The Journal of Father Balaf Benedictus

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Description

a leatherbound leather-coated vellum manuscript
    The writing is in Anglic, and reads:
The Journal of Father Balaf Benedictus

    This manuscript is very old and bound with torn, streaked leather.  The pages within are of
vellum.  Inked into the front cover is a title, nearly obliterated by time and hard use.  It is
open to page one of fifteen.  It is open to page one of fifteen.  You estimate its value at about
three hundred thirty gold.  
    It is in perfect condition.  
    It looks about two fifths of a dimin long, three dimins wide, and four dimins tall.  It weighs
about three and three twentieths dekans.

    The commands 'open <item>', 'close <item>', and 'turn page [in <item>] [to <number>]' may be
used with it.  Keeping the leatherbound leather-coated vellum manuscript costs eight keep points. 
The leatherbound leather-coated vellum manuscript was created by Snark; the source code was last
updated Tue Oct 17 12:52:18 2017.  The material leather was created by Lost Souls; the source code
was last updated Tue Mar 15 02:18:23 2016.  The material vellum was created by Lost Souls; the
source code was last updated Tue Mar 15 02:18:27 2016.

Text

                    The journal of Father Balaf Benedictus                     


Karmina 13, 524
    Things around the cathedral were slow today.  After a brief session of 
morning prayer, we set about preparing the crypt for the arrival of his grace,
the late archbishop of Losthaven.  While arranging the sarcophagus, a great 
tragedy occurred.  Brother Kyriell stumbled into the large crucifix on the 
eastern wall, causing it to fall.  The crucifix, which was most certainly a
priceless artifact, was smashed to oblivion.  It was odd, however, that this
cracked the stone floor.  After some inspection, we widened the crack into a 
small hole.  Apparently, there is a room we were not aware of beneath the crypt.
The archbishop's sarcophagus was positioned against the northern wall instead.
I thank our lord Yehovah that no-one was hurt.

Karmina 14, 524
    Mass this morning was inspirational and enlightening.  I truly am glad that
Father Shelton is staying with us while on his way to the northern lands; he 
gives an impressive sermon.  We have contracted several workmen from Sanctuary 
to help us excavate the room beneath the crypt.  Brother Kyriell is of the 
opinion that we shall find the foundations of a fortress dating back to the
Altrian Empire, due to the strategic position of the island upon which our 
cathedral rests. 

Karmina 17, 524
    After two days of working, our hired laborers proved Brother Kyriell's 
guess to be accurate.  There is a small room underneath the crypt.  From its 
architecture, it is from the late Altrian Empire or slightly thereafter.  
Brother Kyriell, always the historian, pointed out that since the late Altrian
Empire's military was essentially run by the Knights of Purity, it was probably
they to whom the room belonged.

Karmina 18, 524
    The grain shipments from the Tenochca arrived today.  They aren't a bad 
people, even if they do insist on worshipping their pagan god Teotinuacan.  
Perhaps a mission could be established near there.

Karmina 25, 524
    We have now completely cleared the room below the crypt, but have found no
insights as to its purpose.  It has no entrances save for the hole we bored
into its ceiling, and is empty excepting a large stone disc in its center. Upon
the disc, which is about four feet in diameter and half a foot high, and made
of a curious and unidentifiable grey stone, is engraved a strange and
cabalistic design composed of what appears to be an eye inscribed within a 
pentacle.  A flaming pillar serves as the eye's iris.  Even with my extensive
theological background, I do not recognize this symbol.

Ingot 2, 524
    Father Shelton, who departed earlier this morning, appeared visibly shaken
by the sight of the sigil.  He appeared to recognize it, and even referred to it
as "the Elder Sign", but would not comment on its meaning.

Ingot 7, 524
    As the days grow colder, I fear more room shall be needed in the crypt as 
this promises to be the coldest winter on the record.  Brother Kyriell has 
suggested we expand the crypt into the Altrian chamber.  I thought this a very
good idea, although we shall have to move the disc.  We begin this renovation
next week.

Ingot 14, 524
    Catastrophe.  We began our renovation of the crypt yesterday, and a terrible
thing did occur.  Upon moving the stone disc, we discovered a very deep well,
although it did not appear to have any water at the bottom (though we were 
unable to determine its depth; our longest rope proved to be too short for the
purpose).  The odor which came from this well was so foul that half of the 
workers wished to seal it once again.  If only I had listened to them.  The 
thing came last night.  I was woken by an unearthly howl which came from the 
crypt.  Thinking a wolf had strayed from the plains, I cautiously ventured to 
the crypt to investigate.  As I descended the stairs, I noted that the charnel
smell from the deep well had spread into the main body of the crypt, which 
appeared also to be empty.  I peered over the edge of the hole leading into the
room with the well in it, and what I saw shall be forever impressed in my 
memory.  A filmy red mist pouring from the well had coated the room's floor, 

and I could hear the beat of far-off drums beating a rhythm alien to all my 
experiences to the feverish melody of a hellish flute.  And then, from that well
which must have vented the deepest fathoms of hell, came a creature which shall
haunt my nightmares for the rest of my days.  It was larger than an ox, but of
its exact size I could not be certain- it seemed to be growing either larger or 
smaller, but I could not discern which.  It stood upright on four lithe, rubbery
legs which were congruent to its four pincered arms.  Its body was a mass of 
writhing tentacles, which also formed its facial features.  It held two leathery
wings of massive span behind it, which it flexed as it gave a tremendous roar
that shook the cathedral.  Crossing myself, I turned and ran as fast as I could,
barring the crypt's gate behind me.  Brother Kyriell had been awakened (along 
with the neighboring countryside, no doubt), and came tearing through the nave
with a candelabra.  I explained to him what I had seen (although I was in a 
state of thorough shock and was probably not very coherent), and with his help
I blocked the crypt's gate with some of the tools the workmen had been using
the previous day.

Ingot 18, 524
   The thing's howls and scratching have driven the cathedral's regular
services to a halt.  The crypt's door now shakes visibly as the daemon smashes
into it, and I fear it will not hold much longer.  We have sent a plea of help
to our holy brethren in Devonshire.

Ingot 20, 524
    A great warrior-priest named Malkyr has been sent to us from the followers
of Tempus in Devonshire.  His triumphs over evil are legendary, and his fame is
immense.  He wishes to waste no time; he will face and destroy the daemon 
tomorrow.  He carries with him a shield of very ancient origin which bears on it
the same pentacle-and-eye design as the stone disc which we foolishly moved.

Ingot 21, 524
    We released the daemon from the crypt shortly after daybreak.  The combat 
which ensued between it and Malkyr was indeed titanic, and much of our beloved 
cathedral was destroyed.  Malkyr fought vailantly until nearly sunset, but the
daemon was tireless and seemed to grow stronger as daylight waned.  Malkyr 
called upon Tempus in his last moments, and made the waters around the cathedral
holy so that the daemon could not escape and ravage the countryside.  Brother 
Kyriell and I buried Malkyr in the cemetary, although it is a miracle to me that
we still live.  The daemon seems to have no interest in us, or perhaps was 
affected more by Malkyr's last prayer than we initially thought.

Ingot 24, 524 
    The cathedral appears to be sinking.  Its foundations must have been 
damaged greatly during the fight between Malkyr and the daemon.

Alystos 1, 524
    No longer can I stand the daemon.  It sits high above the crossing, 
glibbering to iteself in an alien tongue and watching evilly.  Brother Kyriell
and I have decided that it must be sealed within its original prison.  To do
so, we must lure it back to the crypt.  We will gain its attention with a loud
noise first, and then it shall chase Brother Kyriell into the crypt where I 
shall be waiting to push the seal back into place.  I have fashioned a ring with
the Elder Sign upon it for Brother Kyriell to wear as protection while he runs.

This plan must succeed, else all hope be lost.

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