A song of Ice and Dice

From the journal of Johanna Schwarz, Witch Hunter general, Norland 17. Nachgeheim, 2500 War is hell. Still, there is an oddly calming and clear quality to the situation we are in in Hargendorf. For so long now, we have been grappling in the shadows, unsure at every turn whether people were friends or foes. Not so now: This is a clearcut conflict. The forces of chaos are here, on our doorstep, and rising to greet them are the meager defenses we have been able to muster. Light versus dark. A war of survival. No quarter will be given, nor sought. We either scour these shores of the barbarian horde come to lay waste to the land, or end up dead or worse. Our delaying tactics thankfully worked, so the city's defense now included Niskes army. Yet as dawn arose to the sight of the Norscan hordes amassing outside the city, it was clear we were in a precarious strategic position. The enemy outnumbered us at least two to one. Moreover, they are far stronger in one-on-one combat. Thirdly, they...

We destroyed most of their vanguard. Any information to the invading force coming from the west will be severely limited. Satisfied we return to the security of the fortified city and the keep joining up with young von Kalb. Truly remarkable boy this is. Truly a symbol of the cliché “old man trapped in a boy’s body”. He looks like he just started shaving but still his actions and presence radiate a sense of calmness demanding attention and more importantly, respect. He will most likely make a fine ruler. If he survives. Chances are that he will be killed in the next couple of weeks. Damnation and flames! If only, there was more time. We must find a way to stall the invaders even more. Not just the ones across the river but also the ones coming north with the fleet. I find Miia and we discuss all that has happened. She is still in utter disbelief concerning the episode where we destroyed the books of Nagash. I grin to myself. This girl! She will make a fine wizard one day! I look over h...

I'd like to think I have many strengths, but not panicking when stuffed into a barrel that barely leaves any wiggle room while underwater for 5 hours is not one of them. I quickly change my mind when I see the conditions we're to be transported under - give me that potion of knock-me-right-the-frig-out please! Tough guy Johan refuses, here's hoping he doesn't start panicking as we enter the city proper and alert the guards.  Some dreamless hours later, I awake in a non-descript warehouse, feeling groggy and sort of out of it. Luckily, the Espen gang are nothing if not the best purveyors of the finest drugs - the feeling quickly leaves me.  We decide on using the good old sewers to make our way to the Orrery, and the Espen crew are kind enough to provide us with a detailed map of the nearby sewers. If it weren't for their utter lack of a moral compass, I could grow to like these guys! It seems that no matter how powerful we get, the sewers will always be there for us...

 From the journal of Johanna Schwarz, Witch hunter general 17. Vorgeheim, 2500 I do not know if I should consider us blessed or cursed by the Fates. Tonight we came so close to losing everything, to actively contributing to the utter corruption of Salzenmund and possibly the entirety of Norland. And yet, here we are, one vital step closer to ridding our land of one of the greatest evils it has faced. Fate is like a playful wind, turning this way and that on a whim. If it wasn't for the intransigence of wizards, we would be a lot safer. Returning to Salzenmund, we had several decisions to make. Firstly, we needed to agree on how to handle our "benefactor", the dowager baroness. Happily, we were all in agreement that she was not to be trusted, as she seemed far too keen on finding the Books of Nagash. However, we were, at least purportedly, on a mission for her, to collect information about the secret library's whereabouts. And from my dealings with her, I feel certain ...

 Late in the afternoon with the wonderful, smoke from the city’s thousand chimneys hanging low on the river we depart from the capitol and get passage on a riverboat back towards Marienburg. We are on our way back to Salzenmund. We have what we need now hopefully. The clues to the library’s whereabouts. Excitement and adventure is ahead of us still. There is a chance that this library holds the key to destroy the dark master and the enemies of Salzenmund, possibly the enemies of the Empire. Dangerous knowledge if it were to fall into the wrong hands surely. But not so much in the right hands. I must again cloak my true nature and confine myself to my room aboard the ship. The sailors they fear fire so much. Do they not even stop to think of the pureness and the incredible healing and nurturing capabilities, not to mention protective capabilities of fire? Logi is restless aboard the ship and he have to scold him a little so as not to burn a hole in the deck when he sulks under the b...