra is missing, and Matham has confirmed me that she was assassinated. It all fits, even though Tanaka of course denied all when I told him about this.

18th of Hammer, 1373 DR

I have contacted Praetorius and am now a part of the Order of Bane here in the Sanctuary. I need strong allies if I am to survive, the more banites, the better.

(Attached is a letter received from Praetorius: https://efupw.com/efu1-forum/topic/40/4051/a-sealed-letter-left-for-praetorius-at-the-pissing-crone/index.html)

1st of Alturiak, 1373 DR

So the elections are at hand. I have not decided who to vote yet - it may be I will not vote at all - but I have decided who I will not vote. A couple of zealous do-gooders, one being a dwarf of the cursed Stoutheart clan. One wishes to assault the drow city! She has obviously no knowledge of how the Drow society works. An army of ex-slaves (even if meagerly equipped) at their gates would only serve to unite them against a common enemy - even in the middle of a civil war.

It has been a long while since I last heard of the Order. Praetorius, Matho and Nighteyes have all disappeared, while Coronado seems to be well and prospers. I thought about sending a letter, but it occured to me that if they were alive, Coronado would not.

I suppose I should be plotting revenge for my fallen brothers in faith. In fact, the Magentas would surely be glad to aid me in this. I dare not assault him alone - one tap-tap at that spellguard rod of his and I would be surrounded by his brethren. I have not the physical ability to disarm a grown man with one blow, and spellcasting would draw his attention.

Bah! What do I care? They were weak, not wary enough. I suspect Coronado does not see me as a threat. Perhaps he thinks I have no allies. Perhaps he thinks I don't dare. Perhaps he is just over-confident. I will let him live for now, but I must still watch my back. The Order was not the only organization that had enemies...

Manus, the Stoutheart, is still after me it seems. While investigating some local concerns, he scanned me but could not see my face because of the mask I wore. Right now he will be a greater threat with the Stout behind him. If he catches me by surprise, there'll be no way of hiding in the Lower this time.

4th of Alturiak, 1373 DR

I have encountered another banite, a newcomer called Malrak. I was quite open in my conversation with him, filling him up in the recent happenings, but I felt I had to warn a brother in faith. He did not seem very approving when he realized I haven't been 'putting the fear of Bane' into people. If he lives through it, he will learn what gets you killed here. If he gets a group of zealous paladins after him (this hole seems to have an endless supply of them) I will not stand by his side.

While I do not fancy thoughts of a mighty church of Bane taking over the city, some organization must be made just for mutual protection and keeping in touch. It also seems very unlikely that another priest so conveniently stumbles down here just when we need one.

Matham says the Spellguard have started an official investigation on the Magentas. If I am taken for questioning, I must not resist as they have nothing incriminating against us. Only rumours. If I am taken, it might open an opportunity for Coronado to get rid of me. He could even be behind this all. I have changed my mind about his case.

Naturally, the Magentas cannot assist me yet. Matham has assured me, however, that when the Spellguard look the other way, the will of my Lord will be done. Should he require any payment, I believe I have enough. I will get some extra however, just in case.

I must not delay this any more further than necessary.

5th of Alturiak, 1373 DR

Life has no meaning but what I give it.

Today, a party consisting me and four others whose names I did not catch, ventured down into the temple of Hoar to cleanse it from the undead. Things did not go as expected.

After exhausting ourselves in combat against countless zombies and restless spirits, we stumbled upon a group of ghouls - or ghoul lords, should I say, for they knew magic. We managed to catch a glimpse of them and fall back behind closed doors before they noticed us. However, our loud arguments caught their ear... And as we realized their presence behind the door, this mad dwarf, by Bane, OPENED THE DOOR AND LET THEM IN.

Struggling was futile and we were overrun in seconds. I fell... I could not believe it. My revenge not had, my soul still barren... I refused to die, but darkness came anyway.

I woke up in a place not familiar to me, but as I stumbled on I recognized it as the Mausoleum of the Sanctuary. It must have been no less than Bane interventing. He must have something planned for me.

My Lord does not take kindly to failures, as I knew before this already. I have lost a great deal of power... I must regain it in order to fullfil the will of the Black Hand. I ventured back to the crypt - the coward dwarf refused to follow - and retrieved my goods while my familiar distracted the ghouls. I also grabbed some of our fallen comrade's belonging's... Not even close enough compensation for what I lost, but it will have to do for now.

I will kill that dwarf. I never caught his name, and he never caught mine, but I will recognize him when I see him...

(Under the lines there is a drawing representing a certain dwarf.)

After they slew Eldiniel the Houseless, the deep orcs ripped his backpack open and ate anything that looked like it - including this book. The symbol in the cover flashed in green flames for a moment as Eldiniel was cast into nothingness by Bane - the Black Lord does not take kindly to failures or weakness.

Hours later, the survivors of the expedition find the bloody mass that was his body along with all of the elf's posessions.