There’s a time to train and a time to drink. This is a time to drink. And where do I choose to drink? Dundee naturally. The inn is quiet tonight. Just like I like it. He company is fine. Not too many folks. We will see what the night holds for me.

Ale is truly a wondrous drink. I try not to over do it. Moderation is the key to a happy life. Too many clerics swear off it saying it is a drink of evil but I believe it is truly a gift of the gods.

My thoughts ore on my notes and I am starting work on quite a long project. How I wish for a diversion. Do I need a diversion? No but deep inside I know I would not turn down a good conversation.


Back to work…

Some clouds had gathered over the southern seas shortly before I climbed down into the Sea Cave yet again to train. Fighting is secondary in my mind due to constant distractions but I know I must train. If I had my way I know I would rather just wander the land and see the amazing sights that are everywhere but then I think we all would prefer that over the daily struggles we all endure.

Before making my way to Fartown I wandered along the Altitan ledge. I always wonder at the doors and try to imagine what lies behind them. It’s unfortunate that they have been closed off to us. I doubt any walls we could create could hold off Balthazar and his demons. I wonder just how those walls have stood for so long. Is there any life behind them or we just find a barren city with hardly a clue to the lives that lived there?

It’s a nice distraction but I have work to do. Now sitting again in fartown I know my time to rest is short. I must train. Soon I will get my chance to rest.

I wandered out today and did some training. It felt good to get my mind off things. In the end I wandered back to Branishore to see if I could help anyone. I could not get the image of the woman I saw the other day. I heard a rumor she was leaving for a while to seek out someone or something. Perhaps she will find what she seeks. Perhaps not.

I thought back to my journey back to my homeland a few years ago. I still wear the scars I received in battle during that time but I did find a great deal of truth. In a way I found myself.

Suddenly I and recalling the victories I had that journey and I’m encouraged. Though my life has been full of many sorrows I do truly have much to be thankful for. If I had not made the journey I would not have became who I am today. The danger we face is worth it if we battle through and learn from those experiences.

In the end we all take a journey. We may not all travel to far off lands but we find ourselves in the end. The depth of who we are can be measured by the many friends that depend on us and the victories we have no matter how small.


I have stared my first quest for membership in AVE. it will not be easy but it is worth the effort. I did not expect them to go easy on me nor would I ask that of them. It would cheapen their membership process if I did.

While I do not divulge the details of my quest, I will say it will be an interesting journey in itself. In a way it pushes me to get out of my shell, seek help from many in the land and will, hopefully, be a useful tool for many in the land once I have completed.


Even as I sit attempting to map out my quest I still look to the ocean. While some go out and never return I have a feeling I will see that kind face again. I wish her luck and settle in to work. Peace settles in around me and I get the feeling that in due time all will be ok.

I sat at the shore for a good long time today. I was not really thinking of much, just listening to the waves rolling in. occasionally a fellow adventurer would wander in and greet me or just pass through quietly with a shared understanding that sometimes a person just needs his alone time. It’s nice.

While alone time has its benefits, I can’t help but desire friends as well. Even as I was lost in my thoughts there on the beach I felt a bit selfish not sharing such a view with someone. I have many friends but I miss at times having that person in my life that I can say anything to and be understood. I do not desire marriage but I miss having a best friend that will take time out of their busy day to share a sunset or just laugh.

-~|~-

After a brief trip to the Great Temple I wandered the streets of the holy city watching people interact with the various merchants. This is a good place to be. As I wandered I spied a woman about my age that smiled and greeted me in passing. As usual I smiled in return but there was a familiar darkness behind her eyes. While her smile was genuine I could not help but sense a sorrow behind it.

A part of me wanted to stop her and tell her that things may seem dark but there is a light at the end of our tunnel. Another part of me told myself to mind my own business. Is it true misery loves company?

In a moment we were as two ships passing in the night. I sit now writing this in the tower overlooking the wastelands and can’t help thinking that in some way we are connected. It helps me to carry on and I only pray she is encouraged by a smile from a kind stranger as well…

I spend a good amount of time today reading my past entries in this journal. 161 pages, 162 if you count this new one. Good times, bad times, long entries, short entries. Stories, studies and general babble. “Our past is the key to the success of our future.” my grandfather would tell me. I don’t think the young man he spoke with understood what he was going on about.

Valorn has a dark past. We have very little understanding of what shaped our land. Even with the writings and signs we do have, if you asked 10 Valornians what they believe is the history of our land you would get 10 very different stories. Even with my vast studies of the world I cannot pretend to understand what took place.

I am proud of the number of people that keep a journal in our modern times. Maybe someday they will help others to understand our struggle should we not be around to pass the stories on. Some may accuse many of the journals being nothing but self serving stories of the author’s love life or their personal success stories but I count any written documentation as precious. Considering what is not known of Valorn’s past I would welcome ANY writings from our past.

Training is going so slowly these days but it is good to sit back once and a while and consider why we do what we do. All lives are precious and worth fighting for.

I was training deep in the water carved cavern on the ocean shores outside Fartown when I heard the news. Details were sketchy but from what I gather apparitions of King Deek were sighted and Balthazar caused a whole lot of trouble. I hurried back to Dundee assuming the Dark Lord was gone to get some answers but I found the details to be no better than what I had already been told. Kidnappings, mayhem, Deek spotted but it is unclear if it was him or an apparition of our great king.

Paranoia was met with anger and fear. The exact emotions I expected to encounter. Attacks from Balthazar always confuse our senses. It is unlike a raid where we can work together to find victory. Balthazar is more powerful than any of us mortals. While it has been said that a unified Valorn can defeat the Dark One how would we accomplish it? Do we literally all need to be present to defeat him? It would be impossible I fear to do so.

If Balthazar is to be defeated it will take a greater knowledge of our past. To understand Valorn and Trinald as it once was. In my opinion the best thing to do if confronted with the Dark Lord is not to walk away… RUN away!

Someday it may be possible to weaken him, to find a way to siphon his power away from him, but until we understand his power there is little hope of finding a way to remove it from him and find victory over evil.

After spending a short time roaming the area and finding little that we can do just now I made my way back here to Fartown. More training, more studying, more faith that our gods will protect us from Balthazar long enough that in the end we, together, can find peace.

After weeks of hanging out in Dundee I know I will soon have to make my way back to Fartown and work on my training. It will not be easy to pry myself away again but it is for the best. In the mean time I will meditate at the temple and ask the gods for the strength I will need to continue on toward my goal.

The other day, I was sitting in the Dundee inn half listening to the conversations buzzing around me when I spotted a faint carving on the table in front of me. It seems a lifetime ago since we sat in these very chairs laughing and drinking ale. She always had a way with words that could bring a smile to my face. I could have never trained again and been happy if only I could sit and stare into her warm eyes, her near perfect face. as our lives grew in different directions the distance between us grew physically but my heart still longs for her.

Last I heard she was very sick. It is possible that she will never return to Valorn. While I have accepted the fact that I must move on in my life I still feel the sorrow deep in my soul of loosing someone so incredible.

While I sit here in the relative quiet of the HoL library I can’t help but think that something will come along and fill the void. My research has not done so, training and farming can only satisfy me for a moment’s time.

~’|’~

I have been made an apprentice in AVE. I remember my first journey through their ranks long ago. I’m sure this time will be just as hard if not more so than last. I do not expect them to go easy on me. I now feel my reasons for leaving the guild last time were selfish. There’s no other way to put it.

In a way I felt like leaving and starting my own guild was going to fill my time and take away my pain. When I found that it did not fill my void I longed to disband the guild and go back to my rightful place at AVE. It is unclear to me why I made the decisions I made at that time but at least I’m on the right path now.

~’|’~

Once when I was little I was out running in a field. It wasn’t long before I tripped and fell hard to the ground. My chest hit the ground squarely and I was lost on the moment. My lungs felt heavy and I was gasping for breath. I tried to bring myself up with my arms but it was as if my body mass has tripled and I could hardly lift my head. After a few minutes of gasping I was able to catch my breath and I slowly got up and made my way back to the house.

I told my father what happened and he chuckled lightly. He told me I knocked the wind out of myself. Nothing was broken. The soreness would go away soon. I told him of how I could not breathe and that I felt heavy. He said the best thing to do in that situation is to roll over, take the weight off my chest and wait it out.

The next time it happened I used what strength I had to roll my self over and instead of the dark dust ground and the panicked heavy feeling I saw the open sky and felt relief as I took the weight off of my chest. I was able to breath and laid there for a few minutes actually amused by the simplicity of the solution.

At times when life seems it toughest I remember this lesson and I remember that in the darkest most painful moments of my life, the best thing I can do is get the weight off my chest and gain a new perspective.

Today I walked the land trying to gain perspective. I wandered to Milltown and visited the temple. I strolled into Dundee and sat at the inn for a while. Then, feeling refreshed, I made my way back to the far reaches of the eastern beaches. As I passed through the all too familiar Wall I found my self again in awe of its massiveness. So many people wander through this structure. Some come to hunt, some just to find passage to the east or the west but eventually everyone makes their way through it.

The wall itself is very old. One of the oldest things in the land by my guess. It’s chambers within are amazing and it’s sheer size humbles even the largest of men.

As I pass on though the wastelands I remind myself that though we are small beings, together we are powerful. For every one demon I strike down there is a thousand others doing the same thing. Our strength is in our unity and together we shall not fail.

So much has happened since the last time I wrote. Continued studies of the world and training as taken so much of my time I find it rare that I have a chance to sit and expel my thoughts and life to my journal. Things have changed indeed.

I find myself after all this time at a crossroad. I have left my friends in the RoK trying to find where I truly belong. I did not state too much when I left, After all it’s hard to explain why I felt the need to move on. It’s no one’s fault. I wrestled with my emotions long and hard before coming to the decision. I took with me nothing. I leave the secrets of the RoK with them and swore to JKD that I will not divulge them to any one else. That would not be fair to them. Where to go from here? I have some idea of what I want but I do need some time to examine my place before I make a move.

Drake has been absent from the land for some time now. He chose to move on and seek his fortune elsewhere. I do wish he would return and the opportunity to do so is still there for him. We still write and stay in touch but the distance between us draws further and further as time goes on.

My roots are deeply set in the soils of Valorn. I will not be leaving this land anytime soon. I have spent so much time away from my beloved Dundee and the inn that I long to return and just sit for a while.

Resting outside the walls of Fartown has been difficult these days. The activity around the once secluded city has increased greatly over the years. I see so many come and go that it has the feel of Milltown anymore. From the town I can see the mountains to the north that hold so many secrets. Through the Verthedge forest to the dark lands across the bridge, to the fortress that holds the mysteries of the great Iron Knights and beyond the great doors of Altitan where the giants continue their separation from us. What lies in those areas is still a mystery to me and my inspiration to continue my studies.

I’m sure many have noticed my absence in Valorn lately. I miss my friends and Guild family. I heard stories of what went on during the fall festival and only wish I could have been there.

Not to worry though. I have been keeping busy. I had to get away so I could work uninterrupted on a few projects and decide the fate of The Voice. There is still much to do so I don’t think I will be returning soon but I will return.

As for The Voice I have thought out the events that took place and while I think I may have acted a bit to quickly, lack of communication and concern on the ex-staffs part tells me it had to happen anyway. Once I return to Valorn I will have to decide if I have time to continue work on the paper or to scrap it all together in favor of my other projects.

I have had little communication with people In Valorn during my absence so I do long to return soon. I’m sure it is flooded with new Adventurers and I hear rumors of new exciting places. I’m sure I will have a lot of work ahead of me once I return.

Taking back my piece of the pie.

I made the decision to leave the voice to the editors and move on with other projects but perhaps I was a bit hasty in my decision. After a couple of weeks not only did no one reply to my notice at our office but I hardly think anyone even visited the make shift office I created to give us a place to gather our thoughts and prepare our up coming issues.

When I picked the Editors for the paper I had to make a decision between two sets of people. I made the decision based on one persons words he made regarding an article he wanted to include that I felt might be slanderous and cause some bad feelings about the paper. The last thing I wanted the Voice to become was a rag spewing hatred and jealousy around the land so I made my decision and moved on. I regretted the decision because I know that person is a reasonable and intelligent person that would have let it go had I discussed the ramifications of such a work and at the time he did have a right to be angry. But as the decision was already made I moved on and the paper released our first issue without a hitch.

When the second issue was about to go to press was the same time all the Order of Norton drama came to a head and it was mentioned by one of the editors at the time that they thought we should write a story about how they felt that the OoN was a sham. I shut that down quickly because not only did I not agree with the statement but it was hateful and took away from the fact that Jimmy worked so hard to put on the contest. Instead I wrote a story from my heart about the greatness of the contest and what all it did for Valorn.

In reflection I realized what happened was exactly what I deemed I did not want to happen when we started the paper. I informed the staff that we would skip an issue to give me time to ponder my thoughts. I decided I wanted to step away from the paper to work on other projects but over the last two weeks I thought about it and the Voice was my baby…. My brainchild of a paper that is informative and fun for all in Valorn. Seeing a lack of concern, as in no one made a single comment on my resignation or attempted to get anything together for an upcoming issue I took pack the Voice and let go one person that will probably be followed by another if I get no response soon.

The Voice will go on. It may not have a regular monthly release, it may not have as much content as before but it will be exactly what it is intended to be. An informative and accurate news source in Valorn or my name isn’t Dirk Dragonstale! I shall seek out great writers of both factual articles as well as poetry and stories to liven adventurers days.

New maps have been circulating around Valorn like Ixon looking for a new rare item. These maps are made on paper of exceptional quality and are well drawn. I myself had not seen some of the areas shown in these maps but have heard stories of them.

The area of Valorn is quite vast when you look at it from this perspective, much larger than the island I called home for many years before coming to join the fight. Odaroloc is a small place, larger than Kilican but still small in relevance to Valorn. South and slightly west of Valorn it sits in much colder regions. The winters were not harsh there due to a warm air flow from the north.

It was a beautiful place but the land of Valorn is so much more than my small island home. It has it all from vast mountain ranges to arid deserts to large forests with trees that have stood since before Odaroloc ever held a population.

I am thankful for the new maps. They have really assured me that Valorn has a lot more to offer me... a lot more than could ever have been seen during my first days here. I now fight knowing that a world is out there that needs my help and the help of other adventurers all around. No rest for the weary we all have our duties to fulfill.

Training is going well at this point. I have spent a bit of time getting to know some of the new adventurers or I would be further along but that is a small price to pay to assure they will stick around and help us in our fight for Valorn.

Last night I became bored and decided to take my shard and go to the tombs of the ancients yet again. I took on incredible adversaries and over came great odds to yet again gain the Spirit shard and this time gained my Articulated Gauntlets. They are nice. Well made and will help me much in the future once I gain my 55th level of training. I will be taking a few days off though to work on some other things. I am not the first to take a break at what seems an inopportune time but I will not be gone long.

I have 2 levels and 1 quest to go to have done all I can in Valorn until new areas are discovered. This is a great feeling but I stand ready as it was the exact day I said I was going to reach my 51st level that they found the tomb and increased to 55th level. I would be excited if it did happen but I have to focus on where I am at currently.

I had put off this months issue of the Valornian Voice in consideration of my busy schedule but I knew I would have to consider whether or not I should continue in the future knowing that my schedule was not going to free up anytime soon. That in mind, rather than hold the publication back I turned the reigns over to the editors and resigned my position as content manager of the Voice.

There were other surrounding circumstances that led me to this decision as well but they are really neither here nor there. I had told myself from the very beginning that it wasn’t a wise decision to get wrapped up with the paper knowing that there would be too many chefs spoiling the broth. Originally the newspaper was Enroshia’s idea but he lacked focus and knew he was going to be busy with the Unvanquished as well as he was going to have to be away from Valorn for a while.

Deep down I know my real reasons for leaving and I do hope the best for the people publishing the paper in the future should they decide to continue but I will no longer be a part of it in hopes of focusing my limited time to training and helping my guild as well as the young adventurers of Valorn.

I woke this morning determined to do something new so I headed for N’rolav. I Tried again to reach the very bottom of the tomb but as soon as I reach the lower level I was trapped and found myself sent back to northern Dundee.

I gathered up my determination and trained hard until I finally got enough experience to advance. I visited the trainer in Milltown and he advanced me to 53rd. I headed back down to see what my new strength could do and was pleased with my new ability. But could I withstand the lower level?

I trudged on deep in the cavern fighting and retreating when needed slashing my way until I reached the Tomb Wretch Claviger. We exchanged blows over and over, I had to heal many times and just when I thought I could fight no longer I defeated him.

Having the proper items I collected what I needed and fought back out to the upper levels. I had to decide which to visit, which item to gain first. I knew it really didn’t matter as I could not equip either for tow more levels but I chose to get the Shield of the Kings. I figured it was my best bet to gain more clues about life in the golden age.

I took the Shield and headed out of the tomb and made my way back to Dundee. There I visited the bank to deposit my new found treasure and then headed back to my room at the inn to rest.

I could have trained longer but I needed the rest. Training will wait another day.

I moved on to the N’rolav tomb to do my training. I have calculated the cost to hunt and I will be fine if I just stick with it. If I can just get to 53 I will feel better but I doubt I will stop there.

Unfortunately the quest I was going to attempt is going to be nearly impossible due to people that forget that creatures of this rarity do not spawn when they are on the same level. I think with some communication there can be another way. It may be some people’s intentions to not let it spawn until everyone else goes away from the area so they can have it to themselves but that will not help any of us.

I don’t try to think of it too much. It’s like searching for a Weapon primitive or crystalline shard… eventually it will come along and you will be filled with great joy but until then just let it go.

I am proud to see where I have come in this land. I have been in Valorn for a month over a year now and have many great memories that overshadow the darkness that we battle daily. I enjoy the time I have with my friends and family that I have made in my time here. So here to another year in Valorn, may it be even more joy filled than the first.

I was just a few steps from completing a quest and failed miserably. I actually chuckle at the thought as it was really much too high a quest for me to try. It is a level 55 quest and I am still a lowly 52nd level.

I was training hard in the swamps of N’rolav when a beast dropped a small treasure box right in front of me. I picked it up and stood in awe for a minute. I hardly ever get a treasure box, a fact that is disheartening considering I hear of people that get boxes at least once a week. I hardly wanted to open it in fear it was another demon helm or a korunga fruit but I had to see. A treasure box does little for me unopened. I have heard of people that will pay a pretty penny for them but I’d hate to let it go and it be something I really wanted.

Indeed it was. I found my first crystalline shard. Naturally I though of the value of it but I choose not to sell. I will hold onto it and see if I can gain something even more valuable from it. I was close but just not yet.

I know my guild mates would help me with my quest and maybe I will seek their help but for now I need to get to 53rd level. There is a quest I can do before my 55th level quest and it will assist me greatly in the advancement of my final two levels.

I say final two but I have a feeling that there is soon to be a new area discovered and the maximum level the trainers will allow you to gain shall go up. It’s just a hunch, I have no solid proof that it will happen but now I have goals I can set my sights on.

I fight alone again. I gain ground but I remain distracted. As I paused to take out my journal I look to the brand I wear proudly on my left hand. I wear it as a lifelong commitment to assisting others. It is this that distracts me from my goal.

Having the scar means I never fight alone. My brothers and my sisters fight with me every step of the way. It’s like fighting with the strength of 8 unified as a power of one. It does not make me perfect; the scar in itself is an imperfection, but wearing it does mean I swear to do the right thing everyday and put the safety of Valorn above my personal wants.

I sit in wants of solitude but I know it will not last. I have rarely failed to come to the aid of my fellow Valornian when they are in need sacrificing my time and money for the greater good. Training will wait, the more people we have that gain levels and improve their power the better chance we have at freedom.

Lets face it solitude is overrated. There is nothing like the sight of joy on another persons face when they complete a hard task or complete a much needed quest. I rather enjoy helping others more than I enjoy training. Perhaps I remember a time that I was the one in need of help and people came to my aid. Times when I felt like the weak among the strong, the small among the giants. I never want people to feel like I am any more worthy of respect than they are for I am a servant, I give of myself freely.

The only thing that solitude provides me is a place to get away from the faces of those I have hurt. There are people that I have apologized to and yet I get no forgiveness. Perhaps my actions were not worthy of forgiveness… a joke taken too far… a hasty decision made… an inappropriate comment at a fragile time.

Perhaps this is why I stick by JKD and the RoK’s side faithfully when so many have fallen from the ranks… they forgave during a time that I was in most need of it simply because I asked from the heart. I owe them the same loyalty they have shown me and nothing less.

I spent the last couple of days mostly helping where I could with the efforts at the inn but I am well aware of the need for training to resume. Soon I will be able to take up my charge again and try to get another level under my belt. Mostly I have sat pondering theories of the hole and why it is there. I do not believe it is the early signs of the land turning to what N’rolav is but then I have not felt that N’rolav is a glimpse of our future for some time now.

To expand on that I feel N’rolav is more of an alternate universe, a mirror of our world, twisted by the evil that resides there. If it were a future world I do not believe we would be able to travel back and forth so freely. Perhaps I am wrong, I try to keep an open mind about it but I simply think that the future theory is hard to prove.

From what I understand is known of Valorn, it was a thriving land with many kingdoms and a healthy economy. At some point the kingdoms had wars with one another dividing the people of the land and destroying the unity that was prevalent in those times. The fall of the Golden Age was about 2000 years ago. The Dark Grimoire that Balthazar opened was what released the evil of the demons and such on this land. That only happened about 200 years ago.

If N’rolav is a future glimpse of Valorn and the Hole in the Inn was the start of the formation of N’rolav, well, that would contradict what we know to be true about our past… the future never contradicts the past.

The clues are obvious to me. Our only hope is to gain better knowledge of our past and of the Golden Age so we can gain power to overcome Balthazar and close the Dark Grimoire once and for all, closing the link to N’rolav and freeing Valorn.

Time has passed so slowly for me. I have spent a good long time trying to help with the demons in the pit as best as I can. My holy ring has got quite a workout but I am still not nearly strong enough to make a dent on the most recent beast. I should train but the pit keeps my mind occupied. I don’t think I’ve had a good meal in days and I feel so out of the loop that I don’t know what’s going on outside the inn.

The darkness of the pit is quite consuming. It takes a great many adventurers with torches and blessings to keep the area lit. Some are fearful to even enter the darkness. I on the other hand am drawn to it. Not to the evil that it represents but to the hope it gives to yet again understand the evil that was unleashed on this land so long ago.

The mystery is still long from being solved and I do have some work ahead of me. I should train in the next few days and see if I can’t get closer to the level where I can do some damage. I have been so obsessed that I have forgotten about my bet with El Gato and am almost assured that he will beat me to 55 now. But I will press on. I do not give up easily and they do need more help in the pit with people that can do damage to the thing.

YES! JKD took out the Demon Warrior risking life and limb to destroy it. Descending down he found another beast different than the first.

Yet another first victory for the RoK led by our Brave and Able leader JKD. I feel so proud today and yet so curious to find what lies deeper in the pit. Soon we will know.

I heard the rumors all the way from the swamps of N’rolav and I had to check it out. I went to the Dundee Inn and almost fell into the pit. It was dark and hauntingly quiet. I lit myself up and jumped in. with 35 light I could still see nothing, not even the hand in front of my face. A few others came down and had light cast on them as well. That’s when I saw it… it was like looking at death itself. The Golden Age Demon Warrior stood in front of me ready to strike should I make a move.

Naturally my curiosity got the best of me and I was slain before I could even lay a blow on the beast. This was not going to be easy.

With some enchantments and some work JKD actually got in a lucky strike and did damage without being sliced in two. We will take it down; it’s just going to take time and a group effort.

Many people were in the Inn sitting around the hole speaking of Balthazar having been there. He had left bleeding… could it be he has opened a darkness that even he cannot control? I sat around to hear the tales but the only thing I got was a hold opened in the floor and the beast was there. The Balthazar part was sketchy at best.

I will find out more and we will find a way to take this thing down…

It’s quiet in the Tomb of N’rolav, too quiet. As I press on I tend to look to my inner thoughts to keep me company but it’s tough. It’s not at all like the days I hunted in the tomb of the Valorn desert. Pressing on and fighting at nearly every turn I am well aware of the dangers that surround me. I remember the time when I thought even the shield bearers of the demon raids were tough but now I know true fear.

If it wasn’t for my guild brothers I surely would have gone crazy by now. The RoK is still doing quite well. I have a lot of faith in my brothers. I feel we are close because of everything that has happened in the last month. I have been asked by a couple of guilds if I wanted to join but I tell them my place is behind the leadership of the RoK and with my brothers and sisters. Perhaps people think I have no loyalty because of my recent switch in guilds but that is not the case. I sought out my hearts desire for a long time before I spoke with JKD. I will not leave now.

I have done little with the Voice this month. We may even skip this issue. I have a lot to think about and make some tough decisions. I still believe in the Voice but maybe it’s becoming something I never intended it to be. I will look at it again and see where I can go with it. On top of that Edenn has been busy with her new guild. I defiantly understand, I was there once. It’s a lot of hard work; I wish the best for her.

Last night I brought Pirate Ale from the swashbuckler to the Dundee Inn, Jeffrey is always kind to me even when I bring in drinks from another establishment, he owes me at least that. It was nice to promote our guilds local pub a bit. It is always open to anyone and very easy to find. I will perhaps throw a party there when I make another level just to show people how great it is.

I know I said I would press on with my training but I needed a rest so I took it. I sat down in the Dundee Inn and had an ale and looked over some recent notes. I have been quite busy lately, a little too busy in fact.

When I was able to advance I was able to search into the N’rolav tombs a bit more. New clues and new possibilities opened before my eyes. I never know what I’m going to run into down there. Mostly I take my time looking around. Training is important but it is easy to rush through an area and not see the clues that are all around us. Things like the house at the end of the gloomy path, the statue in the gremlins tree, the battle arena in the Landing, and many many other sites. I choose to see these and study their importance because I want to understand this place we are fighting for.

Why is Valorn the way it is today? What causes the possession of the animals that makes them rage so wildly? Who are the giants that live above the Verthedge Forest and will they ever open their doors to humans again? What is it that caused the once noble Sea Dwellers to become aggressive toward humans?

These are questions we may never see the answers to but I shall try my best to figure them out. There’s more to this land than hack and slash if people will stop to look around.

I was pondering these thoughts when I noticed Venus at the Inn. It was good to see her out and about. I was so preoccupied with my thoughts I did not say much to her. Knowing she is still about the land and that Issy is doing well was good enough for me. I could have said more but she also seemed preoccupied with her thoughts. I’m sure we will get a chance to catch up some day.

I was determined to advance yesterday. I was focused and mindful of my health. Healing and taking on more power as needed. It took me a bit longer then I expected but this is not as easy as it was back in the early days of my profession.

I recall hunting in the tombs for the gold guardians. Doyle, Lapis and I had decent luck on out side. I think I was level 18 when I had collected all my gold and orange blessings. Back then the Guardians had not migrated to the beaches they now also call home. I think they were easier to find back then as well.

Many things have changed over my time in Valorn. one thing that stays consistent is the steady inflow of new adventurers. Last night was no exception. Nearly every time I defeated an enemy I could hear the announcement of a new adventurer or two. It finally tapered off a bit. I hope they find their way as I have.

I spent some time by the frozen Waterfall in the Ice Caverns yesterday… no I didn’t but this seemed as good a time to mention Waterfall as any

El Gato beat me to 52, I expected it slightly we have been going back and forth for a while. With a bit of a challenge to see who will reach 55th level first I know we both are training hard. I’m about a day of training behind him but hopefully will be able to make that up with my lack of need for farming.

I remember one of the first times I interacted with EG. We were both in the mid 30’s of leveling and kept running across each other in the wastelands. He suggested we work together and I agreed it would be beneficial to both of us. We went back and for the one south and one west meeting back in the mutual square and I would heal us and he would rejuve me. We did quite well for some time and gained XP fast but then I took some time off from training to go back to my homeland for a bit.

I would have already been to 52 or possibly 53 if I wasn’t so obsessed with the blue crystal guardians but perhaps I just need to get moving on. Tonight I shall advance and work on a new level training as much as I can.

I got quite a boost a couple of days ago. I said something to my guild brothers while I was training that Ben must have enjoyed hearing as I suddenly was radiating Gods Favor. With this boost I went and fought hard in the N’rolav Tombs and gained about 10% in the three marcs granted by the blessing. Now many will say “only 10% in three marcs?” but those would be the ones that do not know the complexities of this high a level. It is a lot harder to gain experience.

Tonight should be good. I will try not to take too many breaks on my training, at least not until I hit 100% but then I may rest a bit. I have much to do.

I haven’t been sleeping well lately but I am almost sure it has to do with the recent shedding the guild went through. Something about it though, I just can’t put my finger on it.

I sat up last night looking at what I could see of the faint scars that run from my neck to my right thigh and I think about my time at home when we fought the terrible beasts and cleared my homeland of their presence. It was good to be there and to see the land I grew up in clear of evil. I think about that moment and I hope we can all work together to see the same for Valorn. Many people that are here have either left their home after it was wiped out, don’t remember much of their homeland, or they were born here in Valorn and know nothing but the darkness we live in. I’m sure others have felt my joy in winning back a land and most likely they too have the scars to prove it.

I looked down to my left hand and I notice the LG has faded slightly… maybe its meaning wasn’t branded as deeply as I hoped it might be. I still hold true to my promise.

I laid in bed thinking of my obscure dreams I have had and what the might mean. Three ships sail into sight. The one on the left sails off over the horizon, the one on the left takes to a circling course staying just within eyesight but yet out of reach. The third sails on toward me approaching the docks.

That is all I can remember. I thought for a minute it could be in reference to the guilds I have had the joy to be a part of but other that the fact that there are three ships I don’t see a distinct meaning in it. I am still very close to all my friends on my former guilds and neither is in threat of actually fading into the distance just as of yet. It could mean something entirely different… something I have yet to discover possibly.

I rubbed my left hand as the scar sometimes aches at night and I roll over and go back to bed. Time will tell the meaning if there is one at all.

The swamps of N’rolav are harsh. You defiantly have to stay on your toes. I have been hunting here for some time now trying to conserve some of my health potions for next level when I shall once again try to hunt in the desert tomb. It is easy to get distracted in N‘rolav. Once you turn your back on an enemy at an inopportune moment you find yourself back to the life monument you last tied. Once I am back in Valorn I am drawn to where the people gather.

Sometimes the inn is a good place to visit but it is nothing like it used to be. The people that hang out there tend to be sophomoric at best with a brand of humor that is not just distasteful but also degrading. It has its good moments though. JKD has been hanging out there quite a bit lately. He has met many new adventurers and helped to keep the peace around there.

I have still been well involved with the search for clues to the mysteries of the Dark Grimoire. Some have said I am messing around in areas I should not go. Others have tried to be helpful and understand that my obsession with the mysteries is not for personal gain but for the betterment of Valorn. I spent some time at the wall today. I had to search it out. It has been said that the wall dates back to long before the golden age and is the oldest structure in Valorn. What did the wall separate?

It is well understood that the Valorn we know is nothing like it was in the days of the golden age. The wall was most likely a form of defense I imagine. Two neighboring kingdoms locked in battle. I though for a time that perhaps the desert was home to one kingdom and what is not a wasteland was home to another. This could be true but I would think there would be more proof of a former kingdom that existed in the desert area. Only the tomb and a hidden temple remain. The Black Wastelands are far too devastated and twisted to know if a kingdom was centered in that area at one time.

The North, the South and the East… Where were they? Who were they? what can we learn from the remnants of what was once a proud and powerful land?

I spent a long time this morning taking myself away from the general population. I’m not much for solitude. Honestly in this world we are seldom alone.

I took much of my recent frustration out on the ancient zombies that attacked me as well as a few Infant N’rolav Beasts that happened along. I remember the first time I encountered one of the infant beasts. They invaded the swamp just outside Dundee. I don’t recall what level I was but it was not enough that’s for sure. JKD came along and finished it off which is generally the case when I get in over my head with one of these things. Every time I hit a mile stone, encounter a beast that at one point I did no damage to much less could think of beating it, I find I get a new lease on life and I press on harder than before. Today I gained a great deal of XP in the short time I had and then I needed to rest.

I took my leave from the swamps of N’rolav and headed to my room above the Dundee Inn. I have grown used to the accommodations there. Many of my fellow Inn mates (so to speak) have moved on to their own houses or to live among their guild halls. Some even taking refuge among the holy Order’s temple or the Enchanters Academy. I find that the Dundee inn suits me fine so I stay and welcome in each new wave of adventurers.

As I entered the Inn I spotted a glimpse of something but I couldn’t quite make it out. Hentez saw though, it was our newest goddess Xia. She had stopped for a visit but I don’t think she meant to have herself known. She was gracious and appeared to speak with the mortals. She seemed kind and held the beauty only a goddess could have. Then after a few seconds Julia also appeared in all her radiance. We are truly fortunate to have these goddesses among us. They are both beautiful and kind but be sure to stay in their good side. From what I hear Xia was quite curious about mortal life. I’m sure many had their opinions to throw out to her but what do we really know of life. We live and die, we fight and love, we make promises and tell lies…. We are mortal. It’s not as glamorous as some would have it sound. All we have learned and all that we can assume to be a reality is yet a complex enigma beyond our understanding.

I think if we could explain mortal life it would be unfortunate for it is our lack of total understanding that makes us mortal in the first place. I pray that Xia will find she is in good company among us as we hope all the gods and goddesses find to be true. I feel sad for those who raise their anger.

I would have stayed but I really don’t like to get into conversations of what it is to be mortal. I think it all to depressing at times and I needed some sleep. Soon I will be well rested and will once again head to the swamps to face the evil that plagues our mortal world if for no reason than to prove to my self that I am truly mortal.