The Journal of Abbot Platinum, Brother of the Gray
4th of Floodsebb, 1425.
Amazing. Brother Silver (tarnished)'s idea seems to be taking off like a flock of startled pidgeons. Over twenty contingents of various small dieties have registered! The old cathedral will certianly be full. We shall have to let the merchants sleep rough - they'd probably prefer that anyway.
7th of Floodsebb, 1425.
Brother Silver (tarnished) insists that "involvement by stakeholders increases ownership and committment to long term sustainability." I only asked why we were requiring each contingent to bring a small "white elephant" gift in sufficient quantity to gift 7 random attendees. I certianly hope all pointy things are left at home. Well, at least anything that would be used outside of a ritual circle. After all, evil gods/goddesses/divine beings matter too.
21st of Floodsebb, 1425.
A sucessful day has come to a close! Brother Silver (t.) tells me we will have a net profit of over 70k gold. He only looked at me when I asked which prophet was going to do the fishing. So this is good news, right? Anyway, the attendees were in a fine, jolly mood. So much laughter! It seemed like a very fine joke was making the rounds. The merchants are quite pleased with the turnout and assure me that the monestary's cut will be substantial. They didn't mention fishing.
22nd of Floodsebb, 1425.
The roundtables and informative seminars seem to be going well. The younger celebrants are very keen to exchange ideas. The intensity of this blessed exchange did result in some broken crockery and the demise of a wooden chair, but no significant blood was shed. A few were overcome with the hilarity of these incidents, but the infirmary soon had them back on their feet. Old Bother Leech looked a bit worried and went off to the library to "do some reading." Well, that's what the library is for.
23rd of Floodsebb
This conference stuff is wearying! But we press on!
Several vigorous discussions erupted today, but the infirmary staff came through, although I needed to add my prayers. That must be why I feel so stodgy. Haven't done that in years. I'm beginning to wonder if someone isn't intentionally stirrig the pot.
Brother Leech looked very worried and nattered on to me about "contact tracing." I told him, by all means do as much tracing as you want. Just don't get ink on the originals. Everyone needs a hobby, but the library is an important resource.
24th of Floodsebb
Brother Leech has insisted that I seal off the monestary for the sake of Grytack, Vantage, and the surrounding villages. He says the laughter we've been hearing is actually a symptom of a deadly contageous disease known as the "Cackles." He also insists that we all remaine "quarentined" in our rooms, meditating. I pushed him as to how long we will need to maintain this quarentinne meditation. His answer is as obtuse as ever, but I think we have enough food stors to see us all through. Perhaps an extra serving pf pudding will lift everyone's spirits.
The merchants ARE NOT HAPPY, but all have agreed, for now.
25th of same month
First day of quarteen meditation
I spent my day meditating on various options for Brother S.(tarnished)'s penance. I think fire ants may be appropriate. The source of our troubles has turned out to be one of the "white elephant" gifts. And I was worried about weapons. The celebrants of Leslope, goddes of nervous laughter, distributed "laughing handkerchefs" as their white elephant. Apparently, they had instructed the artificer to make the holder "laugh like they had the cackles, but without any of the symptoms." Brother Leech insists that being contagious isn't actually a symptom.
26th
A few of the merchants went over the wall last night. Brother Leech is sick with worry. He claims this stupid disease could whipe out the whole arrea. So, I've set the old stone golum to guard the gate at the entrance to out canyon. No one will leave now.
All the better, no SINNERS can escape. I have chained S.(tarnished) in the crypt (no one there to conspire with). Later, I shall put him to the question. I WILL CONFOUND this attack on MY monestary.
27th
The merchants and some of the convention attendees rioted in front of the conference center this morning after the golum barred their escape. While they blathered on, I directed the monks to bring as much of the food stores into our resident hall kitchen and bar the access points to the brother's residence.
The bodies are starting to pile up. I refused to let those unrighteous pretenders use our crypt. Let them build a pyre in the kitchen garden. They can rot in the courtyardfor all I care.
28th
More rioting in front of the residence.
More bodies being burned.
Brother Leech wants to know where S.(tarnished) is. Oh, I bet he does. He was probably in on it. Well, I'll get him to the crypt and show him something REALLY funny. Honestly, it makes me giggle just thinking about it. Half of the brothers will not leave their rooms - a small group have barricaded themselves in the dining room. But soon, soon I will sus out the guilty parties, AND THEY WILL BURN.
A mystery solved
This fragmented document was found by the adventurers who finally solved the Mystery of the Gray. Several of the pages had been ripped out ond stuffed into the mouths of various corpses1.
1. That is, the paper showed no signs of mastication, so the poor sods were probably dead at the time.
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