Mysterious Chest Quest Books

Dolis, Planegazer and Headmaster of the Scriptorum

This log seems to be more than a few decades old and is nearly illegible. One passage reads: "...what seems to be the very first of many mysterious chests. We tried everything to open it. But it refuses to spill its secrets. My assistants suggested to request advice from the council. Secretive and hesitant as they are, they suggested not to proceed until we know more about what we're dealing with."

Another illegible passage is followed by: "...we shall never find him if we continue hiding in the shadows, prying old rubble and dusty tomes. My own plan was deemed too radical an approach. Instead, the council recommended to erect a chamber of knowledge around this recent discovery. My group was commanded to guard the chest and to hide its existence like we did with all our recent findings. Me? A mere custodian of what might have been the missing part to a puzzle I spent a lifetime of research on?

Nevertheless, we shall obey. We will guard it and keep it secret. But know that the creature never sleeps, never rests and never falters. Ever walking the planes he is bound to arrive here sooner or later. What the council fails to understand is that this is not and never has been a chase, it's an assault on our very existence.

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Day 236

Finally! Something! I found a strange wall somewhere under Ab'Dendriel. I had to "borrow" some equipment, a pick, some tools, a rope - I am sure the elves won't mind. And now I am here! Here to dig up my first real treasure, maybe even more! My very own discovery of a tomb or even a lost palace! No - an archeological breakthrough (let's just say that not all of the gold and riches could be recovered), I will document everything I find in this diary!

Day 237

Well, I started digging. It's a tedious task, not to speak of the dirt, dust, mud and all kinds of roots in your face while you barely scrape the surface on what feels like granite. Nothing interesting so far, but such a discovery is not to be made in a day's work.

Day 238

Still digging. It, well, still looks like a huge wall. I actually uncovered a lot of it but there seems to be no entrance. Anyway, I got to continue.

Day 239

Digging. Not a single trace of any door or even a window. Maybe home of some obscure cult of darkness? Maybe creatures of the night? A hideout for ghouls? Maybe I am working not hard enough. Hm, there seems to be a strange spot there at the wall, I can see it clearly from here. I shall try to push or pull it right away! Fame and riches, here I come!

Day 241, 242?

Turns out I was hit by some stone while pulling a brick out of the wall that was in fact not even part of the wall. Seems I was out for a day... or two? I'm actually quite hungry and there is still no sign of any entrance. Maybe one more day of work, I am sure I can dig up... SOMETHING.

Day 243 (probably)

There is a small drift coming out of the wall, around the middle section of the large chunk I uncovered. Maybe someone actually bricked the whole entrance up to hinder something from entering - or getting out? I am exhausted and hungry and I have no interest in that whole treasure hunting archeology business. I can't even concentrate anymore. Where did I put my pick again? I hope I don't forget to take my diary with me. Anyway, I am out of here.

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Private property of Logur, Forgemaster of the Planegazers

<Expedition Project 'Exclave', Scientific Site XIV>
<Private Notes>
Our shared goal is in jeopardy. The council has sealed off most of the sites by now. We are trying to gather enough information from this one to be able to move on. Unfortunately, most of the useful equipment has already been withdrawn, right after decoding (the following paragraph looks as if it has been hastily effaced). We are basically working with sticks and stones here.

I will file a report concerning recent regulation changes and the conditions under which we have to operate. My complaints will be sent to the council as soon as we leave this post. Our mission is indeed clear, secrecy is highly advised. However, right now all this does is to hinder our progress. I am beginning to think there is something more at work here. Why are so many sites closed in a hurry, why does it seem the council nowaddays confuses giving advice with issuing orders, and caution with secret-mongering? I shall keep these thoughts to myself. All those doubts may unsettle my colleagues and that would be nothing but counterproductive.

Our detailed findings have been recorded (note: Compendium Site XIV). The state of the forge is operational. On a more personal note I want to express my worries concerning our current situation. We all know the directive in case of an 'Erasure', which will undoubtedly be upon us in a matter of days. However, our time window is far too narrow. While most of the equipment is already off site (compare with my notes from the first paragraph), I highly doubt we will be able to move the forge itself in time. We have gathered all remaining devices from this site and can only hope that all other teams have followed the directive to the letter. Should an outsider come into the possession of a leftover device, with the forge still active I cannot guarantee that this individual can be kept from deciphering what we found. Mechanical contraptions will advance over time and nothing will be safe. We shall heed our principle for we are without guide if we do not. Or as they always say: "Shroud your knowledge, veil the end."

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Instigation from Farles, Ward of the Forge

All remaining devices currently in use shall be collected and returned to Forgemaster Logur within two days time! Lapsus is insubordination!

Shroud your knowledge, guardians.

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Cannos, Planegazer and Coadjutor of the Scriptorum

The Scriptorum has put much effort in the stones at Site XIV, however, even they could not completely lift their secrets - they needed us! Our valued assistant Tassondis, whom I always held in the highest regard, had a remarkable idea - replicas! We established Site XVII and rebuilt the two exhibits the other researchers found - near perfect copies - so both our teams could study them separately! Of course we had the advantage of being able to work in a practically ideal environment as well as in secret. We used this to our advantage and, due to the help of Tassondis, managed to decipher the second relic in no time! The results have been added both to the current research documents, as well as our own records (note: Compendium Site XIV and XVII, edited) and will be removed from this document for obvious reasons.

<the next pages of this document have been removed, the last page has some notes scribbled on the back>

Getting to the bottom of walls VB and VC was pretty obvious, Tassondis wasn't even the first one to understand them. Both engraved walls are part of the larger Ab'Dendriel exhibit, very similar to the smaller one, which is located on the surface. The other two sides on the back of the exhibit, VA and VD, are not even part of the solution. And when I told him that both walls are probably interconnected with a single unique meaning, he reacted quite surprised and immediately got to work. He made quick progress and suddenly HE was the one who saved the day. He didn't even mention me! And I doubt he would have even perceived the engravings on the stones at all! He called all exhibits they found "magic stones"! Magic stones? What is this! He clearly has no idea what he is talking about, nor how significant our work here actually is. Careful observation of the Ab'Dendriel exhibits would have shown him that there is more to the surface of these strange menhirs than meets the eye. Who could have known that a considered researcher like him would literally only get a hint if it jumped right at him?

If you ever take the time to read this, Cannos, don't just let Tassondis get away with this. This discovery was a team effort, you of all people should know this.

Khuun

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