"Leroy, don't push so much" the young girl would say after some jostling from the larger brother. "Bah, i never touched ya. Big baby. Now hurry up before every thief in the gate realizes we are alone here. There has to be something of value to sell..." Leroy says throwing the now searched box to the ground littering the floor with trinkets and keepsakes. Hastily moving onto the next box "Come On Izzy" Leroy scolded his sister "get searching". Frustrated with being bossed around again by her brother the girl named Izzy decides to go outside and get some sun. "listen here leroy, just because your older... " walking towards the door the smallest glint catches the eye of the teenager. Scattered amongst the boxes contents on the ground is a small tome, leatherbound and affixed on the cover is the smallest gold insignia and what had caught her eye. "hmm, Leroy this book looks interesting" she says holding it up and displaying it to her brother. "A book Iz? yeah yeah whatever... if you want it take it. I wont be wasting my pack space on it" he mocks her with a chuckle.
"Hmph" with a stomp of her foot at her unattentive brother she is out the door. Now in the sunlight she finds a nice spot on the grass and plops down to look at the book she found. Rubbing her hands across it removes years of dust. This book hadnt been read in years she thought. "hmm, those initials. C. V" she sounded out. Slowly turning the page she is greeted with the most beautifully scribed lettering she has ever seen. the first page is what looks like a quote or some type of statement. She reads the strange book aloud
"Salvation may be found through service. Every failure of duty diminishes Torm and every success adds to his luster. Strive to maintain law and order. Obey your masters with alert judgment and anticipation. Stand ever alert against corruption. Strike quickly and forcefully against rot in the hearts of mortals. Bring painful, quick death to traitors. Question unjust laws by suggesting improvement or alternatives, not additional laws. Your fourfold duties are to faith, family, masters, and all good beings of Faerûn."
"What in the hells ye doing out there Iz?" Leroy could be heard yelling from within. "i swear leroy" she mutters to herself packing the tome away quickly and feeling something different as she walked into the home.
It had been days since Isabella last had the chance to look over the curious tome. Words
like "Service, duty" had been stuck with her forcing themselves into her daily thoughts.
Most horribly she couldnt stop thinking about what it meant for a heart to be rotten. She
would find herself palming the book in her bag at times or bringing it with her hoping to get a chance to read it but never being able to.
It took some time before Isabella found some more time to herself but when it came she found herself sitting on the cobblestone ledge just outside their new estate. Something in her felt compelled to read more of the book she found and now she brought it from her satchel and opened it again to the first page. Reading the passage again she turns the page to find a map with the name "The Great Glacier" on the top.
The next 3 pages were filled with such maps and heavily marked with notes in a steady hand Isabella thought. It was the fifth page that gave her her first shock. The pages were removed. About 10 or so pages were cut out it looked like. The feeling of disappointment with the lost pages was quickly replaced when she saw the fine writing that now stared her in the face. The page started mid-sentence and lacking any better place Izzy decided to start there.
"With everything prepared i shall depart tomorrow. I have finalized my supplies from the Dolvak Clan. The encounter with the Dwarves has put me in a foul mood and with hope, sleep will relieve me of it completely. Regardless the trek to Iron Spur and subsequent dealings with the Dolvak Clan was nessesary. Armed with the Blade and Shield they sold me im far better off then with my ornamental gear."
The journal was riddled with foot notes and additions, stuff like wages and supply rations. Sorting thru it Izzy found the following entries.
"Uneventful day so far. I decided to take lunch just outside of Praka. Knowing the extent of my journey id rather not idle in towns or delay myself getting involved in local matters. Had the import of my trip been less i could happily linger and lend a hand. The weather above the Bloodstone pass looks forboding here. I dont take that part of the journey lightly"
"Met a Caravan travelling west from Valls. The Caravaners have asked me to travel with them and will provide me with food and a warm fire nightly so long as i keep my eyes open. They are a poorly outfitted group and wont take my advice to hire more guards for the trip thru Bloodstone."
"Ive never been to Bloodstone Village but its plight is well known in my land. As we reached the fork in the road, one way led further west and where i was going. Across the bridge and river lay the town. I recall my father telling me of the battle there and how he had seen such horrors there."
"Attacked by wolves. I had heard something in the wilds around us since mid-day. I decided to double my patrols that night. When the moon was highest in the sky i saw a small glint of silver i thought. It was all i needed as warning to stand ready. The wolf bounced off my shield and before it could yelp away i had brained it with my mace. With the Leader dispatched the few men who could use bows helped finish off the wolves that were left searching for their boss."
"The Caravan arrived in their destination of Ilenvur today. I was convinced in taking some extra supplies since they no longer needed them. A youth from the caravan witnessed me in prayer during our trip and before i left he asked me about it. I spent an extra day in Ilenvur describing Torms ways and wrote out a Penance of Duty for him. I wonder what will become of him."
"The stretch of road between Ilenvur and the Citadel of the Raves is called the ride. For all i care it could be called the walk, or crawl. Once the Dragonspire mountains came into sight i knew i would be upset. I disliked no part of the journey more then this stretch of road. My nerves were strained and my thoughts ran wild with what evils were contained on just the south side of those mountains. I have decided i will not stop at the Citadel nor the river town south of it. Keeping camp in the wilds was uncomfortable but with Agents of Evil likely drawn to this area its more prudent to avoid attention."
"Zhentil Keep posed little more then a distraction in hindsight. I am in Dagger Falls now. Have procured passage with a caravan thru the dessert along the Black Road to Loudwater."