28th Meadow, 803

We prepared for our flight. We decided that it would be important to have a way to maintain contact since we might be separated by cloud cover and out of each others line of sight. Lia and I cast Rary's telepathic bond on ourselves and the leader of each group.

The clerics and Raven cast windwalk on the party and we were aloft!

As we passed over the small island, we could see the search party which had come to rescue the orcs we had stranded. One barge was somewhat like a trireme, and nearer to the coast was a second, more ornate one. It looked as though the orc party included someone of stature. It seems fortunate that we didn't kill any of them.

We flew over the verdant landscape, and it seemed like a place that would be much to BlackHawk's and Raven's liking. As we looked closer though, the standing ponds would breed a mighty crop of mosquitoes! The river, stretching into the distance, began broad and slow moving, but narrowed to serious whitewater. The mountains in the distance held traces of snow, and below was an enormous reptilian creature whose head turned to follow us as we flew by. I was very grateful for our means of transport!

Due North, we could see the remnants of a tower built of a mountain. The base was large, but narrowed to a series of branches, giving the appearance of a giant stone tree. There was a great pile of rubble beneath it. It seemed to me to be a wizard's tower. We began to traverse mountain ranges and soon there were clouds between us and the ground. BlackHawk spotted something moving below the cloud layer, not, three somethings! They were pale green dragons. I knew from my studies that they posed a threat as they breathe out a poisonous cloud.

(Someone else is supposed to tell this part, but I wanted to get what I remembered written Next comes the part with the pyreflies and the wounded woman, Stephen's or Raven's, I believe. My notes on that are very sparse, so I will save them for a journal entry.

Following, in brief, are the description of Jerome and his relationship to Fara and the land, and the story of the Sword of Earth. I have decent notes about that part, but not as copious as usual, leading me to believe it is someone else's log. I will continue a bit in case it takes a while for the actual log to be written. I hope no one takes offense.)

The dead plain ended in a grave yard, beautifully maintained. Beyond the graveyard was a lake, a manor house, and a hill with a tower on it in the distance.

"We may have to be persuasive," Fara said as she led us up the path to the front doors of the manor. An elderly servant greeted us, introducing himself as Deavers. When he caught sight of Fara, he gave a wide, toothless smile and said, "Miss Fara! My, you've grown up!" He ushered us into the house. It was built in a U shape and must have been quite grand once. The center portion was maintained, but the rest was in an advanced state of decay. There was rosewood paneling on the walls of the central hall, dustless parquet floors and a beautiful collection of Revellian art. Jerome, a handsome man who looked to be in his late thirties entered the room and introduced himself. He hugged Fara warmly It was clear that both she and Dierdre liked him. We sat for a few moments in the pleasant sitting room with it's massive fireplace and vast mirror, and then Deavers showed us to some apartments, obviously just cleaned, and after bathing, we went down to dinner. It was a lovely meal, and afterwards, Jerome told us he had something to show us. He led us past his family altars, that seemed to stretch back to the dawn of time. We climbed the hill and stood before an older tower. Jerome pulled out a key ring and fitted a key into the lock of the iron door. He led us up a stair with no banister to a circular room with arched windows and a bell surrounded by clockworks in the center. It was engraved with the words "All praise Eru in the heavens, let this sing his praise." We advanced further up the stair to a wooden roof. There was a peculiar thrumming sensation and Jerome said "You may have noticed a lack of undead in this area." He stepped back and swept his hand toward a honey colored rectangular stone with a jet black sword plunged into it's heart. "This is what keeps them away. The Sword of Earth."

He went on to say that the sword had been forged by a God, stolen by a trickster and the first human ever killed was killed by this blade. In the beginning of time all beings were similar. There was a great deal of confusion about what was physical and what was spiritual. This sword separates the living and the dead. It radiates good and is earth magic oriented. It demands enormous sacrifice from the one who wields it. The stone it rests in is a piece of the Earth Shrine. Several fragments were found after the shrine was destroyed and this one was part of the altar. The sword has been here for almost 2000 years, the legends of it go back more like 10,000. King Arden used and returned it. Stephen stopped then and raised his hand for us to be quiet, as if he were listening to something far away. After a moment, he shook his head. "It was the Earth Shrine's part of the song, very faint. A rich, earthy bass voice. I wish you all could hear it." He shook his head again.

Jerome said, "I dreamed that I revealed the sword to you, and you took it away."

We asked him if the sword in the hands of clerics could destroy the Dark Circle and he said, "Angels alone will heal it."

We asked about the destruction of the Earth Shrine and he told us the priests who control the elemental shrines could supersede the wishes of the wizards who controlled that element. Priests could even take a wizard's power away. There was a college of wizardry here. The earth magic wizards were involved with the other elemental colleges and they began to fight with the guardian of the Earth Shrine. Fire Lords and their followers destroyed the Earth Temple by causing a volcanic rent. The effect was stronger than they expected though, and instead of a localized effect, the magic destroyed the entire civilized part of the island. A city stood where the waters are today, at the edge of what is now a curved coastline. The Temple of Uriel is in the center of the bay, underwater.

The magic that would be used would not actually kill us, rather it would separate our spirit and consciousness from our bodies, which would be kept alive by magic. The more spiritually aware would be able to reunite with their bodies without assistance. He asked Stephen to tell the truth about the Wizard Wars, and then prepared us a bit for what was to come. He told the spell casters among us to choose our spells carefully, as magic would function oddly or not at all there. He said to pick spells without components if at all possible.

(The next part, the part about the ceremony to separate us from our bodies definitely is someone else's, since I have no notes beyond a description of the stained glass in the templeÉ Once the blanks are filled in, I will continue with Jaden's experience in the grey lands and the log for the 19th of Heat, which I believe is mineÉ Then I'll be all caught up!)