Barian Thornheart
Journal entry, The Pyramid of Anu-Asir (Final)
(Session 7)
I can see daylight again, and it is not a moment too soon. After successfully solving the puzzle in the room mentioned last we found a secret chamber. Inside this secret chamber there lurked an explorer like us, but much malnourished. He offered to help us solve a separate puzzle and we were able to retrieve a very nice dagger from a foreboding obelisk. Continuing onward we asked the new member to show us around the area he'd already explored and were able to locate another, more secret room, through my own genius machinations. Also we raided a tomb that looked like it had naught but a simple burial mask.
Down the secret stairwell we found a hall that had murals that depicted the story of a fishmonster godbeast. I don't speak ancient bumpkin so I'm not sure what it was about, but we came to a golden doorway that looked as a giant fish. After solving the puzzle Sobek led the way into the room and it was just storage for more sarcophagi. However, there was another exit to the room. Following that exit we found a hallway that I expertly deduced the traps in. Shortly thereafter we discovered a pair of puzzles that the new member managed to solve. I'm going to need to keep an eye on this Mohamed individual. He seems like a sharp tool, but sometimes sharp tools can cut both ways.
Entering the Final burial chamber, we found many jars littering the place and a very large sarcophagus in the center. Sobek, the dumb beast saw something shiny and had to go and mess with it, causing the cursed monster in the room to wake. After a harrowing battle in which the dumb Dragonspawn perished (good riddance) the pyramid began to collapse. Hurrying out, we were able to escape before the edifice crushed us into the infinite sands of the desert. I'm now recovering from our escape, and wondering what to do with my fancy new dagger... Perhaps a gift to a new Patron is in order.
Journal entry, The Pyramid of Anu-Asir (Continued)
(Session 6)
By all the gods. I cannot believe the absolute mockery of a functional team I have been saddled with. Whilst I was writing in my journal last, the local boy, Rhaza, decided to enter the treasure room and take the magical gem. This caused a trap to spring and start pouring sand into the room with him. The area above the doorway came loose and made to seal him within the quickly filling room. Thanks to my good reaction speed, I was able to assist the dragonborn and the inquisitor in holding the door for him to escape. They may say that they did all the work, but without my quick assistance and quicker wit, they wouldn't have been able to get to the door, much less hold it. However, the inherent flaw of this group became apparent as shortly after Rhaza left the room, the woman let go and allowed the dragonborn to be injured and trapped on the other side of the door with the room filling. While I will admit that I do not care for this "Sobek", I will not needlessly waste flesh that can be used for other purposes, so I led the team in breaking the large stone door and rescuing him from his untimely death. After this excitement, we decided to exit the temple and rest for the night. I am not privy to the goings on of the rest of the group, but I'm aware that they took the large lizard to a lizard doctor - someone who can treat his kind. After all, they are more animal than man and surely require the type of medical aid provided more by a veterinarian than a true man of medicine. The lizard doctor must know his trade well, because the oaf was well enough in the morning to proceed.
The second time we entered the temple we decided to check the other door in the first hall. It led to a hallway and chamber the mirror of the other side. When we checked the mirror of the room where we combatted the ashling beasts we found a room that looked to be for the purpose of harvesting poison from snakes. Interesting but not fascinating. One of the party members has an ability to notice ambient magic in the area and found that the center of the ruin may be magic, so we walked down the hallway, but this farce of a true adventuring party had no-one to search for mundane traps and Trystan, the Inquisitor, was crushed by a falling slab of stone. Presently we are in the room at the far end, looking at a puzzle of some sort and I'm doing my best to provide assistance to the.. less brilliant ones in the group.
Journal entry, The Pyramid of Anu-Asir
(Session 4)
As we set foot in the tomb, I recognized that this place is forsaken - like the rest of the ruins. There were statues of sacrifice and strange fish-headed people along the walls and murals of long forgotten stories telling tales of woe to all who observed them. As we entered the central chamber we discovered the direction that the previous group travelled, so we headed in that direction. We soon stumbled upon their corpses, slashed and bled, with a trail of blood leading to one of the doors. As I have become a de facto leader of this group (they need a strong willed noble to lead them) I decided that we should follow the blood trail, lest the attackers come upon us later and cause us to befall a similar fate. Better to be the hunter than the hunted as Master Duscan used to say. We discovered an offshoot to the hallway and a room with four sarcophagi on the ceiling. The unfortunate souls were staked to the ceiling in their respective sarcophagus, and it caused me to appreciate the pain they must have endured as they were suspended and being forced to support their body weight in their final moments. Seems a fitting way to dispose of traitors - perhaps I'll remember this when I take vengeance for our family's shame. Beyond that room there was a small chamber that was populated by what appeared to be students with artifacts. Thinking that these may have been some of those we were sent after, Rhaza attempted to speak to them, but before any explanations were forthcoming we were attacked! I charged into the room, as Master Duscan used to say that a slow warrior was a dead warrior, and skewered the first one of them that I saw, however the Leader of these people cast a spell and transformed it into some sort of Ash clad creature of darkness. The battle ensued and the foes were vanquished. We rested and spent some time taking these relics to the entrance. The silly Foreman thought he'd trick us into giving up part of our money, but I taught him not to underestimate a noble from the baronies.
After getting the boxes to the entrance, we descended deeper into the tomb and found a room with several burning torches and six cat-like statues. I examined the statues and found them to be exquisitely crafted. Rhaza found a door and decided it needed opening, but when he touched it the statues came to life and attacked. I was on my guard and was able to warn my companions and the fight was on. Trystan, the warrior woman was mortally wounded near the end of the battle, but the gift of my benefactor was able to revive her, at the expense of my own well being. I told her not to do it again. We opened the door to the room which triggered the guardians and found a treasure trove with many chests of loot for the taking and a large blue gem on a dais.
Letter to Father (sessions 1-3)
Father,
I know you don't care to hear from your "foolish" son, but I've decided to chronicle my time in Ashqar and keep you updated. That way you'll know that someone in our family is trying to reclaim our glory instead of wallowing in your current state. I met with agents of Aafsa Haidar, the leader of Golden Falcon Antiquities and was denied a meeting with her as she is apparently one of the rulers of this godforsaken place and is too important for me. In order to gain a meeting with her, I am to go on an expedition to the abandoned ruin of Anu-Asir - a city of magic from days long past. Currently, I am positioned as a guard, however I hope to discover some sort of power to assist me in my goal of restoring the family name. I will write more later and keep you informed.
(session 1 / page 2)
It has now been three days on this trip and I am already regretting it. The Jungle is a godsawful mess and I do not understand why they do not cut it down and make a road. The Trees are all large and the air feels as though it is suffocating me at all times. The undergrowth is a mess and I've found myself walking behind a warrior from Tarragona who always seems to have her sword drawn. The first day on this trip people were cordial and chatty - except for the dragonborn. Yes, father, there are dragonborn here. I'd always assumed that they were myth, People descended from dragons, though while dragons are powerful majestic creatures, these "people" are nothing better than fodder. They are treated as slaves or at best, mildly liked servants, and taking into account the demeanor of my dragonborn companion, I can see why. Today we got into a scuffle with some bandits and it caused things to come to a head between him and I. Because the dense pack animal refused to listen to my intent and killed a bandit that I still needed alive, I was forced to act rather... ungentlemanly. I feel as though he will be a problem in the future. The other companion is a local of Ashqar and seems a nice, respectable sort, if not a victim of a poor society and upbringing. I still do not know much about the Woman from Tarragona with the bared blade, but I feel that it may be of religious significance because she has the look of the fevered in her eyes. Today we finally exited the Jungle and have arrived in a place called the Aeon Cliffs. I do not like it, however I will write more later Father.
(session 2/ page 3)
We have had some excitement over the last few days on the road, Father and I am unpleased. The first full day in the Aeon Cliffs we were robbed by "kaldib" or some type of local dog people. They took the sword that master Duscan gave me upon my graduation at the academy, and my letter opener. I could care less about the letter opener as it was a cheap present mother gave me as a child and I will be able to replace it with better stock when I restore the family, but I liked that sword. I will return for it some day and they will pay with their lives, and I will burn their village to the ground as interest. I am glad that the family signet ring is made out of silver, because apparently they can smell gold. It gives me a good way to find them in the future. After we recovered from the banditry, we left the Aeon Cliffs and finally entered the Infinite Desert. Father, I tell you now, no one is built for this place. There is sand, fine-grained sand as far as the eye can see. There is no water and anything you see in the distance may be a mirage, or it could possibly be a trap set by a giant sorpion. Please do not ask how I know that. It was not something I wish to repeat. Other than the dragonborn being mostly buried in sand - which was quite amusing. I digress. The leader of this expedition says that we should reach Anu-Asir tomorrow, so I will find out the next tasks that await me and add to this letter then.
(session 3/ page 4)
Father, we have arrived at the research camp at the abandoned city of Anu-Asir. It is filled with students and agents of the Golden Falcon Antiquities, however there doesn't seem to be much sense, for all the alleged intelligence that resides here. We spoke to the leader of the camp and he offered us a job - to enter the ruins and search for relics. Should we return with the relics we will be rewarded with coin. I managed to secure an amount dedicated to the family should I fail to survive to ensure that my death serves the family. I am sure that you will squander it as you have the remains of Uncle Leander's fortune, but let it not be said that I did not serve the family well in my last days. The point is moot though, I do not plan on perishing. I was able to talk a young student into parting with his sword, so now I have a serviceable weapon, and we prepare to enter the ruins. I have made plans that should I fail to return, this letter, as well as the sum agreed upon, will be sent to you and the family estate.
Before you waste the money you might receive, please buy flowers for mother's grave first.
Your Son,
Barian
Excerpt from Barian's Journal: dated one week after arriving in Ashqar
I'm fed up with this godforsaken blister on the gods' respective asses. Its always intolerably hot during the day, or insufferably cold at night. All of the sleeping quarters are nothing more than long pillows on the ground and provide no support or comfort. I do not understand why anyone would want to live in this cesspool of ignorance and filth. Sand is a daily thing here and nothing is clean - at least nothing that I've seen. The conditions of this city "Ashqar" are truely reprehensible - and I've just returned from somewhere... darker. The one saving grace of this land is that the name Thornheart holds little recognition or shame because of it's foreign nature. If people knew who I was, I would have to be afforded some level of respect, if in fear - if anything, but I will carry on my quest. I will recover the face of the Thornheart line and give the nations reason to fear and respect my family.
Today I traveled to the company of one of Uncle Leander's old "friends" but she would not see me. Apparently Aafsa Haidar has become the leader of Golden Falcon Antiquities and is too important to see such an important scion as I. She is a fool. A Fool, but a rich one. In order to secure a meeting, I am being forced to journey as a Guard in a research caravan to the abandoned city of Anu-Asir. Apparently, there have been attacks lately and muscle is needed. As I have been trained by the best in the Baronies, I feel that I am well prepared for this journey, but I do take offense at the casual way that Aafsa has brushed me off as an underling. ......
Excerpt from the private journal of Barian Thornhart, three weeks prior to his journey to Ashqar:
After the fall of Thistlefang keep, and subsequent imprisonment of Uncle Leander, the Thornhart family's position has been ruined. I, Barian Thornhart, wish to reclaim the prestige belonging to the Thornhart name - by any means necessary. The family's name has gone to the hells, so why shouldn't I? Uncle dearest used his privilege and position to experiment on captive prisoners, so why can't I use some "Old Family Contacts" to try to reclaim what is rightfully ours? His role in the fall of Baron-Elect Moren has no strong appeal or interest to me, so he can rot in Henninger for all I care, but I want what was MINE by birth.
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