10 Keent, 637 M.Y.
The ghastly thing claiming to be Dalvan has been dispatched. It has made ransack of the area it has been confined to, and what little intelligence it may have once possessed has been warped by myriad hours of solitude, silence, and darkness. Do undead creatures feel the compulsion to rest, to sleep? An ironic end for one who sought immortality.
The immortal clock will never chime, for he who fears a simple climb.
This was the first of our trials. It was a simple enough climb to ascend the keyhole tower in order to find the location of Dalvan Meir’s tomb. The assumption is that those seeking it do so in search of immortality, as did his adherents and those who sought to emulate him in life.
The gold you give pays well in kind. Give well when asked and safety find.
By crossing the water and depositing coins in the bronze bowl we were able to gain admittance to Dalvan’s tomb.
Desire for gold may secrets show, But giving stills the fatal blow.
After doing so, we unlocked the secrets of the masks and employed ‘avarice’ to show us our path, and ‘generosity’ to open the way.
The immortal clock will never chime, for he who fears a simple climb.
We then followed the narrow hall to a seemingly bottomless shaft. There we descended into the dark, aided by the hand-holds carved from the stone.
Those crossing deeps to gain the ground. May fall as biting fear is found.
As we exited the shaft, we found ourselves in a large chamber, the majority of which was occupied by a pool of acid. A trap left along the narrow walkway was designed to upset those along it into the caustic depths. Fortunately for us we found most of the acid evaporated, if not concentrated. The statue guardian was a fearsome opponent.
One’s days can ne’er be forged anew, But magic may give great their due.
This must be the final riddle, and herein lies our secret to escape. But what does it mean?
Magic. Perhaps one of these potions is the answer.
There is one final warding on what must be the final door between us and our successes. It does not bode well, for we have no means beyond the mundane to dispel it.
'Mystery creates wonder and wonder is the basis of man's desire to understand.'