Journal #46: Emperor Aneirin of Aletheia

Pharasma’s domain, The Boneyard, a place where it takes weeks to find a blank journal. I had to use the last fifty pages to jot down all the notes I had decided to study life here in The Boneyard. It was not enough, but finding a blank journal was an excellent way to keep track of things here.
 
Before I begin recounting my training here, I should finish up what I was doing in the material plane. Flipping through the last couple of pages of my other journal, it seemed that I wrote about our return to Ironfalls, Azyel’s rune of unnatural lust, and seemed to stop there. So our trip to see the recently crowned emperor was not explained or my journey to my eldest sister to acquire umbrite.
 
It’s been what five months since a small group of us decided to travel to the city of Aletheia. Celu and I went of course, as did Kraia and Licia. As Licia was planes walking when we visited last, so I was responsible for the teleport. While I aimed for the courtyard, where we watched Cyne be dragged around meeting a potential wife. Overall that was amusing, so when we ended up in an unfamiliar jail cell. I was more than a bit surprised, and then we were met with a familiar face on the other jail cell. Sonja, the human adventurer who helped take our keep. Which was a bit of a problem, but that will become apparent later. I was less surprised that Pennyswaggle was there.
 
We talked for a moment, trying to convent the guard on duty to let us go. Pennyswaggle annoyed him into letting us go, a useful guy on occasion. Sonja asked if we could meet up for drinks, being nice we did not think anything of it and agreed. Leaving the jail, we walked to the palace inside without much of a problem.
 
Speaking to the new emperor was an ordeal, however. His personal assistant, a Gothadrun woman, named Veronika. She was sitting in what I assumed to be an entrance room, a study? Alysia Undria, his younger sister, had warned us about her. How annoying she could be. Ashlyn could have cleared this up in second being that she was a princess and all. However, Veronika was demanding out names and not allowing us to go and find Cyne, save for Sir Pennyswaggle, who she knew and let him pass. Kraia and Licia I told her I was nobility from House Alas’thil, that I had been knighted, as well as my full name. Leaving out my other more impressive title, she, of‌ ‌course, did not believe us. She also kept calling child, on account of her being a halfling. Amazingly enough, she claimed she did not have any knowledge of my house.
 
As if we were running out of options, who else rounded the corner but The High Priestess of the Celesthem, Aetha. She somehow was able to convince her with a couple of words to let us in. The Palace looked great, but still stupidly bright. We wondered the place until we found a room door that was darker than the rest. In case he was sleeping, we opened the door quietly to find a room that was just painted in darkness. In reality, it was just a rather dark room with grey paints and dark silken blankets. A quick glance at the bed showed the Emperor fast asleep. Alysia explained that with the Iomedae recent fall, her former champions sacrifice to bring up the shield that bound that twisted Tenaerul. Cyne took up that mantle being that we were out of the country when Ashlyn was meant to take that mantle, which caused some unintentional backlash. However, it seemed that they found a cure for that, but it’s if he wants to use it. That could explain why The High Priestess was there, to ease the pain of that burden he placed upon himself.
 
Now seeing that he was asleep, I wasn’t going to wake him. Instead, I took a second look into the room, which my eyes found a rather extensive and diverse bookshelf. I was even surprised to find volumes one through three of The History of the Aletheian Empire. I had only seen the second volume, while I thought about casually pick one up to read. Celuriel questioned how the history of a whole nation could be written in a book; the others had woken up Cyne.
 
To save a rather lengthy conversation, we spoke on things that must remain quiet. Licia had been talking with Cyne since he knew of some rather stupid things I had done. Azyel went to war with Cyne, which makes him a war hero. That is concerning, for no other reason other than it’s Azyel. Regardless of how or why that happened, we moved on from that topic. As is showed how much had changed since the three levels we’ve been gone. Apparently, people have been attempting to break in to meet Aletheia’s most eligible bachelor, which I made mention to.
 
“I could pass that on to you as well” Cyne replied showing, while sick, he still had enough of his sass to talk back.
 
“Like to see you try,” I replied.’
 
“You unmarried of a noble house, Knight of Alethia, shouldn’t be to hard,” He said matter of factly. Listing how easy it could be.
 
“Good luck. We’ll be out of the country.” I told him which was in the truth. Cyne could have this done, but the only reason why I poked him about that was that we would have been out of the country before anything happened. Besides, I think he needed the sass to get him going.
 
Celu was not happy with that exchange, and in all honestly, if Cyne had done it. I would have been slightly pissed.
 
That was beside the point.
 
Eventually, we came to the topic of Veronika, annoying, and according to the Emperor, a rather good sparring partner. Before leaving a rather ‘fun’ idea came to mind. I quickly told Cyne of her attitude to small people and how she probably needs to be a bit more educated. Which I hoped I helped with. We left Cyne’s room and walking pass Veronika desk, and we walked passed without saying a word.
 
I popped my head in as we walked out telling her.
 
“You should probably pay attention to who you let into the Emperor’s room. House Alas’thil is known for there assassin.”
 
With a look of horror, she ran to Cyne’s room. Cyne eventually messaged me that her reaction was priceless, then to my concern, blood appeared on the page. I hope he’s going to be okay. It’s rather hard to check in on people when you are in a whole other plane of existence.
 
On the way to meet with Sonja at some bar, Celu had gotten a hold of something. Well, three somethings. Held in her arms were Cyne’s copies of The History of the Aletheian Empire. I was proud of her for all the wrong reasons.
 
Should probably make sure she does not steal from shops.
 
Now when we meet with Sonja in some random bar, this created a problem for us. At first the small group, which was here for restocking there material. It was something along those lines, that was not the important part. That important part came up in her casual conversation, which was the most…
 
Vexing, It was rather vexing to use a word that fits. As in that current moment, we could do nothing about it.
Sonja had spoken about Riven Draft. In such a casual way which indicated familiarity with him. While she was annoyed with how she was treated in the Underdark, annoyed being the right word as her tone, and being held in the Underdark against your own will is not something you would be ‘annoyed’ at. While her friend was getting fleshed warped in another drow household, she was prancing around Castle Umbra. She had unknowingly confirmed my thoughts on a few things. As the information my older sister told me, contradicted this. Though the two of us went into this in more personal detailed which will recount later.
Though I highly doubt this was mere coincidence, A name Licia had not heard in a long time had left Sonja’s lips as we talked. Syrin her former lover and fiance. Things could probably have been worse, by the end of it in all honesty it probably will be.
 
Regardless as we choose to leave, Sonja made it abundantly clear that she knew where we were going by saying before we teleported away.
“We will see you at the Harp” The next shard we had decided to destroy. We teleported away with the clock ticking, a race to the shard in another country.
 
Luckily, we thought we had some time before they would even arrive at the Continent of Iskaldhal. Roughly a month according to information in Sonja had said, her traveling company would be taking a boat across the sea to Iskaldhal. The Lost One decided to use fifteen days and use the Elf Gate in Ilendras to the Tower of Sathelis.
 
We broke up different sections of information we need to find out about Iskaldhal. Celuriel and I took up the research on where we could arrive since we cannot stay in Sathelis, how to avoid dragons in the country, as this continent is riddled with them. Finally, how to avoid any of the Harps powers, and any myths surrounding the shard in general. Hopping around to a handful of libraries in Aletheia to gather this information. I say we did a rather good job in the time we had, as did the others. There a couple of nights spent just pouring over the books he had borrowed and the quick notes we had taken.
 
Towards the end of the fifteen days, I had caught Celuriel around a pile of dusty books. In the middle of the night, asking what she was still doing up. The elf simply replied “...I’m trying to help.”
 
I sighed, approaching the table where she sat, plucked to top of book from the pile and sat down beside her. Staying up with her till it became too hard for either of us to focus on what we read.
 
Luckily for us, we wrapped up most of the information that night and copied it over for the rest of The Lost One. So sleeping in was an option for once, that was nice. The last two days we spent shopping for any and all necessary items required for the icy continent of Iskaldhal. I am not one for shopping normally, but that was nice to just relax for once.
The last day I decided to start one of the few plans I have had which required me to return to Vaermyrhel to House Alas’thil.