Preface: I’m not exactly sure why I brought this diary with me when I left my comfortable home of Nammu. I guess I just wanted an account for myself, to record my adventures. I’m an Elf and Nammu is my home kingdom on the east coast of Gaia. I left home a few years ago when I became an adult. All Elves, in this age at least, leave home when they reach maturity. They must see the world so to speak, before they can return and become full members of the community. This journey could take any length of time really, but most Elves are gone only about ten or twenty years (that sounds like a lot, but we live for 600). Once they return home they usually never leave again.

Note: All calendar dates in this diary are based on the Gaian Standardized Calendar in which there are twelve months. Three months of 30 days to a quarter, with the middle month having 31 days. There are three weeks of 10 days each to a month. Yule is New Year’s Day and it stands on its own and has no month. There are 365 days in a full calendar year.

1094, 1st of Gort, it’s the first day of autumn and after spending the last year in Heathlon (which has been a fantastic experience!), I have decided I must see more of the world, so I’m making this the first entry in my diary. Why am I starting a diary one year into my journey? Hey, better late than never! Besides I found this cute little book in a local store in the capital city. It would be a waste not to use it.

I came to Heathlon only after seeing the smaller east coast kingdoms of Repton and Shadinesta. They were peaceful places. I saw a few other smaller kingdoms, but none of them prepared me for the vastness that was the Heathlon Empire. This massive human settlement seemed to be an endless network of roads, villages and the even more interesting cities. Most people were very friendly to me, but this can be attributed to the exceedingly harmonious relationship between my people and the Heathlon Empire.

I feel I must explain further. You see about twenty years ago there was a huge continental wide war between the Verant Empire and the Heathlon Empire. My people or Forest Elves as humans like to call us, have always stayed out of the affairs of humankind (even though in the past they have been occasionally nurture along by us). But we became involved because of the actions of my eldest brother Zelmar. I would explain it further, but that in itself could fill entire volumes! Anyway, over the course of the war we did manage to become involved and even fought a battle against the Verant army, which we won, although another of my brothers was killed. Because we sided with the Heathlon Empire and helped win the war against Verant, Elves are seen as kind friends and welcome guests most anywhere in Heathlon.

So why leave? In a word; restlessness. I wanted to see and experience more. This place is almost too comforting, too accommodating. I need something more challenging in my life, so I have decided to see the other side of the continent. I will embark upon my journey to the Verant Empire. We have been at peace with them for twenty years now and they are more cross with the Wild Elves, I hope! I may still experience some harsh treatment, but I’m ready for the test. I’m a strong independent Elvin woman and I can take it. I don’t even fear traveling alone. I had done so since I left my homeland. I have been trained in combat and can handle myself if that’s what it comes down to. I can wield two swords and I have a bow. I’m far from a helpless maiden.

Navigating in Verant society will not be easy, but I crave the adventure. Zelmar says I give in too easily to the whims of passion. He should know, he’s an expert on the subject after all! Zelmar has been many things in his life, a gambler, thief, crime boss, an ambassador, conspiratorial leader, a murderer, the voice of reason, a great military general, a warrior and many more things that I am certain he has held back from me over the last year I have spent with him. I do believe that no single Elf has even been involved in as many different things in his life as my brother. Entire books could be written about his exploits, but unfortunately no Elf would ever read them.

You see, to my people, my brother Zelmar is an outcast to be shunned and ostracized. He’s a rule breaker or more accurately, a rebel. Consequently, he has been thrown out of Elvin society and will never be allowed to return. Maybe the order will be rescinded centuries from now when we are all old and grey, but until then, Zelmar is content to live in Heathlon where he’s celebrated as a great hero. I don’t blame him. I would’ve done the same in his situation. I agreed with his actions and find it grossly unfair that to this day he is still not allowed to return home.

Of course, as Zelmar’s only sister, I was given the greatest of respects when in the City of Heathlon. Zelmar has a spacious penthouse apartment in a building not far from the Imperial Palace, where he spends much of his time. This is where I have stayed for most of my time in Heathlon. The city’s routine of formal parties and stiff ceremonies have lulled me into a place that is too comfortable and boring, it has become my main cause of restlessness.

1094, 2nd day of Gort, I told Zelmar of my plan to go to Verant and he just shook his head. He told me to avoid the main cites, he fears I could be lynched if I’m not careful. Although he himself hasn’t been to the Empire since he masterminded the plot which assassinated the Emperor Septius II, in 1072, he fears that even twenty-two years will not change much. I should keep my last name a closely guarded secret at the very least.

I told him I would be careful, but he still thought I was mazy headed to undergo such a trek. I said he shouldn’t worry about his baby sister because he trained me in weapons and war, both as children and again during the year I spent with him. If my brother, the great warrior and hero, can’t prepare me for battle, then who can?

He convinced me to stay one more night so I could get all the supplies and anything else I might need. That night he told me that I should winter with our cousin, Tatiana. This brought forth strong feeling hidden deep within me which will be explained later. Tatiana has a cottage by a small lake in Nashalon where she lives with her human husband, a man from Heathlon named Bozwin. Inter-marriage between the two races was strictly forbidden by the Elvin elders, so Tatiana could never return home as long as she remained married to a human. She continues to live in Nashalon where she has for the last few decades. Zelmar gave me a few maps of the region and instructions on how to get there.

1094, 3rd day of Gort, today I left on my journey to see my cousin in Nashalon. Zelmar gave me some food, a prized book for me to read on the long trip and a necklace made from valuable beads of gold, silver and crystals. My brother wished me luck and I told him that I loved him very much and I wouldn’t stay in Verant forever, especially if I was unwanted. I said that one day I would be back to tell him about all of my adventurers. He made me promise to tell him if I had any trouble and I told I would send letters back whenever possible.

1094, 4th day of Gort, I’ve decided to plan my trek so that I pass by the famous city of Karnak on my way to Nashalon. Heathlon to Karnak is over a thousand miles so the trip will take almost a month and a half on foot. Three weeks just to cross the desert! It’ll be a great hardship, but I shall see parts of the world most people only dream about and many Elves have never seen!

1094, 14th day of Gort, I skipped some days in the diary in order to cut out repetition. The last week has all been the same, traveller on foot for twenty-five to thirty miles each day, made camp, ate dinner, read the book and slept in a small tent. The book is about Karnak and talks about the history of the city which is thousands of years old. It was destroyed over a thousand years ago, but since then has been rebuilt. It is a very interesting and long read. Zelmar of course knew it would spark my interest when he gave it to me. Maybe he thought Karnak would be so interesting I would stay there instead of continuing on to Verant! It would be just like Zelmar to try and manipulate me like that! By Lothica I miss him already!

1094, 24th day of Gort, again I have skipped an entire week of entries. I have decided that I must spend a bit of time in Karnak. Perhaps I read too much of the book. So, I now plan on staying a few weeks (at least until Yule) before moving on to Tatiana’s house. I finished reading the history book already. I will read it again just to be sure of my facts. I’m curious to see the location of the Crystal Tower, just from a tourist perspective of course, I don’t expect anything is left of the actual tower itself, but I checked my map carefully and I believe I can find it.

1094, 4th day of Coba, after three weeks I have reached the western limit of the Heathlon Empire. A ridge of small mountains, divide the Empire from the desert. From now on I am to trek across several weeks of open sandy desert. It’s an unnatural and inhospitable place, but as long as I have enough supplies, I can make it. Being Elvin I can survive for long period with little to no food and water, but even still, I enter this land with great trepidation. By the month’s end and if the maps are accurate, I should be in Karnak.

1094, 5th day of Coba, I am now in the great Karnak desert and the wind comes across the plains something fierce! The sand whips at you even threw your clothing! It’s a gritty annoyance and gets into places it should never be! I had to get supplied with new equipment and clothing for the desert, it’s not like the forest where I come from!

1094, 15th day of Coba, after a week of traveling there is little to tell. The land is very flat, there’s not much in the way of features, but there is a definite road if you know how to track it. It jumps from oasis to oasis so that travelers have a place to water horses and drink themselves. I have no horse. I thought it would be an unnecessary burden, just another thing that has to be looked after, which in the desert can be a harsh task.

I have been caught in several sandstorms already, but luckily, they’ve not lasted more than a few hours. The trick is to sit tight and cover every inch of your body, but even then, the sand still works its way in until it grinds against your flesh and all the tender places! I hate it! The tent is no help at all on these occasions. The sand always makes its way in. To the south I should be getting close to the Great Glass Lake.

1094, 16th day of Coba, I have witnessed the Great Glass Lake with my own eyes and marvelled at its wonder! Twenty miles across and over two hundred miles long it was made from solid glass several feet in thickness. This was created during the Great Cataclysm when the Gods and the Enki went to war against each other. Apparently, Karnak was the homeland and power center for the Enki. Anyway, the intense heat that was created during this time melted the sand, fusing it into glass.

1094, 25th day of Coba, another week has passed and in only ten more days I will be in Karnak. The desert still hasn’t changed much. I’ve met the odd traveler, usually at a waterhole. There was an oasis near the Great Glass Lake where I spent a night in an actual inn. It was an odd little village in the middle of the desert, it survived on passing trade and a small reservoir of water beneath the sand. It was a barren desolate place, yet it supported a few hundred citizens. Mostly human, but I saw a few other races in the mix.

1094, 3rd day of Ruis, the end of the year is drawing near, only a month away. The desert nights are very cold, but the days are still as hot as ever and never seemed to change. Always clean blue skies above. There are no seasons here, a bit of rain in the spring which is still months away.

1094, 4th day of Ruis, I’ve found the location of the Crystal Tower, but as I suspected, there is nothing here! I only found a large hole in the ground and a few bulky crystal chunks lying around half buried by the desert sands. I spent the night at this famous location and I could feel the power that the place still exudes, even thousands of years later.

I’ve finished reading through the history book a second time. The desert is a magical effect which is slowly wearing off over a long time. The area surrounding the Crystal Tower is a lush green, trees, plants and grass grew in a mile radius. A spring feeds the area which thrives. But it’s a remote location not known to many. I met some Desert Elves here, distance cousins of my own people. They are tall and slender. I had heard everything about them but seeing them in real life is amazing! They all had tanned skin which contrasted again my milky white colour. They were friendly and generous. I was distant kin to them. We shared a campfire tonight, but we speak different dialects, it was hard to understand them, but I managed. I hope they understood me! Karnak is two days way now.

1094, 6th day of Ruis, Karnak is whole new experience unto itself! The rush I felt when I saw it was incredible! A few miles before reaching the city, I came across vast fields of farmland. Well planned canals linked up all of the fields. The road followed one canal for a mile before coming to a large lake several miles across. A local said it was feed by a huge spring at the bottom of the lake. Karnak sat right next to a massive underground lake, providing plenty of fresh cold water for the one hundred thousand people reported to live in the city. The number of visiting merchants, travelers and pilgrims could easily double that number. This place is truly a metropolis and one of the most cosmopolitan cities I have ever been to.

I didn’t expect how important religion was to the city. The book had mentioned religions in passing. The merchants and Wizard Tower were more important to the book’s point of view. In real life it was the opposite, religion was the most important thing and pilgrims were everywhere. The city was filled with statues and shrines on nearly every corner!

The whole city was built out of sandstone, limestone and some granite all of it local except for the Wizard’s Tower near the center of town next to the city hall. It was made from the finest white marble, imported at great expense. I decided that I wanted to see the tower first. As an Elf, magic comes naturally, but it could always be improved upon with learning. In fact, we have our own Wizard Tower back home. We train only Elves and a select few humans. The Karnak Wizard Tower was open to all races so I really want to see it, even if I would never attend. Magic is not my calling. I believe I will make a great ranger one day, defending my homeland and patrolling all that is ours.

As I came into the city down the main east road, I saw hundreds of others looking to enter. Large imposing walls protected the city even though it hadn’t been attacked in centuries. Even during the Great war, the city was untouched. The desert was its best defence.

Once inside the gate, I was confronted with a broad avenue that stretched on for a thousand yard. Walled on both sides, it was lined with the statues of every God that exists! Down the center every so often was a larger statue with people milling about the base. Everywhere people were praying, even I began praying, I couldn’t help it! It was infectious and I felt compelled to do it! I prayed to Lothica to keep me safe, she is the Goddess of all Elves. She had a large statue in the center of the path. The Fire Lord also had a large statue with humans crowded around it. The third statue was Mother Nature, she was another Human Goddess, but there were a surprising number of other races that also worshipped her. She’s the ultimate peace maker, transcending both order and chaos. I can understand the broad appeal, but I’m not a druid, so I moved on. The next statute was of course the Grand Architect, the main god of the Heathlon Empire. I was very familiar with him having spent much time in Heathlon.

It was the fifth and final statue that shook me. It was the strangest statue I’d ever seen! It looked utterly alien. It stood taller than any other statue, but the face was haunting. Dead round eyes, slits for a nose, thin lips and straight hair, it seemed both human and inhuman. I trembled without knowing why. When I saw the black polished stone embedded in the forehead, I knew right way that it was Enki. I couldn’t stop shaking with an unnatural fear that I couldn’t explain. I could only describe the statue as soulless.

I knew little about the Enki, just legends told by elders, but my gut told me these were people to be feared. I saw a few people worship before the statue. They were all human. I shuttered as I passed by. Who is that arrogant? Or is it mazy?

1094, 7th day of Ruis, this city is mad! With Yule fast approaching there are festivals going on almost every day over the coming weeks. I stayed at an inn last night, but it was in a poor part of town. Today I will search for something better. The Wizard Tower is magnificent! The white marble gleams in the sunlight. It five-hundred-foot height dominates the city square. The whole tower complex is walled in and it’s a large portion of the city. No visitors are allowed in unfortunately. Still, I had a good day looking around this fascinating city.

1094, 10th day of Ruis, I found a great little place to stay. It’s just a little room near the city square, but it has a great view and running water! The underground lake provides pressurized water. The city has a whole piping system, it’s amazing! We have nothing like this back home!

This city is truly cosmopolitan. I have seen every race of humanoid wandering around the streets. I’m having a great time joining in festivals and drinking much wine. Apparently, I couldn’t have come at a better time. This is a joyous time of year, when the people celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another. Yule was only twenty days away, but the way people were celebrating you would think it was tomorrow!

1094, 30th day of Ruis, tomorrow is Yule which is a great time to celebrate. I was born today, but I usually celebrate my birth on Yule Day. I am 86 years old today, but only six years into adulthood. Most humans whom I met say I look like I’m twenty, a young maiden! How amusing!

1095, 1st day of Beth, still recovering from excesses of the night before. Must get more sleep!

1095, 2nd day of Beth, I’m feeling much better today! I hope to get the next leg of my journey planned. It should take about two weeks to get down to Tatiana’s house.

1095, 3rd day of Beth, I waved good-bye to Karnak and continued on my trip. I must head west a few days, then head south into Ambrosia Major, then west again until I reach Nashalon. Tatiana’s house is only a day or two from the border.

I heard a rumour that has circulated through the city that the Verant Empire has settled its civil war and a new Emperor will be crowned soon, or maybe already? Who knows how rumors travel out here. I think I have picked a very good time to go there. People seem to be very optimistic about him.

1095, 8th day of Beth, the desert ends at a mountain range with a road that winds through a pass. The weather gets very bad here and this being the dead of winter doesn’t help at all. Cold, snow and blizzard like conditions. There are other people, some with carts struggling to get through, but carts get bogged down in the ice and snow. It’s a bit easier on foot. I’m bitter cold, but I can make it.

1095, 9th day of Beth, came down the other side of the mountain range and into Ambrosia Major. Its winter and I’m not in the desert anymore. I carried a set of winter clothes with me. I knew this was coming. In the desert I thought about throwing them away many times because of the burden, but I’m so glad I kept them!

1095, 16th day of Beth, Finally made it to the Nashalon border. Stayed in inns the whole way, it was great! These roads are important to trade and well maintained. I’ve hitched a ride with a few merchants already. Unfortunately, I didn’t have much of a chance to see Ambrosia Major, but given the weather it’s to be expected. Maybe when I return home, I will come back this way and see more of it.

1095, 18th day of Beth, I will be at Tatiana’s house by tomorrow night! I know her from my childhood. She used to look after me from time to time when I was a child and she was still an adolescent. In the last thirty years I saw her once, about twenty years ago during the great war. I’m so excited! I’m having trouble sleeping just thinking about the reunion!

1095, 20th day of Beth, I’m writing a day late because I was so busy yesterday with meeting Tatiana’s family. She has two children that are half-human! I’ve never seen anything like it. I knew of course that humans and Elves can have children together, but I had never seen it before. The site astonished me! They had a mixture of both features. The oldest was a boy of eighteen years and the girl was sixteen. They looked so young. Tatiana said that they would be adults at about 25 years and live about 150 years or more, no one knew for sure. There aren’t many half breeds in the world. Boswin was Tatiana’s human husband and appeared to be about 50 years old, but I thought him to be in good shape for a middle-aged human. I remembered him from Tatiana’s last visit home. He was twenty years younger then.

I have been fascinated by humans ever since I left home, but seeing Tatiana with Boswin stirred something else deep down inside of me. When I was an adolescent and Boswin and Tatiana came to stay with us for a few weeks, I completely embarrassed myself by flirting with him. It’s so humiliating to think of it now! I was too young to understand even what I was doing! I just knew that I found him very attraction. I don’t think Tatiana ever knew about it, at least she has never said anything to me about it. After that I have had an obsession with human men. They are not like Elvin men at all. The human male is bigger, brawnier and more aggressive, but also friendly and more emotional. There’s an empathy there as well, Elves are much more aloof in general and males doubly so.

It was obvious that at one time, Tatiana’s cottage had just been a little place, but over the years, Boswin had built additions to the house and now it had a rambling ranch-style to it.

The cottage is in the far north of Nashalon and although it’s still winter here, it’s not as severe as it gets in Heathlon or my homeland.

1095, 20th day of Luis, I have stayed with Tatiana for over a month now and I have had wonderful time talking at length with her about all kinds of things. She told me all about the great war, which I was too young to understand at the time. Boswin had been a famous general who held off the Verant army at the battle of Aldmoress with a force half the size! Their story is amazing, simply amazing!

They convinced me to stay another month, after which the weather would improve, but no more than that. I want to be in the Verant Empire when springtime begins and all the roads in the north are open again.

Tatiana and I have gotten along very well. We have talked like old friends and went on about all the things that females talk about when they get together like this! All the various styles of clothing common in different kingdoms these days, different hair and make-up fashions and other girlish things of that nature. Another subject she touched on was sexual nature. Now that I’m an adult, she was able to talk with more frankness when we were alone. I had to admit that I kept my sexual thoughts and feeling deeply repressed since I had no real chance to express them. I remain pure and untouched. Maybe I’ve spent too much time with family. However, talking openly about such things, as well as listening to Tatiana’s knowledge on the subject, has sparked an interest that I feel I must pursue. I suddenly realized that I don’t feel complete and never have, like I’m yearning for something or a feeling that I can’t describe. Could it be lust or desire? In my innocence I fear the answer. I don’t think I’ve ever been in love before, but I hope to be some time soon. There is another half of me out there somewhere and I hope to meet him someday.

1095, 20th day of Nion, I have stayed with my cousin Tatiana for two months now and although I love her dearly as a friend and family, I must continue my own journey of personal discovery. The children were wonderful and never complained once. I was a guest for a long time in their home that seemed small with five of us living there. Neighbours would come by to visit often and discuss various things going on in the kingdom and any rumours that have been heard about Verant. On the last day before I left a neighbour came by after hearing some news from Verant. A new Emperor has been crown and the people feel very good about this man. I of course already knew this, but news travels in different ways around Gaia. Emperor Xander Frey II he is called and the people like him much more so than his cousin who was executed by a mob in Verant City two years ago. The place sounded lawless to me. I hope the new Emperor can create a new and lasting peace. It will take about three days to reach the Verant border. I hope for good weather, and I pray to Lothica for a safe trip.

1095, 21st day of Nion, winter is still not completely over as I leave the safety of Tatiana’s home during a snowstorm! Still, it’s not as bad as previous months and I’m ready for Verant, I hope. I’m keeping my head wrapped to conceal my pointed ears and look less Elvin and more like a young human woman. I should get less of a hassle from the Verantians.

1095, 24th day of Nion, today I step across the border into the infamous Empire of Verant. So far it looks no different than Nashalon, but the Empire is vast, bigger even that Heathlon, according to the maps that I have been given by Zelmar. Besides this eastern part is not heavily populated. There are vast track of forests and mountains that are mostly uninhabited and by treaty are not supposed to be.

1095, 25th day of Nion, as Zelmar had told me, I’ve not had a friendly reception here in Verant. Not that anyone has been openly hostile, more like I’ve been shunned and ignored. I did manage to find a small town where an old woman who ran the general store was willing to sell me a few books to help me understand this strange land better. Verant: A History by Cyrin the Bard is a famous one, so is his volume titled Chronicle of the Verant Emperors. I also bought a little book titled An Adventurers Guide to the Verant Empire. It detailed a lot of little things, like identifying various plants, what can be eaten and what can kill. It’s full of survivalist information and could come in very handy.

1095, 28th day of Nion, I should’ve planned this out better! Now I am wandering aimlessly across northern Verant. I had no purpose coming here, but for a bit of sight-seeing and some experience. But now that I am here, Zelmar’s words on the subject of Verant has made me frightened to go to cities. I long to see the City of Verant, but I don’t know what would happen to me if I went there and now I’m afraid! I shouldn’t have come alone. I’m cursing my own foolishness now.

1095, 1st day of Fearn, I have been running for two days now and this is the first time I’ve had a chance to write! I apologise for my shaky writing, but I’m still trembling from the experience and the cold weather.

Two days ago, I was walking along the main road across northern Verant. There had been one last winter snowfall and everything was white, the ground still cold and frozen. I suddenly got this deep feeling that I was being watched. I didn’t know what to do, but I wasn’t about to panic. If I left the road, I didn’t know the area well enough and could get lost wandering through the desolate forest.

Suddenly three highwaymen came out of the trees and surrounded me. They had their faces covered with scarves. I saw the glint of steel and in an instant my swords were in my hands. I was fighting a battle for my life! Somehow, I managed to wound two of them pretty badly, but the third man was huge, even for a human! He was also very skilled and disarmed me at once. He pinned me down against the snowy embankment, my swords, just out of reach. I thought this was the end, his friends were holding their wounds shivering from the cold and loss of blood, the snow was covered in blood.

The big man holding me down, said something in the Verant dialect that I didn’t understand, but the way his eyes pierced into me I got the impression that I was about to be raped and murdered! The feeling in my gut was making me sick at the thought of what was about to happened. He pulled back adjusting his breeches and laughing. He still held me down with the one massive fist, but I wiggle enough room that I got a concealed dagger into my hand. With lightening speed and all the strength I could muster, I slashed the man across the throat. He stepped back in shock. Blood sprayed everywhere soaking the snow with crimsons splatters. I was also sprayed with the blood. It was grotesque. Moved by fear, I searched frantically for my swords and found the hilt of one of them, cold from contact with the snow. Everything froze for what seemed like an eternity, but it was probably less than a minute. The man fell to the ground dead. I’ve never killed anyone before and the shock of it made me quivered with terror. I grabbed my backpack. I bolted from the scene before the other two could recover enough to chase me.

I ran off into the bush for hours never stopping or looking back. I realized that I was leaving a trail that could be easily followed, but there was nothing that could be done about it. It took me the whole day before I could calm down enough to stop and make camp deep in the forest. I didn’t know what else to do! I knew I’d killed in self-defence for I was sure they meant to kill me after having their way. But this was Verant, they could tell the authorities anything. I was an Elf, already hated and shunned. What chance did I have if arrested for murder? What could I do? I tried to clean the blood from my cloak, but it was soaked in and stained the dark forest green with black splotches.

For the last two days I have lived in fear of being pursued, wanted for murder and whatever else they may feel like pinning on me. I camped without making a fire the last few days. The only thing saving me now is my compass, maps and a great understanding of the stars and how to navigate by them.

1095 2nd day of Fearn, It’s springtime and the weather is finally turning warm, melting the snow and bringing rain. I’m not so worried about the trail I leave behind. It will be much harder to follow now, but I’m still afraid of running into soldiers or guards.

After looking long and hard at the maps I found a town called Domara that will take about a month to get to it. I choose it because it’s far north and away from Verant City or anyone who maybe looking for me.

1095 12th day of Fearn, I’ve been traveling for a week now and the weather hasn’t improved much. Rain everyday (at least it’s warm enough to rain now!), but the snow is all melted away, only a bit still lingers beneath protective trees and other scattered places where the ground is still frozen.

1095 22nd day of Fearn, another week is gone. I’m traveling the roads, but I’m scared of another attack and always camp at night deep in the bush with only a small fire. The road I’m following goes to Domara. I hope to find good people there. If not, I can head to the western ocean which will take a few more weeks.

1095, 30th day of Fearn, last day of the month and I’m only a day from Domara. I met a woman on the road. She had a daughter that was dying from an unknown plague that had been ravaging the Empire for the last two years. She wanted to take her to a druid for help because she didn’t know what else to do. She couldn’t find a priest that would help her. I volunteered to help her. Being Elvin I have natural magical abilities which includes healing, combine with a vast knowledge of treatments and herbs and my abilities far exceed anything even a human physician might know.

1095, 1st day of Saille, the little girl I treated is already recovering. Her mother says it’s a miracle and I must come with her to her village nearby. She says that other people have the plague and maybe I could help them as well.

1095, 2nd day of Saille, I have treated several people using my magical talents and they are all overcoming the plague. Word is spreading and more and more people are coming to me with others who need to be treated. I always treat the children first, but no one questions this, everyone waits patiently for treatment. Honestly, they have no real alternative.

1095, 4th day of Saille, my help has had one great effect, people like me and I have received much better treatment from the locals than I have anywhere else in Verant! I want for nothing. The local inn lets me stay for free and eat for free as well, as long as I keep helping the community. The people are starting to see that not all Elves are to be feared and hated. I’ve tried to make it very clear that I’m not the same kind of Elf as the wild ones that live in the northern tundra. I am grateful for the kindness they’ve been showing me. Some have offered me money, but I always turn it down. As long as the inn is providing for me, their money is not needed and turning it down only adds to my newfound honourable prestige.

1095, 14th day of Saille, after more than a week here I have healed almost everyone who suffered from the plague and even a few that had other illnesses. Word of my skill has spread (thank Lothica that I studied all of this first aid and healing before leaving home!) and today an official from Domara has come to the village to seek me out. He told me that Domara was also having problems with the plague and almost begged me to come and help. He offered a place to stay and a paid salary if I would come and help. Of course, I agreed, it would have been mazy not to!

1095, 16th day of Saille, Domara is a nice town nestled at the bottom of a range of mountains that are snow capped all year round. Spring is finally here and the ground is softened, the grass is growing and trees are budding. Summer is only a month and a half away! Yay!

When they said that I could have a place to stay I imagined a nice room at the local tavern and inn, but instead I was given an entire cottage just outside the city walls! I feel safe in Domara, but anywhere else in Verant I would still have to tread very cautiously.

1095, 26th day of Saille, I have been treating people for a week now, but I think the plague is under control here finally. I have a young girl assisting me by finding all the herbs and other things I need for treatment. Much of it can be found in the surrounding countryside. It amazes me the humans overlook the simplest of treatments that are right under their own noses!

1095, 27th day of Saille, last night the town was woken up by a powerful earthquake! It shook the cottage I was staying in and several buildings in town have already collapsed. The mayor, a short and stout red-faced man, came to me the next day to see if I could assist some of his own doctors to help treat the injured. Of course, I agreed.

1095, 29th day of Saille, the earthquakes have become more frequent. The cottage that I was staying in is now damaged and I am sleeping outdoors in my tent again. Hundreds of others are homeless as well and some are starting to head south leaving the town for good. I’ve helped the mayor in setting up a tent city outside the walls and I’ve continued to treat those in need of care.

The mayor has told me that he sent word to the Emperor about getting some help, a team of adventurers and an engineer to help assess the damage. The town has its own soldiers to help rebuild, but the only engineers who live here are involved in mining. Hopeful the government of Verant can give some money and experts to help the rebuilding when all of these earthquakes finally stop occurring.

1095, 30th day of Waithe, I have skipped an entire month in this diary because there was nothing worth writing about until now. Mostly I have been helping the injured, sick and homeless. I have a much large tent now where I can treat some of the people who are badly injured. Some buildings have fallen in on people killing some and wounding others. I treat whomever I can, but a few have succumbed to their injures.

The town is still having earthquakes, although they seem to have no real pattern and happen at random. Sometimes it will be days between tremors then some days we will have several quakes. Nothing has been as bad as the first earthquake, but each one after is causing more and more damage to some of the important buildings in town. Even one of the main defence walls has a large crack running through it!

Tomorrow is the first day of summer, typically a time of festival, but this town just doesn’t feel like celebrating right now. Whatever they would normally plan has been cancelled.

1095, 1st day of Duir, I’m writing these words while sitting on my bed in the middle of the night because I can’t sleep. How can I ever sleep again if I can’t stop picturing him in my mind? Today was the day that the engineer and his protectors arrived and what a day it was! There were six of them all together and I can fully understand (after my own experience with highwaymen) why the engineer is sent with five guardians. He was only a little Gnome and highwaymen would have slaughtered him as they had almost done to me only a few weeks ago!

But it wasn’t the Gnome that interested me. No, it was the young man named Elwin [note that the name Elwin is surrounded by little hearts drawn by Myra-Lynn. The margins of the page also have these same hearts drawn in them], who keeps running through my mind and making me so restless. From what I could gather, he was the one in charge or at least he acted as though he was. He has made the greatest of impressions on me! As soon as I laid eyes upon his soft and gentle face (still scruffy from weeks on the road with soft downy hair) his dark eyes, hair and his six-foot muscular frame, I could think of nothing else!

I never believed in love at first sight. It just seemed like some stupid Human cliché. But maybe there is something to it after all. Maybe there is a fate, certain people that one is connected too that just feels right when you meet them. Okay, I sound like a mazy headed Human girl now when I am supposed to be a cool-headed Elvin woman! I can’t control my emotions right now. It’s like a fire had been lit deep inside my stomach. Tatiana described it as butterflies, I guess that’s a fair description. I had trouble speaking to him without stammering like a foolish child. I knocked things over, which I never do normally, I assure you! I was conscious of everything I did. Did I look pleasing to him? Did he see my hands shaking? Oh Lothica, I’ve never been so nervous in my life! I could not even think straight when he looked at me. What is this curse? Was there some sort of magic he was using? I didn’t know what he was thinking. He talked to me a little bit after the feast, but I just had dumb, muted responses to everything! He must think I’m so stupid! I’m pretty sure I just embarrassed my entire race!

So now I’m lying on my bedroll in a tent, not far from where he and his companions are also camped and he is all I can think about! Damn the Gods, why is this happening to me? Why now? This is Tatiana’s doing, I’m sure! I shouldn’t have talked to my cousin about sex, love and desire! It has put in my head thoughts that I have always suppressed in the past. I curse her from bring this upon me! I feel like I’m lying on a bed of hot coals, burning my soul for the inside out. I had to force myself to eat tonight for the food had no taste, no meaning. My stomach was tied up in knots and I felt like I might be sick. If this is love than someone put me out of my misery! By Lothica I’m an Elf, aren’t I? Then why do I find this human male so attractive? I feel cursed!

Did he notice how I behaved tonight? Does he know how I stared at him like a love-struck adolescent? How long can I hide my feelings from him? Should I say something, tell him how I feel? Would he even understand? Would he laugh at me or be sickened and appalled at the thought? Oh, my Goddess what do I do? What if he doesn’t return my feelings? A lot of humans still don’t like Elves. Would I be setting myself up for a huge let down? I would be devastated for sure, but then what do I do with this burning desire if that’s the case? Oh, Lothica please guide me, I beg for relief from this discomfort!