A small book bound in plain black leather with a silver clasp. Inside the pages are covered in a neat script.

Property of Terrance Wetten - if found please return, care of Spencer at the Rock Bottom Inn.

I have reached a place of safety, the hidden fortress town of Sanctuary somewhere in the vast reaches of the Underdark. Sitting here in my room at the Rock Bottom Inn I have decided to record something of my journey thus far, by Torm's grace this journal may one day find its way back to those of my order who can rescue the innocents trapped here.

But how did I come to be in the Underdark anyway?

No doubt you are expecting an exciting tale of a glorious and heroic escape at the head of an army of revolting slaves. If only that were the truth.

Sadly the truth is nowhere close to that. Returning from an errand for my abbot I found myself benighted some miles from the city gates. I made my camp by the road and slept for some time. I woke with a start to the noise of a snapping twig behind me - before I could turn a blow to the head rendered me senseless.

Torm only knows how long I lay unconscious before I came to, chained to other slaves in a holding pen somewhere beneath the earth. We were herded like cattle for what seemed like days and my faith faltered - cuts from my manacles became infected and a fever took me - something I though was impossible for a paladin of Torm. The drow cut me loose - that much is clear - but why I was not killed for sport, sacrificed to their dark goddess or simply fed to their pets I will never know. I can only thank Torm for my deliverance, for the fever had rendered me delirious and incapable of rational thought.

I awoke - weak as a newborn - in total darkness but Torm's gift of healing allowed me to strenthen myself. I wandered and eventually found myself at the gates of Sanctuary where I was welcomed by the guards.

Yesterday was an eye opener to the perils of this place. I was investigating a missing person but encountered a small horde of the undead in an underground cellar. Fortunately the powers granted me by Torm, the swordsmanship drilled into me by old master-at-arms Farrell and no small degree of luck allowed me to prevail. I must find companions to share these jobs with if I am to survive long.

Soon thereafter I was the honored recipient of a suit of fine armor, gifted me by the friends of a fallen elven priestess called Deleng. I shall wear it in memory of her good works. Her friends, a priest who's name escapes me now, and two lady warriors Kata and Shauna preferred it to be used rather than simply sold to a merchant.

Shauna Trevail, a woman I feel to be in crisis.

My intuition tells me that there is a darkness around her, yet her actions and the conversations we had make me feel she is fighting to change her nature. I pray that she succeeds in turning her life around and shall endeavour to provide her with any aid or support I can to assist that goal.

The dogma drummed into me at Torm's temple during my training was that evil was just that, and was to be eliminated without mercy wherever it was found but I find myself questioning whether this is truly the best way. Surely by providing the example of how to live by law and goodness and assisting others to do so I can accomplish the same goal? Also there is the small matter here in Sanctuary of there being people with slightly evil tendencies and other people who have truly embraced the darkness of true EVIL. Surely some can be saved? I feel this may become my mission here, however should it prove fruitless I must sooner or later fall back on my training and eliminate those who still follow evil.

I have not written here for some time, the tasks I have been undertaking mostly routine. Yesterday however was different.

I met Chell Adams - a priest of Torm. My prayers have been answered, I am no longer alone here in this den of thieves. Chell has charged me with watching over his younger sister Dannielle who is but recently arrived here. This task will certainly be challenging, Danni is young, beautiful and somewhat naive, a dancer and healer who believes her purpose in life is to serve others, easy prey for many who live here in Sanctuary. While her upbringing in a monastary has trained her well in how to assist a holy warrior in battle, it has not prepared her for the realities of life in the outside world. Fortunately I will not be alone - a half-elven warrior by the name of Elran also shares this task. He has proved himself to be a worthy ally, as has his associate Cel. I look forward to adventuring further with both of them in the future.

Well - yesterday was somewhat distressing.

First Elran and I were attacked by some stinking orc whilst attempting to aid the curator of the Sanctuary Mausoleum. Torm and Tyr were guiding our our blades, of that I am certain for we manged to wound him greviously and he fled by means arcane. Unfortunately our own wounds precluded pursuit. I have reported the matter to the Watch and will be on the lookout for the orc in the future, his next victim(s) may not be as able to defend themselves as we were. Strange - the fighting style he used was barehanded - where have I heard of that before?

Later we both died whilst trying to clear the Temple of Hoar of it's infestation of the undead. Overwhelmed by a wave of zombie warriors we went down fighting a rear-guard action to allow our at least one of our companions to escape. Whilst our friends revived us at the Mausoleum they were unable to retrieve our packs due to the fighting. I am charagined to realise this means I have lost the armor gifted to me but I vow to return once I am recovered my strength and cleanse the Temple once and for all.

I simply thank Torm that Dannielle was not with us for either of these encounters - while her aid would have been invaluable I would not have been able to forgive myself if she had come to harm due to my inability to protect her.