Ragged Memoirs

[Doofus]

New Journal, Entry 1
Moon, North: Waxing Crescent
Age: 13

I got a new journal, Dad said the old one got lost in the move between rings. There were a lot of people coming, so someone probably just thought it was theirs. I think we're the last people to leave the bourg. The last time I saw this many people was when that big group from the Steppe came through.

New Journal, Entry 2
Moon, North: Waxing Crescent
Age: 13

The Chevalier said his keep, it was filled up from the rest of the rings that came before us. Dad almost complained about having to pay a tax in food even when we were not staying. Cheswick stopped him and said it would be not smart.

New Journal, Entry 3
Moon, North: Waxing Crescent
Age: 13

I punched Kaylka in the face for stealing a peach from our stash when it wasn't mealtime. Dad said that was bad manners. Cheswick laughed.

New Journal, Entry 4
Moon, North: Waxing Crescent
Age: 13

Cheswick's men are loud, rougher than the militia of the Bourg, when we had one. They're Ringrunners, Dad said it's different than being Mercenaries, we pay them anyways, though. They clean the road before we get there, and open the door.

New Journal, Entry 5
Moon, North: Waxing Crescent
Age: 13

We saw the Durnstons, or, their wagon. They left after the Steppes folk came, a long time ahead of us. Cheswick took what was left from it, Dad yelled at him. I don't think Day is alive, then.

[Doofus]

New Journal, Entry 6
Moon, North: Waxing Crescent
Age: 13

Dad's been teaching me how to fight and hide and run, said even if Cheswick, Monika, Earl, Duke. Are all really good, they have to protect the whole caravan. I think Dad used to be a Ringrunner too, he has a couple stones in his hand-. Like Cheswick's people. We've only found doors that need regular keys, though.

New Journal, Entry 7
Moon, North: Full Moon
Age: 13

A lot of people wear swords on their hips, now. Used to be the only thing you'd see was wine-skins or great big sacks of food. Some of the bigger people of the caravan started making shields out of busted wheels or doors from the city. I think it's because we saw those armored people looking at us from the alleys.

New Journal, Entry 8
Moon, North: Full Moon
Age: 13

We stopped for camp, the dwarfs in the Elil and Keirsson clans found a heap of mushrooms in a basement. We had big mush-steaks in the pig-fat we had leftover. It was good. Kaylka said the mushroom was for the peach she stole, we're friends again.

New Journal, Entry 9
Moon, North: Full Moon
Age: 13

Duke said I was tough for being a girl, I said I could be a boy too, and still be stronger than a mule. We found a big door, too. They're having trouble finding the key-. Another group was here, not from the Bourg. Ringrunners- Earl doesn't trust them.

New Journal, Entry 10
Moon, North: Full Moon
Age: 13

The other group stole our key! Now we're stuck here for awhile until Cheswick can find another tree with the right leaves, I guess. Something about it looking like a painting, I don't get it-. I think that's why he's in charge of the thinking parts.

[Doofus]

New Journal, Entry 11
Moon, North: Full Moon
Age: 13

Monika has been teaching a couple people about song, something to pass the time while Earl and Duke keep chipping away at a hatch. The Back-Caravan reported those armored folks again, Echadaer and his people are worried- They don't need to sleep a lot, being elves, I think.

New Journal, Entry 12
Moon, North: Full Moon
Age: 13

Cheswick's finally got the hatch open-. It leads to the next ring, we're going to have to leave the carts. We found a cow-, tasted good.

New Journal, Entry 13
Moon, North: Full Moon
Age: 13

Damp, dark. Smells of lamp.

New Journal, Entry 14
Moon, North: Full Moon
Age: 13

A few in the back got separated, something in the halls-. Dad thinks.
We're moving faster, sometimes you hear clicking in the dark.

New Journal, Entry 15
Moon, North: Full Moon
Age: 13

We got out, most of us. Thirty from thirty and some, I think. Duke broke the exit gate, sealed it with trash about. It's green here, forever plains. A big building on a hill head, pretty.

[Doofus]

New Journal, Entry 16
Moon, North: Full Moon
Age: 13

It's a temple to Synkomidus, somewhere safe finally! It looks like everyone else from the bourg that came before didn't make it, or went past.

There's a couple lay-brothers and sisters here, tending to the temple. It's huge, larger than even the Marquis' keep. They're allowing us to shelter here for a time, under the great eye of the Lady of Grain. 

New Journal, Entry 17
Moon, North: Full Moon
Age: 13

Cheswick's crew again make for deeper into this ring. I've been helping the acolytes with their rituals. It feels nice to do things, not just walking.

The caravan camp has been talking about the black storm, they think it's over the Bourg, now. Speaking like it'll be over us soon, too. I hope it dissipates before then.

New Journal, Entry 18
Moon, North: Full Moon
Age: 13

It's been a few days, the storm is getting closer. No one seems to be that worried though, since Cheswick and his group are still looking.

I've been given the duty of tending to a few prisoners, deeper in the temple. One of them is a bald man, he speaks in gibberish rants about the storm. They bound his hands, so I have to ensure he gets things which are easy to eat.

New Journal, Entry 19
Moon, North: Full Moon
Age: 13

Cheswick is back, says a group in the next ring over have blockaded their entrance. Some great wall of steel, men, and spear. Not possible to move the caravan through. Dad said we're going to have to wait out the storm in the Temple, I can't think of a better place.

[Doofus]

New Journal, Entry 20
Moon, North: Full Moon
Age: 13

Sometimes while we tend to the marble halls of the temple-. I feel like I can see the Doe Synkomidus herself, or hear the clack of hoof. The layswords said there have been more sightings aside from me, too-. They think it's a sign the storm will end soon, before it arrives.

Cheswick got in a spat with the caravan about trying to get past the blockade, he and his crew, and some of the braver militia have started camping separately from us. Dad is calling them stupid.

New Journal, Entry 21
???
Age: 13

The Storm is here, or, the start of it. It came so quick, so loudly. It's like no force of nature I've heard, a thousand voices are screaming. Everyone is on edge, and the Sun is gone.

The Temple's torches all went out with a sputter, when it arrived. Then they lit on their own volition, a blue, like the Doe's eyes. A great black smoke is rising from the ring ahead of us, I can't see the Marquis' fortress anymore. 

[Doofus]

New Journal, Entry 22
???
Age: 13

It's hard to write what happened today(?), the Militia rang alarm, seeing what we thought were the brigands following us-.

They weren't brigands. The Layswords came quickly to the Caravan, spiriting the majority of us into the temple as the Militia fought against the Black-. They have our faces, but the rest doesn't make sense, they're hard to look at. Like the World hates us seeing them.

The Militia came back, worse for wear. We're tending to their wounds for now. The cuts gurgle and boil, but make no heat. We have to cut shadow out of their skin, to make the wounds close. Dad's armor looks like he was lit aflame, but his skin is blue.

Cheswick and his group are off, we don't know to where.