-Null-'s page

HP 14/14
AC 14 Touch 10 Flat-Footed 14 CMD 13
F/R/W 4/0/2
Arcane Pool
3/4 points
Spells
0th- Read Magic, Detect magic, Acid splash
1st- Shield
Effects

Arcane pool- +1 enhancement bonus to longsword for 1 min
Bless 1 min

Richter’s Tome of Arcane Armament
This beautiful book is made of fine cerulean leather embossed with gold leaf. Its edges are reinforced with brass fittings and strange arcane symbols adorn its covered. It bears the draconic rune of “R” in the center of its front cover.
Value 350 gp
Blank Pages 63

SPELLS
2nd – bull’s strength, flaming sphere, hideous laughter, invisibility
1st – alarm, charm person, expeditious retreat, feather fall, mage armor, magic missile, mount, shield, sleep
0th – all cantrips

Class Skills The magus’s class skills are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Fly (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int),Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (planes) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int),Swim (Str), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Weapon and Armor Proficiency A magus is proficient with all simple and martial weapons. A magus is also proficient with light armor. He can cast magus spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. Like any other arcane spellcaster, a magus wearing medium armor, heavy armor, or a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component. A multiclass magus still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.

Spells A magus casts arcane spells drawn from the magus spell list. A magus must choose and prepare his spells ahead of time.
To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, the magus must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a magus’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the magus’s Intelligence modifier.
A magus can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Magus. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Intelligence score.
A magus may know any number of spells. He must choose and prepare his spells ahead of time by getting 8 hours of sleep and spending 1 hour studying his spellbook. While studying, the magus decides which spells to prepare.
Cantrips: A magus can prepare a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells, each day, as noted on Table: Magusunder “Spells per Day.” These spells are cast like any other spell, but they are not expended when cast and may be used again.
Spellbooks: A magus must study his spellbook each day to prepare his spells. He cannot prepare any spell not recorded in his spellbook except for read magic, which all magi can prepare from memory. A magus begins play with a spellbook containing all 0-level magus spells plus three 1st-level magus spells of his choice. The magus also selects a number of additional 1st-level magus spells equal to his Intelligence modifier to add to his spellbook. At each new magus level, he gains two new magus spells of any spell level or levels that he can cast (based on his new magus level) for his spellbook. At any time, a magus can also add spells found in other spellbooks to his own.
A magus can learn spells from a wizard’s spellbook, just as a wizard can from a magus’s spellbook. The spells learned must be on the magus spell list, as normal. An alchemist can learn formulae from a magus’s spellbook, if the spells are also on the alchemist spell list. A magus cannot learn spells from an alchemist.

Arcane Pool (Su) At 1st level, the magus gains a reservoir of mystical arcane energy that he can draw upon to fuel his powers and enhance his weapon. This arcane pool has a number of points equal to 1/2 his magus level (minimum 1) + his Intelligence modifier. The pool refreshes once per day when the magus prepares his spells.
At 1st level, a magus can expend 1 point from his arcane pool as a swift action to grant any weapon he is holding a +1 enhancement bonus for 1 minute. For every four levels beyond 1st, the weapon gains another +1enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +5 at 17th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon enhancement to a maximum of +5. Multiple uses of this ability do not stack with themselves.
At 5th level, these bonuses can be used to add any of the following weapon properties: dancing, flaming, flaming burst, frost, icy burst, keen, shock, shocking burst, speed, or vorpal.
Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property’s base price modifier. These properties are added to any the weapon already has, but duplicates do not stack. If the weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other properties can be added. These bonuses and properties are decided when the arcane pool point is spent and cannot be changed until the next time the magus uses this ability. These bonuses do not function if the weapon is wielded by anyone other than the magus.
A magus can only enhance one weapon in this way at one time. If he uses this ability again, the first use immediately ends.
At 2nd level, and every two levels thereafter, an oracle learns an additional spell derived from her mystery. These spells are in addition to the number of spells given on Table: Oracle Spells Known. They cannot be exchanged for different spells at higher levels.

Spell Combat (Ex) At 1st level, a magus learns to cast spells and wield his weapons at the same time. This functions much like two-weapon fighting, but the off-hand weapon is a spell that is being cast. To use this ability, the magus must have one hand free (even if the spell being cast does not have somatic components), while wielding a light or one-handed melee weapon in the other hand. As a full-round action, he can make all of his attacks with his melee weapon at a –2 penalty and can also cast any spell from the magus spell list with a casting time of 1 standard action (any attack roll made as part of this spell also takes this penalty). If he casts this spell defensively, he can decide to take an additional penalty on his attack rolls, up to his Intelligence bonus, and add the same amount as a circumstance bonus on his concentration check. If the check fails, the spell is wasted, but the attacks still take the penalty. A magus can choose to cast the spell first or make the weapon attacks first, but if he has more than one attack, he cannot cast the spell between weapon attacks.

Spellstrike (Su) At 2nd level, whenever a magus casts a spell with a range of “touch” from the magus spell list, he can deliver the spell through any weapon he is wielding as part of a melee attack. Instead of the free melee touch attack normally allowed to deliver the spell, a magus can make one free melee attack with his weapon (at his highest base attack bonus) as part of casting this spell. If successful, this melee attack deals its normal damage as well as the effects of the spell. If the magus makes this attack in concert with spell combat, this melee attack takes all the penalties accrued by spell combat melee attacks. This attack uses the weapon’s critical range (20, 19–20, or 18–20 and modified by the keen weapon property or similar effects), but the spell effect only deals ×2 damage on a successful critical hit, while the weapon damage uses its own critical modifier.

Magus Arcana As he gains levels, a magus learns arcane secrets tailored to his specific way of blending martial puissance and magical skill. Starting at 3rd level, a magus gains one magus arcana. He gains an additional magus arcana for every three levels of magus attained after 3rd level. Unless specifically noted in a magus arcana’s description, a magus cannot select a particular magus arcana more than once. Magus arcana that affect spells can only be used to modify spells from the magus spell list unless otherwise noted.

A complete list of magus arcana can be found here: ], Magus Arcana

Spell Recall (Su) At 4th level, the magus learns to use his arcane pool to recall spells he has already cast. With a swift action he can recall any single magus spell that he has already prepared and cast that day by expending a number of points from his arcane pool equal to the spell’s level (minimum 1). The spell is prepared again, just as if it had not been cast.

Bonus Feats At 5th level, and every six levels thereafter, a magus gains a bonus feat in addition to those gained from normal advancement. These bonus feats must be selected from those listed as combat, item creation, or metamagic feats. He must meet the prerequisites for these feats as normal.

Knowledge Pool (Su)l At 7th level, when a magus prepares his magus spells, he can decide to expend 1 or more points from his arcane pool, up to his Intelligence bonus. For each point he expends, he can treat any one spell from the magus spell list as if it were in his spellbook and can prepare that spell as normal that day. If he does not cast spells prepared in this way before the next time he prepares spells, he loses those spells. He can also cast spells added in this way using his spell recall ability, but only until he prepares spells again.

Medium Armor (Ex)l At 7th level, a magus gains proficiency with medium armor. A magus can cast magus spells while wearing medium armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. Like any other arcane spellcaster, a magus wearing heavy armor or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component.

Improved Spell Combat (Ex)l At 8th level, the magus’s ability to cast spells and make melee attacks improves. When using the spell combat ability, the magus receives a +2 circumstance bonus on concentration checks, in addition to any bonus granted by taking an additional penalty on the attack roll.

Fighter Training (Ex)l Starting at 10th level, a magus counts 1/2 his total magus level as his fighter level for the purpose of qualifying for feats. If he has levels in fighter, these levels stack.

Improved Spell Recall (Su)l At 11th level, the magus’s ability to recall spells using his arcane pool becomes more efficient. Whenever he recalls a spell with spell recall, he expends a number of points from his arcane pool equal to 1/2 the spell’s level (minimum 1). Furthermore, instead of recalling a used spell, as a swift action the magus can prepare a spell of the same level that he has in his spellbook. He does so by expending a number of points from his arcane pool equal to the spell’s level (minimum 1). The magus cannot apply metamagic feats to a spell prepared in this way. The magus does not need to reference his spellbook to prepare a spell in this way.

Heavy Armor (Ex)l At 13th level, a magus gains proficiency with heavy armor. A magus can cast magus spells while wearing heavy armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. Like any other arcane spellcaster, a magus using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component.

Greater Spell Combat (Ex)l At 14th level, the magus gains the ability to seamlessly cast spells and make melee attacks. Whenever he uses the spell combat ability, his concentration check bonus equals double the amount of the attack penalty taken.

Counterstrike (Ex)l At 16th level, whenever an enemy within reach of the magus successfully casts a spell defensively, that enemy provokes an attack of opportunity from the magus after the spell is complete. This attack of opportunity cannot disrupt the spell.

Greater Spell Access (Su)l At 19th level, the magus gains access to an expanded spell list. He learns and places 14 spells from the wizard’s spell list into his spellbook as magus spells of their wizard level. He gains two of each of the following wizard spells not on the magus spell list:
0-level, 1st-level, 2nd-level, 3rd-level, 4th-level, 5th-level, and 6th-level.
He can ignore the somatic component of these spells, casting them without the normal chance of spell failure.

True Magus (Su)l At 20th level, the magus becomes a master of spells and combat. Whenever he uses his spell combat ability, he does not need to make a concentration check to cast the spell defensively. Whenever the magus uses spell combat and his spell targets the same creature as his melee attacks, he can choose to either increase the DC to resist the spell by +2, grant himself a +2 circumstance bonus on any checks made to overcome spell resistance, or grant himself a +2 circumstance bonus on all attack rolls made against the target during his turn.

Black Blade (Ex) At 3rd level, the bladebound magus’ gains a powerful sentient weapon called a black blade, whose weapon type is chosen by the magus (see sidebar). A magus with this class feature cannot take the familiar magus arcana, and cannot have a familiar of any kind, even from another class.

Instead of the normal arcane pool amount, the bladebound magus’s arcane pool has a number of points equal to 1/3 his level (minimum 1) plus his Intelligence bonus.

This ability changes the Arcane Pool class feature and replaces the magus arcana gained at 3rd level.

Black Blade Basics
A black blade is bonded to a particular magus, much like a familiar, but in more of a partnership than a master-servant relationship.

Intelligence: This is the intelligence score of the black blade. It starts at 10 and increases by 1 for every two levels of the bladebound magus (at 3rd level, 5th level, and so on).

Wisdom and Charisma: As the bladebound magus increases in level, so do the Wisdom and Charisma of the black blade. These abilities start at 6 and increase by 1 for every two levels of magus.

Ego: A black blade starts with an ego of 5, and that ego increases as the blade becomes more powerful, as per Table: Black Blade Progression below. In cases where a wielder and the black blade come into conflict, like any intelligent item, a black blade can attempt to exert its dominance (see Intelligent Items). Due to its flexible and powerful nature, a black blade has a nonstandard ego progression.

Languages and Skills: A black blade starts with Common as a language. As the black blade increases in Intelligence, it manifests knowledge of languages and arcane lore. Upon reaching an Intelligence of 12, it gains a bonus language of the GM’s choice, and gains 1 rank in Knowledge (arcana). Each time the sword gains a bonus to Intelligence, it gains another language and another rank in Knowledge (arcana).

Senses: A black blade is aware of everything around it like a creature that can see and hear. It can be blinded and deafened as if it were a creature. It uses the saving throws of its magus, even if the magus is not currently wielding the black blade.

Black Blade Arcane Pool: A black blade has an arcane pool with a number of points equal to 1 + its Intelligence bonus.

Black Blade Ability Descriptions
A black blade has special abilities (or imparts abilities to its wielder) depending on the wielder’s magus level. The abilities are cumulative. A black blade normally refuses to use any of its abilities when wielded by anyone other than its magus, and acts as a masterwork weapon of its type.

Alertness (Ex): While a magus is wielding his black blade, he gains the Alertness feat.

Black Blade Strike (Sp): As a free action, the magus can spend a point from the black blade’s arcane pool to grant the black blade a +1 bonus on damage rolls for 1 minute. For every four levels beyond 1st, this ability gives the black blade another +1 on damage rolls.

Telepathy (Su): While a magus is wielding or carrying his black blade, he can communicate telepathically with the blade in a language that the magus and the black blade share.

Unbreakable (Ex): As long as it has at least 1 point in its arcane pool, a black blade is immune to the broken condition. If broken, the black blade is unconscious and powerless until repaired. If destroyed, the black blade can be reforged 1 week later through a special ritual that costs 200 gp per magus level. The ritual takes 24 hours to complete.

Energy Attunement (Su): At 5th level, as a free action, a magus can spend a point of his black blade’s arcane pool to have it deal one of the following types of damage instead of weapon damage: cold, electricity, or fire. He can spend 2 points from the black blade’s arcane pool to deal sonic or force damage instead of weapon damage. This effect lasts until the start of the magus’s next turn.

Teleport Blade (Sp): As a standard action, a magus of 9th level or higher can expend an arcane point from his or his black blade’s arcane pool, and can call his black blade from as far as 1 mile away, causing it to instantaneously teleport to his hand.

Transfer Arcana (Su): At 13th level, once per day, a magus can attempt to siphon points from his black blade’s arcane pool into his own arcane pool. Doing so takes a full-round action and the magus must succeed at a Will saving throw with a DC equal to the black blade’s ego. If the magus succeeds, he regains 1 point to his arcane pool for every 2 points he saps from his black blade. If he fails the saving throw, the magus becomes fatigued (but can try again). If he is fatigued, he becomes exhausted instead. He cannot use this ability if he is exhausted.

Spell Defense (Sp): A magus of 17th level or higher can expend an arcane point from his weapon’s arcane pool as a free action; he then gains SR equal to his black blade’s ego until the start of his next turn.

Life Drinker (Su): At 19th level, each time the magus kills a living creature with the black blade, he can pick one of the following effects: the black blade restores 2 points to its arcane pool; the black blade restores 1 point to its arcane pool and the magus restores 1 point to his arcane pool; the magus gains a number of temporary hit points equal to the black blade’s ego (these temporary hit points last until spent or 1 minute, whichever is shorter). The creature killed must have a number of Hit Dice equal to half the magus’s character level for this to occur.

Table: Black Blade Progression
Table

Hex Magus (Su) At 4th level, the hexcrafter magus gains access to a small number of witch’s hexes. The hexcrafter magus picks one hex from the witch’s hex class feature. He gains the benefit of or uses that hex as if he were a witch of a level equal to his magus level.
This feature replaces spell recall.

Hex Arcana A hexcrafter gains access to the following magus arcana, or may select any witch hex in place of a magus arcana. At 12th level, the hexcrafter may select a hex or major hex in place of a magus arcana. At 18th level, a hexcrafter can select a hex, major hex, or grand hex in place of a magus arcana. He cannot select any hex or arcana more than once.

Accursed Strike (Sp): A hexcrafter magus who can cast bestow curse, major curse, or any spell with the curse descriptor can deliver these prepared spells using the spellstrike ability, even if the spells are not touch attack spells.

Spells A hexcrafter magus adds the following spells to his magus spell list: bestow curse, major curse, and all other spells of 6th level or lower that have the curse descriptor.
Magus Arcana: The following magus arcana complement the hexcrafter archetype: arcane accuracy, broad study, familiar, and quicken magic.

Among the Duergar there is little variation in appearance. Null, like his kin, has a short, broad, and powerful stature. His skin is the color of cold ashes, and he is mostly devoid of body hair save a dark beard fashioned into two braids. Null shares his people’s rippling muscles which make most people uneasy, for beneath their skin the muscles move of their own accord, snaking and twisting. For this reason Null has learned it wise at times to conceal his body within a cloak, loose clothing, or armor. Also like his fellow clansman, Null’s black eyes shine with a peculiar madness caused by all too frequent contact with the alien and twisted powers dug from the stone of Orv. If anything distinguishes Null from other Duergar it is his relatively unscarred body. Most Duergar’s madness and delusions lead them to ritualistic self-scarring, however, Null’s lack of psionic aptitude has mostly left his body unmarred. The few scars he has have been carved in by mocking, or frightened, clansman unsure how to handle the oddity of Null’s blank mind.

Null was born and grew up in the dark and alien world of Orv. While most Duergar inhabit the upper realms of the Darklands, Null's clan (and a few others) chose to dig deeper following rich veins of precious metals. They dug too far, however, and the depths strange powers began twisting their minds. Null is generally similar to his kin in personality. He is extremely apathetic about life, save for the toil and labor that is necessary to keep That which Sleeps Beneath at bay. The ideas of parents, siblings, or even friends is foreign to him, as such relationships are unnecessary in Duergar society. Null does, however, understand the value of working together to achieve goals.

Null can be difficult to talk with, as he does not fully see himself as an individual, or truly value others as individuals. It is simply not a concept natural to his mind. He works very well on a team and is excellent at taking orders. In fact, Null will often blindly follow orders to completion regardless of the danger or risk to self. Null is not without the ability to reason. There are actually few that could claim to be more logical. This is more to mean Null thinks like a machine, without emotion or self-interest. He reasons the most effective and efficient methods to achieve his objectives, then executes.

Null, unlike his kin, is not psionically gifted. That fact has saved him from the madness that typically dominates the minds of his clansmen. This is not to say the madness has not left it's mark on Null. Null seems to have struck a balance with the madness, and sees it as a mental construct that he carries with him. It is not unusual to see Null talking to the thin air, or see Null apparently listening to unheard whispers. Null also is prone to giving cryptic answers, or riddles, in response to questions, but not always.

If Null does express any noticeable emotion it is usually in relationship to the Black blade that he carries. Null is fanatically possessive about it, and becomes very anxious if it is ever out of his sight, or even his reach. The Black Blade has a long history with Null. It is not uncommon to see him talking with the sword, obsessively cleaning it, performing strange rituals over it, or simply starring at it for hours on end. Null believes he is the only one capable of properly handling the blade, and will become aggressive if someone or thing tries to take it from his possession. He believes it is his duty and sacrifice alone to carry and use the blade, and by doing so he is helping to keep That Which Sleeps beneath at bay.

The time grows closer. We cannot stop. The madness and destruction of our world draws near. We alone stand between this fate and the present. We, the Duergar, know the terror and power of That Which Sleeps Beneath. For it whispers to our minds and fills our dreams with terrible certainties. When it awakes no mortal or god will be ready, for they mock our preparations and warnings. So the duty is ours. To raise the walls, to cut the tunnels, to forge the arms, armor, and magics that will not save us, but may buy us all a precious moment. A moment in which the other races and the gods can either chose to fight or at least realize the burden we Duergar carried for them. We cannot stop.

I am called Null. Few of my kind have names, for we all share the same purpose and thus names are irrelevant. It is not a distinction of honor. It is a distinction of difference. Unlike my kin, the maddening whispers have not taken over my mind. I hear them, but they are a companion to me. I do not dream the terror dreams of my kin. I see it's face in my sleep as they do, and it tries to convince me to let it out. It tells me, as it does my kin, where to dig, where to put spike to stone, to rip it from its tomb and unleash it upon the world. That is how we know exactly where not to go. Do not mistake, however, I share the duty and urgency of my kin. Some call my psionically blank mind a gift, others an ill portent.

In the absence of psionic gifts, I have come to learn the more ancient secrets of my clan. These secrets have prepared me for my duty. I speak of our older dark magics and ancient curses, the power we wielded before the clan's minds were opened. With these gifts, and my resolve, failure is improbable. My blank mind and dark knowledge, however, led me to a terrible truth- A truth that forced me against my clan, and to the bright surface world.

I remember when we first came upon the strange object in our never ending digging. It was unlike anything we had found before. First, was the nature of the metal. It was not any material known to us.. The metal vein in the wall was a terrible black. Blacker than our sunless world in the twisting underground of Orv. Even our miner’s Darkland adapted vision seemed to have trouble seeing it. As we tried to cut the vein from the wall, the Duergar miners (save me) screamed in pain, yelling of horrible visions and pressures pounding in their head. It took six days to scrape that ore out of the wall.
I was commanded to carry that ore back to our small city. It was wrapped in as much clothing as our team could produce. Still their discomfort was almost unbearable. When entered the city gates, chaos broke loose. It was as if the ores properties were intensified a thousand fold in the presence of the clan. Quickly I was ordered to take the black ore to one of our distant, abandoned outposts and to wait for there for further instruction. That instruction took six weeks to arrive. A small contingent of clansman, all with newly crafted talisman around their necks, and a handful of Svirfneblin slaves were the ones to arrive. One of the deep gnomes approached, and handed me a written orders. It had been decided that this ore was to be forged into a weapon, which would be traded to the Drow for a great amount of slaves and usable resources. If the thing drove the Drow insane, then so be it. I was to oversee the Svirfneblin as they created the sword, then “free” them after completion. It is hard to believe the gnomes didn’t know their blood would be the final component in the tempering.

So the blade was made, or perhaps the better description was the blade took form. Those gnomes tried every trick known to their race and mine to coerce the black metal to form into a blade. It would not abide. Weeks passed, months passed, we could not fail the Duergar order. Too many slaves were at risk, slaves that were needed to assist us in keeping That Which Sleeps Beneath at bay. Then after all our hopes and knowledge had been spent, we returned to the forge with no further expectation of success only to find the sword waiting for us, calmly balanced up against the wall. It was beautiful. It still retained its terrible black color, and it’s blade was straight and true. The hilt was another matter. The angles of the metal that twisted to form it were simply not possible. No smith could have turned metal like that, and looking at the turns, coils, and spirals to long would either make the onlooker nauseous, confused, or awestruck. I don’t even remember cutting those gnomes down. I only recall the blade whispering its name to me, “XilIanizatora”- the dream splitter.

I stood over the broken bodies of the Svirfneblin slaves, and knew what the sword was. I could hear it speaking to my mind, just as That Which Sleeps Beneath did to my clan. This was not a sword at all, and what we thought was metal was anything but. This was a fragment of what my clan feared the most. It was the first bit of That Which Sleeps Beneath breaking through the veil. It was a fingernail of that that great and powerful god among gods breaking free. It was a weapon though, and a great one.

No one could carry this thing but I. It didn’t affect me as drastically, my blank mind offered a barrier of protection. Further, no one knew its harsh reality but I, my study of the dark arts gave me clarity of its purpose. This thing was my burden to bear. I also knew that my clan had to be made aware of what the appearance of this weapon meant. It meant their labor was failing, and that the end was drawing closer than expected. XilIanizatora told me how to convey this message to them.

Unknown to me six years had somehow passed since the orders to create that sword had arrived to me at that outpost, and so it was six years to the day that I returned to the clans small city with Dream Splitter in hand. No formalities were necessary. I walked through the gates, and began cutting my kin down. The blade would let no harm come to me it would seem. When no more clansman could be seen that were not corpses, the sword moved my grip, tracing a message in the bare stone ground. It was mostly in symbols and lines I could not read, but I know that the clan’s psionic elders could comprehend. The message seemed to be clear, however, “You have failed. The illusion is torn. I am awake.”

My mission was clear. I had to get this fragment of the beast far from my underground home so my clan could keep digging and slowing its progress. I knew no one with a psionic mind could be near this sword, or untold results could propagate. Also, I knew help was needed to contain this bit of madness that had broken though. Finally, somehow, I had to keep my motives hidden from XilIanizatora.

So I traveled to the surface to seek out churches and cults that claim the god Asmodeus as their master. I believed such a being may find interest in the power of That Which Sleeps Beneath. For the texts speak of the Asmodeus’s love of order, and willingness to help lock away great powers. If he enjoys holding Rovagug’s prison key, perhaps he would like to hold another. With enough work, I believe the Duergar and Asmodeus can reach an understanding, and That Which Sleeps Beneath’s awakening can be further delayed. No price is too great. It must not break free. It is our duty.

Reaching the surface was no easy task. It is a long way from the depths of Orv to the sun lit surface. And even though I have walked under sky for nearly two years, I have found there is much I must learn of this world. I thought while upon the surface keeping XilIanizatora away from the Duergar and the Orv, I might procure my clan some easily acquired slaves. Simply arriving here and directing slaves to the secret tunnels leading to my home has not proven easy. In fact, commanding a few soft humans and halflings to our tunnels led to blows. They were weak and died quickly. So I have learned that on the surface, purchasing slaves with valuable metals seems to be the accepted practice. That's what brought me to the kingdom of Talingarde, a land full of potential slaves, and possibly connections to followers of Asmodeous.

I have also learned that XilIanizatora’s whispers seem to have diminished of late, perhaps in response to being further away from Orv. That is not to mean the whispers have stopped. I still hear them, and at times have to talk the sword out of certain less than productive actions. Such a conversation is what has landed me in these shackles fastened to a prison wall. XilIanizatora tricked me, leading me into blaspheming one of the surface gods while walking past her church. This would not have proven so problematic, except for the formal assembly of guards and priests that happened to be standing in the courtyard as I passed.