Journal I Wonder What Vardan Is Doing Today

[Vardan]

CCCLXX - VII - III

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took stock of assets to-day. no gold, little silver. miserable. hard to obtain funds when having none to begin with. maybe sell mercenaries. need armaments. already possessed of cadavers, may make use of.​

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sat on throne and pondered for after-noon. alone. no visitors. much pref. old castle rosewood. more lively.​

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very bored. need to furnish library. useless town to north-west had books. should seize. will send blackburn vyke.​

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nightfall - studied black fire.​

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adden.: crishell advised 'useless town to north-west' is in fact named crossroad mire. levied taxes last month but did not take books. must correct soon.​

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[Vardan]

CCCLXX - VII - IV

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dispatched vyke to crossroad mire with naga footmen to-day. should be sufficient. expect to return three days hence. vyke sullen unphased and reticent. model retainer.​

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speaking of: noted this morn - cannot locate r. ashford. mostlike has wandered off. impudent. should never reanimate adolescents on acc. of mercurial temperament. useless even if dreadlord (almost). lesson noted. crishell more useful by far.​

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shipwreck reported not far from keep. abandoned by time arrived during after-noon. cortosi flag. contained dry goods, little coin, few cadavers. not much of use. annoyed, displeased. sent b. fane with footmen to search for survivors. doubtful of success.​

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nightfall - studied black fire.​

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[Vardan]

CCCLXX - VII - V

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knight and squire entered keep this morn - still dark. killed three footmen one naga. knight professed to be of 'redeemed' - celestialist paladin thralls. recalled i slew a number at alliria months prior. came to render final death to me? great nuisance. ordered thern. to deal with. both cretins slain in short order. minimal damage to keep.​

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corpses left in swamp. black fire will take root. may be useful once risen. squire carried money. pleased. pondered status of geladryx. hopeful for yet doubtful of demise. could be issue later. ​

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in foul mood for after-noon. paladins always sour day. thought to lecture me. ill-bred superstitious scum. ruined allira alongside bankers. reanimated footmen and naga. spent rest of day on throne. pondered. no visitors. desired none.​

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nightfall - studied black fire.​

 

[Vardan]

CCCLXX - VII - VI

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b. fane returned this morn. did not notice he had been away so long. survivors long gone as expected. their loss. told fane to rest.​

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growing ill-eased. surveyed keep and town again. still impoverished, unsuited to agric. or commer. activity. pallid folk peasants to be pitied.​

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one inquired as to why i do not use magick to enrich soil. informed him i did not wield such menial magick. he replied it would presently be more useful magick than the magick i do wield and ergo not so menial. ordered him to be flogged. impudence. however point taken. must locate then enlist sorcerer more suited to technical magick. difficult with no revenue but must be done. ​

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old castle rosewood had beautiful vineyards. surrounding farmlands. great many serfs. weak guilds, no merchants. ideal days. nothing in this bog. disgusted. must devise means to leave or enrich self quickly. patience thinning.​

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nightfall - studied black fire.​

 

[Vardan]

CCCLXX - VII - VII

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pallid folk servant found aged botanical manuscript within keep larder. thought to bring it to me. wherefore this did not present itself earlier? infuriated! yet curious. awarded a ducat for proper thinking, much as it pained me. text illegible to me. ​

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may be in local language. must have one prepare translation. unsure which of them is of letters, if any. must conduct proper census - if stay is to be prolonged, must have accurate count of peasants. had thern. and fane begin process.​

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inspected corpses left in swamp. paladin and squire decay nicely. no seat for the black flame yet. others still being picked clean by carrion beasts, crustaceans. slow process but not worth my energy to speed. may return here for gentle repose here while awaiting vyke.​

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nightfall - studied black fire.​