The Timeline, As Recorded by Shen’vallei

Mirtul 1, 1429DR – I stand here overlooking the waves that crash against the cliffs on this night of a full moon. Peace surrounds me and I take in all of the natural wonder and beauty of my home. A place I will soon be leaving. Tommorrow I depart, to a strange place not of this world called Sigil. For the master says I will learn great mysteries and lessons there. I beleive he held faith in my effort and willingness to go, but I was uncertain why I needed to go. What lessons and mysteries did I need to learn that I could not here in Sasal? Last eve I arranged all the masters tomes according to color. Is it not often you remember what the cover and color of a book looks like when searching for it? I had thought it brilliant, but he was not so pleased. Thus the better part of this day I had to categorize them back into their “proper” order. I had little time to bid farewell to my friends. And I would be going alone. Well not completely alone, Luna would be with me, which reminds me I must pack some treats for her. Hmm, perhaps I do have lessons to learn. I will do as the master instructs. He spoke to me of this new place after last month’s harvest, “After a time in Sigil, I doubt you will even want to return home Shenvallei…” But I will return, for I promise that I will stand here again looking out to these waves of the Moonsea.

Mirtul 3, 1429DR – The passed 2 days have been a whirlwind. My mind is cluttered by all new things I have seen. This morning I had forgotten to practice my invocations due to the predicament I found myself in. It began yesterday when several of my friends from Sasal came to see me off on my journey; I was given a hand woven grey cloak as a parting gift, told to be safe, and was wished well on my success. I took a deep breath. I inhaled the scent of the spring flowers and the mist of the Moonsea, said my final farewells, and stepped through the blue hued portal that the master had summoned.

At first I had thought something had gone awry. For I stood in a dark alleyway of what I could only imagine a city. Several transients looked up from strange glowing gemstones only to quickly hide them from view. I ignored them and stepped out into the main city street, buildings of grand splendor and utter depravity stood next to each other. The street spread into various other pathways like a grid with metal symbols denotating location. Some paths seemed to stop short in dead ends or doors; others seemed to span on out of view into the fog that hampered vision. A bustling array of some of the strangest characters I had ever seen walked by. Most scoffed at me when I politely inquired about directions using a strange dialect of terms I have never heard like “Berk”, “Prime”, and “Barmy”. I wandered the streets for several hours and soon got the feeling I was lost and alone. A friendly passerby seemed to take notice of me and invited me to his home; I was about to accept when a voice behind me spoke in that same strange slang, “Leave the prime be cutter, er you’ll find yer way back to the nine sooner than you thought.” The voice was female and had a tone that I can only describe as a cross between authoritative and playful. The passerby sneered and his eyes began to glow red, “Your intrusion displeases me whore.” he spoke, his silky voice suddenly becomming gutteral and grinding. I turned on the newcommer to see a tall light skinned female warrior with blonde hair set in a ponytail which hung around her neck and down the left side of her breastplate. A silver hand and a half sword was lowered but perfectly still in her right hand. She took a step forward and the torchlight from a nearby building illuminated her features. I turned back to the red-eyed stranger now sensing my danger. His nose wrinkled, “You have the stench of a god about you.” He stepped back into the shadows and in the next instant he seemed to vanish. “My name is Shenvallei D’ansille.” I proclaimed and bowed formally to the warrior. “And thank you, for saving me the trouble of whatever I was about to get myself into. Im a bit lost you see an..” The warrior looked at me sideways as if I looked out of place. “Tie it an’ follow me.” She turned and led me out of the alleyway the passerby was guiding me into and began walking down a more well-lit path. “I say, milady I am searching for a friendly place to stay while in Sigil. This is Sigil is it not?” The warrior stopped, turned to me again, and sighed as if she had just lost a moral debate with herself, “This way. And the name’s Alusair.” From that point on things began to look up. Alusair is proving to be an invaluable guide so far though I do have to concentrate on her answers to my questions as I am not familiar with the dialect. Now we are at a fine tavern that is most hospitable. Food, drink, comfortable warm bedding and all at no cost! I write this page before we are to head out and explore the city a bit. What wonders will I next see?

Mirtul 4, 1429DR – Yesterday proved to be quite informative. I am learning quickly that a good portion of the inhabitants here have aberrant motives. Even the upholders of the “law” seem to be corrupt. A barfight broke out downstairs and we were forced to defend ourselves. The local priests at the temple of Hanseath patched us up and Alusair and I left them a donation for their cause and as thanks. Upon exiting there was a great commotion surrounding the bar where the fight broke out. We tried to get in and take a closer look when we were assaulted by a fat man named Tim and 2 of his bodyguards. They took a fancy to Alusair and were about to arrest us for some made up crime. Oppressors they are, the people here are in fear of imprisonment and their wrath. I was not going to go quietly and neither was Al. We retreated to an alley where our pursuers were all to happy to follow. With strikes of Al’s blade and what magic I could muster, they lay defeated to trouble noone again. We bound the leader and interrogated him, learning much of who he worked for. The Harmonium. Upholders of the law as they portray themselves but nothing more than goons themselves who push their power around like so much corrupt thugs.

Needing a place to regroup we made our way to the safehouse of one of Alusair’s contacts named Zero. A kobold slave serves as a butler and an ogre as a sentry. Can this place get any stranger? At any rate Zero seems to be a bit odd but hospitable. For some reason he thinks I am a cutpurse; it is amusing so I will let him go with his assumption. Alusair and he are talking, apparently discerning our next course of action. Thus I sit here writing and waiting patiently for them to finish not knowing where next I may be headed.

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