| Duckcall Dan |
Thank You, here is how I modified it for my campaign.
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This is a large journal written in Aklo that focuses on Belcorra’s hatred of Absalom. Taking 8 hours to read, you learn about Belcorra’s family history, from their exile to poverty to her eventual return to the region to build a lair from which she hoped to exact revenge on the city that disgraced and impoverished her family. The last several pages of the journal document much of her work in building the Abomination Vaults. While the journal doesn’t offer many specific details, it mentions construction of fleshwarping laboratories, arenas where she pitted enemies against monstrous champions for her amusement, prisons, torture chambers, links to the Darklands, and a great temple where “once the Empty Death herself brushed against this fragile world.” Belcorra’s entries often speak of her minions in the abstract, as if bragging about how many have come to serve her in creating the complex, but she only ever mentions a few by name including her “amusingly vain” apprentice, Volluk Azrinae. One of the last entries describes how this apprentice arrived from “a community of upstart and meddlesome drow below” to serve Belcorra. The notes don’t provide any further information about this drow community.
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Sample of entries from the last pages of the Journal
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Abadius 1st, 4239: A new year, hopefully more fruitful than previous years. Progress on the Abomination vaults is progressing laboriously. My servants continue to complain about the time it takes to burrow through solid bedrock. No amount of lashings nor threats will get their incessant prattle to stop. My self-proclaimed apprentice, the amusingly vain Volluk Azrinae has taken to using stone-shape rituals to expedite the work. All in an ill-conceived attempt to appease me. I just think it makes the workers even lazier.
Calistril 20th, 4239: I tire of the connections to the darklands and am considering cutting them off for good. But no, the trade routes with the dark elves are too valuable. But the bothersome knife-ears vex me so. First was Volluk, now others have come from the drowlands, begging to join my cause. One of them chases Volluk around like a love-sick puppy, just as Volluk chases me around. Join as my servants, just stay out of my sight. Any more ‘volunteers’ from these drow and I think I should go mad.
Pharast 17th, 4239: I am making significant progress on enchanting the gauntlight, and work on the vaults is proceeding nicely with Volluk’s stone shape rituals. Golarian’s most powerful library is nearly complete. I am also proud to say I have attracted some book-worms with minor talent and retained them as scribes and librarians. Their puny scholarly magics cannot aid in construction but can speed in Absalom’s destruction. Nahkazarin is the only one worth noting here, she helped finish the last of my fleshwarping facilities and has since been reassigned as head librarian. Her knowledge of necromancy has been. . . . useful. Almost too useful. . .
Gozran 28th, 4239: The ranks of my servants continue to swell, though there are few of note. Most are simply craven imbeciles hoping to fleece me for a quick magic lesson or hoping that I’ll reward them with a position of power once Absolom falls, but some are truly loyal to the cause. I’ve had to convert a large amount of the first basement to sleeping quarters, as well as several bunkrooms in the library level to handle them all. I wonder if the Tar-Baphon ever had to worry over such mundane tasks.
Desnus 31st, 4239: I am beginning to grow restless. My work on the gauntlight artifact occupies the majority of my time, and logistics for the vault occupies the rest. I weary of the incompetence of others and need a distraction. To such an end I have ordered the construction of a fighting colosseum: one where the slowest workers will fight my mutated champions to the death for my amusement.
Serenith 12th, 4239: My personal chef under-spiced my meal and I threw him in the library dungeon for thirty days as punishment. I was told there were already eleven others in the small prison built to hold two. I will take the devil’s suggestion and build a much larger prison . . . in case more workers or ‘guests’ try to make eye-contact with me.
Erastus 2nd, 4239: Prisons are proceeding well. Nahkazarin suggested adding more torture rooms. It is obvious she just wants more torture to increase the chance that their deaths generate some undead, but I’m generally not against that, so I have approved the addition of more torture chambers to the prisons.
Arodus 19th, 4239: The day is here! I have finally found the site where once the Empty Death herself brushed against this fragile world! Oh, it is glorious! I have ordered a temple to be erected on the spot to my most glorious of patrons! Wonderful! Soon the last piece of my plan will be in place.
Rova 7th, 4239: FINALLY, my personal suite is finished. Situated on the level below the quiet library, it will have all the necessities for me to relax and not be bothered by the staff. No longer will I be forced to ‘slum it’ with such abysmal chambers as I had on the ground floor or first basement. Work proceeds slowly on the temple, workers keep dying . . . or going insane . . . or going insane THEN dying. Their deaths are of no consequence.
Lamashan 14th, 4239: Word has finally gotten back to me from the Absolom Thieves' guild. They say they will be willing to meet next week. They think they can command ME to wait?! I should kill them all where they stand for their impudence, but alas, they are currently more useful to me alive than dead. I need current information on Absolom's defenses and they are the easiest way I can acquire such knowledge. I WILL revenge myself on them at some point though.