Taken from the journal of Verith Sannag, a scholar of Escini.
10th of Last Leaf, year 25 of the third age
I have finally arrived at what could perhaps be described as the gates of a cemetery. The old dwarven made stone walls that protect the only land access to the now ruined city of Sharzelad. But 125 years ago this was the initial point of The Cataclysm. Myths tell of a great draconic being bringing the world near to destruction starting here, I personally never believed such a thing and instead suspected a magical anomaly to be the true source of the destruction here. My Elven and Gnomish colleagues have always grown pale in the face when I have said this, they claim that they lived through the events and that to even hear it spoken of causes them great distress let alone that anyone would not believe in it so soon after it happened.
As I look upon the remains it does make me wonder if I was mistaken. There is something eerie and surreal about this place as if walking in a graveyard. The stone walls are the only buildings left standing, barely at that I might add. The once great gates are now reduced to bits of rusted metal laying smashed to the ground, from the inside curiously. I shall remain here for a few days to examine and study.
14th of Last Leaf, Year 25 3A
Having found nothing conclusive at the wall itself I have moved on, finally arriving at the city itself, or at least where it was. After so much time you'd think nature would have reclaimed this area but no, I can see where buildings once stood, every last particle of them gone with the exception of the footprint of where they stood. I see such strange shapes, they look like shadows trapped where they were at the moment of destruction, they do not move and seem like charcoal rubbing in places. Above me are parts of what I can only assume are buildings suspended in the air for the last hundred plus years, this whole area is positively flush with energy, while still arcane it is of the divine subset mostly.
The wind here plays tricks on me if I am still long enough I feel as if I can hear someone talking as if they were going about their day. Perhaps I am just imagining what it would have been like using my existing knowledge of cities and my overactive imagination getting the better of me. Regardless I shall be setting up camp here, hopefully, I will find some insights here.
17th of Last Leaf, Year 25 3A
I am now more convinced that I am not simply hearing things, I AM hearing voices, no not the kind attributed to insanity I am hearing echoes of the people of this once magnificent city. They seem to be getting more and more common to hear and I am almost certain some of those shadows I mentioned earlier are in different spots, I shall make chalk marks to assure myself that they are not moving. There is something curious going on here though I can feel the energy of this place growing more and more as each day goes into the next.
Most curious is that under the light of the moons I feel like I can see the faintest of outlines of buildings, it must be my eyes though as I am not gifted with the ability to see in the dark of night.
21 Last Leaf, Year 25 3A
I have come to remember something about the events known as the Harrowings, that they allow us a glimpse past the veil of death. The Ethereal plane is a place where time doesn't exist, that must be what I have been seeing and hearing an echo of the city before it was lost. How fascinating I shall inscribe protective wards and observe the events to come this eve during the Fall Harrowing.
My gods, as the moon rose I could see not just an image of the city but the city itself! People walking and talking in plain view, they could even see me and interact with me I have never seen something like this! Something new is happening, I see something in the clouds.
Dirt covers the rest of the pages as well as some charring. The last page simply says
The myth is true, I just witnessed the Cataclysm, the city was destroyed the people were ripped apart by wraiths in the guise of dragons. My wards don't work against them I am hiding by the wall hoping that I am far enough but I can hear the howling screams and roars of so much pain. One just landed above me.
There is nothing more but the scorched bones of Verith Sannag were found scattered around the main gate of the outer wall.
Ooh! I had the shivers reading it!