This journal is extremely
old and has worn with the ages. The
pages are very weak and should be treated with careful hands. Many of the pages have been worn around the
edges, other have been burnt and even more seem to have been ripped out.
The Life and Times
of
Baylok Bridgenose
Entry 1, third sun of the Month of Granite.
‘Tis an early morning fer me today.
I got many chores to do fer me master before he wakes and gets to his
work fer the day. Dis being my first
entry in the journal of my life, I hope that one day my relatives will be able
to read about my life and times. I hear
him sturring now, I best be off real quick.
Entry 2, third moon of the Month of Granite.
The day was a normal one fer me.
Bringing the water from the mountain wells to the smith shop fer master
Boulderfist, starting up the fires fer his forge and getting all of his tools
setup for his day of work. I barely
finished before he arrived with his usual morning phrase “Baylok! Fetch me a bucket o dat black ale me keep in
da storage hole behind da hut.” He
always did like his morning drink. Then
I had me lessons with the scholars of the town, speaking, reading and writings. I did not tell them about me journal, they
might think I was trying to be more than I am, just a lowly smith
assistant. Lerning takes me a long time
and I have been at it fer over 20 years now.
Me parents died just before me came to the scholars and the
master. I think it be there last wishes
that I be smarter then they. Me brother
also was sent with me, but he no like the lerning so he leave and do work fer
the town guard. I see him sometimes on
my way through town, but it never be enough fer my likings.
After me lerning I had to bring master his lunch and we ate and talked
about making stuff from the mountain.
That’s what he does, he crushes the stone and metal and makes fine
weapons from our mountains. Chicken and
potato grub, it was good today. Thanks
to Melly fer her good cookings. After
eating I had to rush to the priests fer some discussions about gods and
worshippings and how things outside our city are changing. Stuff about foreigners and tall people,
fightings and that sort of stuff. I
think they mean good, but the priests never seem to be doing the stuff that
needs to be done about all of these things.
Then I went to the shop were master was making some nice hammers of
blue steel. He showed me how to make
them and I even got to try it out today.
I was happy. My hammer was a bit
bent, but master Boulderfist fixed it up fer me a bit. My first weapon I made, he let me take it as
a good luck charm. Now it is time fer
me to sleep.
Entry 3, sixth day of the Month of Granite.
Me brother had an evening off from the town watch so got to have some
time to talk. That means we went to
Mellys little bar the Whistling Cavern last night and had some good cookings
and drinkings. I was happy to see me
brother Brigon cause I had not seen him round the town in days. He told me how he had been out with some
other dwarf scouts looking around areas north and east of our town. How there were many of those little elfs
round the parts and how they had many of the tall people, I think they call
them humans, as slaves. Those elfs
always be bad news when they are around, dancing around in the trees like a
bunch of fools. So we sang a song about
them elfs and everyone cheered us and toasted their drinkings with us.
I found out that me brother was a big dwarf now in the town guard and
how he was asked to join a special part of the town guard, something called
‘Mountains Peak’. He said he was going
to join them tomorrow and that he may not be around very often in the
future. I was sad that me brother was
not going to be around, but he has important works to do fer the good of the
city.
Entry 4, eighth moon of the Month of Granite.
I heard a rumor today that ‘Mountains Peak’ was a group of special
dwarf scouts who were said to be the best in the land at tracking and
spying. I wonder where me brother
learned to do…….
The journal pages have worn with age here and what looks like a fire
and someone ripping some of the pages out
Entry 14, first sun of the Month of Cliffs.
Yesterday the priests told me that the elfs and humans were having a
lot of problems and it was cause they were fickle people. I do not really understand what they said
but they were fighting and killing each other and that is ok by me.
Master said he was taking me up to the hermit who lives in a cave near
the top of Mount Red Lightning, a dangerous place fer anybody to be. He said to bring me hammer cause this hermit
can do special things to metals. I hope
he don’t break me hammer I made.
Entry 15, second moon of the Month of Cliffs.
This writings stuff is hard work.
I see why everyone tinks the scholars be so smart. Yesterday I met the hermit Shiraz. He looked really old and wrinkled and I
could not make out what he really looked like cause he was all hairy and
hunched over in a robe. He and master
Boulderfist spoke in some weird language that I do not understand. I gave me hammer to Shiraz and master said
we should come back next week. I don’t
like me hammer not being round, but I don’t like climbing all that way up
again.
Entry 16, fifth sun of the Month of Cliffs.
Last night was the happiest night of me life. Melly finally turned 40 and her parents said I can take her
out. Melly and me been likings each
other for a while now. Tomorrow night
we gonna go to our special place, the hidden pond at the base of Mount
Tigereye. The water in that pond is
warm and smells good like the rocks of the mountain.
Entry 17, tenth sun of the Month of Cliffs.
Got me hammer back yesterday! I
love me hammer more now then before. I
dunno what he did to it but it is much lighter now and I can tell when I hit
the anvil that it is stronger. I even
dented masters anvil and he got upset with me.
I am not allowed to hit his stuff with it no more.
I think I love Melly.
Me brother was back for an hour last night and he talked to me about
his trip south. And how things were very
different outside of the city. I dunno
if I will ever go there, things that different can be bad fer us. He then had to leave again to do more of his
duties.
Entry……..
The journal is once again unreadable at this point.
………………………………………………..and the scholars said they were proud of me and me
lernings. They say I may one day be a
scholar if me keep at it. I told them
about me journal and how it helped me to work on me lernings. They seemed to not mind, but I think maybe
they did.
Entry 33, twentieth moon of the Month of Shale.
Today I found out from master that me and him were going to go on a
trip fer the next month or more. He
needs to find a new supply fer his smithings.
We are going way up in the north to look for some special ores and then
a party of miners can go and get it fer us.
I wont have much time fer writings so I will leave me journal in a safe
spot here. Now I can tell me brother
about my travels too.
Entry 34, second sun of the Month of Harvest.
Master and I returned last night from our travel north to find some
ores. I saw many things I never could
have dreamed of. The forests and plains
in the north are very pretty places and the creatures that live in them are
nice to watch. I wish I could write
more about me travels now but the scholars sent word that I need to go to them
right away.
Entry 35, second moon of the Month of Harvest.
The scholars told me today that I can not work with master anymore fer
a while. They said he was busy making
his weapons all day and can not be disturbed.
I know what this means, all dwarfs know what this means. War is coming.
Entry 36, fourth moon of the Month of Harvest.
My lernings have doubled in the past couple of days since I cant help
master Boulderfist anymore. Tomorrow I
have a meeting with Scholar Wirebrim in his study. I am not sure what this means.
As fer tonight, me and Melly are going to the overhang at Grimfeathers
Pass. It has a nice view of the stars
and the dark woods to the northeast of town.
Entry 37, eleventh moon of the Month of Harvest.
I have been very busy the past couple of days with new studies that
Scholar Wirebrim have given me. I think
master Boulderfist told him how I liked the areas and wildlife on me travels
north cause I am learning about all of that stuff now. I wonder how me brother is doing. I miss…..
The journal has some weird colored looking fungus growing on the bottom
of this page and the next one.
Entry 42, twentythird sun of the Month of Harvest.
I stopped by masters smith shop early this morning before anyone was
awake. He has really been hard at work
cause his storerooms are full of weapons, hammers, cudgels, axes and even
spears. I worry that my brother may be
in danger if a war is happening outside of out town of Mreec.
Off to me learnings.
Entry 43, twentieth moon of the Month of Fallen Mountains.
I have been away for almost a month now. Melly is not happy with me.
I have not heard anything from me brother. I was sent by Scholar Wirebrim to spend some time with of all
things, hermit Shiraz. At first I did
not understand why cause he is just an old crazy man who lives alone. I forgot how he had treated me hammer. I came to find out that Shiraz is what they
call a Druid. Druids like the wilds and
they know a lot things about plants and animals. I understand now why scholar sent me there. I studied day and night without rest somehow
for a whole month almost. I see why he
is all wrinkled and hunched now. He
probably studies like this all the time.
When I left he was very proud of me and gave me a cloak of some material
he called silk. Silk is a precious and
expensive fabric. He told me never to
lose it as the cloak might save me life one day.
Entry 44, twentyfifth midday of the Month of Fallen Mountains.
This morning I had a fight with Melly, then Scholar Wirebrim told me I
was to meet a dwarf from Tansar called ‘the Firestorm’. I have heard many tales about how he can
pull fire from his hands and toss it at his foes. I think they call him a Warlok.
Entry 45, twentyfifth moon of the Month of Fallen Mountains.
I was right about ‘the Firestorm’.
He is a Warlock. His name is
really Cram Charredtouch. He wore a lot
of bright red clothes with pieces of black leather here and there. He looked pretty funny to me, but I knew not
to laugh at him cause of all the tales I had heard about him. I spent all day with him and he told me
about many of his adventures and he even asked fer me to tell him about my
adventures. I thought that was nice of
him cause I am still young for an adult.
Just as he was leaving, he turned and looked at me and said something I
could not understand, but I saw something glow around him and I felt like a
bolt of fire hit me head. Then he said
“Farewell Baylock Bridgenose of Mreec, one day soon we shall meet at hallowed
times.” I did not think much of it at
the time cause me head was hurting.
Entry 46, twentysixth midday of the Month of Fallen Mountains.
Me head is feeling better now and…
The writing here seems to have smeared together making it illegible.
Entry 47, first sun of the Month of Skyfire.
I am at a great loss. Word came
in just now that a group of ‘Mountains Peak’ had been ambushed in the south
very close to the elf city of Rac Semdar.
I heard that the bodies were being brought back this afternoon and a
funeral to be held tonight. I fear me
brother will is lost.
Entry 48, first moon of the Month of Skyfire.
This entry is to honor me brother Brigon Bridgenose who fell in battle
on the last day of the Month of Fallen Mountains. He was a brave and stout dwarf who did nothing but protect the
dwarf regions. His group of ‘Mountains
Peak’ scouts had been ambushed on their way back from scouting the western side
of Rac Semdar. He fought valiantly with
two of his companions against a group of twelve elfs and a hideous beast of
their creation while the fourth member of his group escaped to report what they
had found. He gave his life so that
this important information would reach the scholars and priests of the dwarf
nation. I drink to you Brigon
Bridgenose.
Everyone in town was at the funeral.
I saw my old master and we had a drink.
While we were drinking I noticed that Scholar Wirebrim was talking to a
weirdly dressed dwarf in crimson robes.
Then that dwarf turned and came over and it was Cram Charredtouch. He said that he was sorry for my loss. After he left master Boulderfist looked at
me kinda weird and said “what the hell did he just say?” and “what language was
that he was speaking?”. I shrugged and
said, that was dwarf, are you daft or something? He chuckled and we drank some more.
Entry 49, sixteenth sun of the Month of Skyfire.
Melly and me are no more I think.
She was sorry about me brother but she is upset about all my
studies. I know how she feels sometimes
but I know I have important duties ahead of me. I have spent the past two weeks studying the art of warfare in
addition to me normal studying of plants, animals, metals, minerals, readings
and writings. Tonight I hope to see
Melly and talk to her again.
Entry 50, seventeenth moon of the Month of Skyfire.
Last night while I was with Melly she found a weird thorn and made a
necklace out of it and gave it to me. I
kissed her and held her. I told her I
had to go away soon and that I loved her.
She was sad but not as sad as I was.
I left and I have a feeling I may never see her again.
Entry 51, nineteenth sun of the Month of Skyfire.
Today I leave with many of the scholars, priests and warriors of Mreec
to meet up with a force from Tansar just to our south. We set out for Rac Semdar in order to come
to the aid of the humans from the Northeast who have pushed the elfs back to
their homeland. I do not know where my
future leads me other then to a world of blood and fire, me hammer will guide
me and when that fails I have me hands and head. I leave me journal with Melly in hopes that one day a relative will appear and read of me and me
brother. And if I return I will tell
the story of what happens in me near future.
I just took my last look at the night sky above our Tek Ar Mountains
and it was filled with reddish fire. I
wonder if that is where it got its name?
Or is that just Cram working his magicks…