The Last Days of the Sterling Expedition
This document was by far one of the strangest and in many ways, remains unexplained into modern day. It details the recorded happenings of the last days of the Becht explorer and colleague of Airtam, Professor Rupert Sterling, who was found alone in his camp near the coast of the Undullain Ocean, approximately a hundred kilometers from Olive Branch. The expedition had initially been sent to examine a recently unearthed bit of what appeared to be wreckage of some sort, but the materials and the structure were unlike anything that in production both prior to and after the Blight. It is believed that the Professor must have suffered from some type of psychosis brought about by an infection of the blood, though the exact cause remains impossible to accurately determine due to the amount of time that passed between his death and the recovery of the remains to Olive Branch. His team's remains were never recovered, though signs of the violence that must have claimed them were present all over the excavation site. It appears as though, in his psychotic state, the Professor slew them and did something to the remains before rapidly deteriorating and causing enough self harm in line with his delusional beliefs of what was happening, to finally succumb to his wounds and the infection that raged within him. The artifact mentioned in his writing was recovered however, and as a matter of safety, Airtam ordered that it be sealed away and shipped back without any further study, a potentially dangerous relic to be placed in the vaults of the University and hopefully, to never again see the light of day. Below you will find Airtam's thoughts on the matter and the included pages detailing Professor Sterling's last days taken from his journal.
Poor Rupert. I was always quite fond of the man, a true scholar in every sense of the word. This...travesty makes no sense. The man was one of the most solid minds at the University, it was why I chose him to head up the expedition. Now I've lost not only one of our brightest experts on anthropology, but an entire team of a dozen people. The Bureau wants me to make a public address stating it was a freak storm that overtook the expedition and that all the bodies were swept out to the Ocean. Nice and neat, just like always. Those poor people. Ioelena would be ashamed of who I have had to become...I am ashamed. I suppose the bigger picture is the right play though. We've scrubbed the site and removed and buried the wreckage in the vaults along with the relic Rupert found. God help us if anyone ever decides to bring that forward again. As much as I want to believe the poor man was driven by the fever and infection, I saw the device, and it was most certainly some....Eldritch thing, like a mechanical eye of some sort, not of this world. The thing gave me chills just looking at it. The craftsmanship was immaculate and beautiful, despite it laying there under the dirt for what we believe to have been over a hundred years at least. Silver and gold inlaid upon some strange metal I did not recognize. Ah well, best not to let my curiosity get the best of me I suppose. If my suspicions are correct that thing brought forth in a crowded place like Armuun could end up leaving a substantial bit of devastation in its wake, and I'll not follow in my dear colleague's footsteps. I'll miss Rupert. He always had such a bright spirit and zeal for his work. At least with us going forward with the story that we are will save him and his family from the disgrace he most certainly does not deserve, and maybe an accident will allow the other families at least some peace of mind rather than the horror of the truth.
Document Structure
Publication Status
As part of the leaked Morenthall publications following her death, these writings are generally easy to find.
Historical Details
Public Reaction
There was a small amount of public outcry at the revelation of the cover up of the deaths of those involved in this incident, and while it was quelled early by The Bechtlarite Intelligence Bureau , the bribes only soothes the pain of the truth so much, and the matter remains a sore spot for several families and their kin.
Type
Journal, Personal
Medium
Vellum / Skin
Authoring Date
13th of Cortus 146 PR
Location
Authors
Comments