title: "The Journal of Cadmus — Entries 010–012"
aliases:
  - "Cadmus Entries 010 to 012"
  - "Cadmus Volume II"
tags:
  - cadmus/journal
  - aion2
  - ishalgen
  - spiritmaster
entries: [10, 11, 12]
status: complete

The Journal of Cadmus

Volume II — Prisoners and the Longest Night

Character: Cadmus
Faction: Asmodian
Class: Spiritmaster
Companions: Sparks (Fire), Bluey (Water), Rock (Earth, also called Rocky)
Contains: Entries 010–012
Previous collection: Volume I — Entries 001–009

Contents

• Entry 010 — Rock, Traitors, and a Prison Map
• Entry 011 — Survivors, Suspicion, and a Sharp Knife
• Entry 012 — The Longest Night

Entry 010 — Rock, Traitors, and a Prison Map

[!info] Adventure record Region: Ishalgen
Locations: Azrakar Brigade Camp, Azrakar Brigade Storage, approaches to the Azrakar Brigade Prison Compound
Companions: Sparks (Fire Spirit), Bluey (Water Spirit), Rock (Earth Spirit)
Known allies: Garlond, Anders
Current objective: Get into the prison compound and find the missing survivors.
Original payment: $20. Still insultingly low.

A Very Reasonable Nap

Before heading into the enemy camp, I took a nap.

After everything that's happened so far, I think I'm entitled to one.

I've escaped a fortress, nearly had my soul stolen, grown wings, been drowned at, and discovered the hard way that wings run out of energy.

I died, for gods' sake.

So yes. A nap.

If anyone objects, they can file a complaint with the person who hired me for twenty dollars.

Meet Rock

When I woke up, I discovered I could summon an Earth Spirit.

That's three now.

Sparks, Bluey, and—after giving it some thought—Rock.

It's an earth spirit. I'm not calling him something ridiculous like Lord Pebblington the Third.

Rock.

A perfectly sensible name.

Actually, maybe Rock will be useful for tracking. Earth spirits ought to be good at finding footprints, shouldn't they? They have a close relationship with the ground.

I don't know whether that actually works, but it seems worth asking.

Current companion roster:

• Sparks — Fire Spirit. Still the original.
• Bluey — Water Spirit. Very useful for getting magic back.
• Rock — Earth Spirit. New arrival. Possible track-finding specialist, pending testing.

At least my collection of elemental companions is going well. That's something.

Anders Seems All Right

I'm working with Anders to find Garlond's missing people.

So far, I rather like him.

Or, to be more precise, I really hope Anders isn't a dick.

He seems all right, which puts him ahead of a worrying number of people I've met in Ishalgen.

I'm trying not to be paranoid about every single person I encounter.

It's getting difficult.

Orders I Can't Read

Inside the camp, I found a document: Azrakar Brigade Command.

Useful discovery. Slight problem.

I couldn't read the damned thing.

Whatever language the Balaur use, it isn't one I've learned.

Fortunately, Anders could make sense of it.

Turns out it contained orders. People had been sent away to a holding area—a prison compound.

Which means there may still be prisoners alive.

That's good news, in a horrible sort of way.

At least we have somewhere to search instead of wandering around hoping to find somebody.

The next step was to get a key from one of the lizard-looking Balaur guards.

And yes, that meant more fighting.

I'm trying very hard not to think about how much killing I've been doing lately.

I wanted a job. Not a body count.

But if the alternative is leaving people trapped in a prison camp, I don't see a particularly pleasant third option.

I got the key.

The Storage Hold

I met Anders again near Azrakar Brigade Storage.

We searched for information on the missing survivors.

And we found someone.

Bjorn.

One of Garlond's people.

He looked terrible.

Not the sort of terrible that a health potion and a good night's sleep will necessarily fix.

The sort of terrible that makes you wonder whether somebody is about to die in front of you.

He managed to tell us something about traitors.

Traitors.

Of course.

Because why settle for enemy soldiers, magical brainwashing, and a suspicious village when we can have betrayal too?

At this point, I feel that my developing paranoia is entirely justified.

I don't know who he meant. I don't know how much he knew. And I am not going to decide somebody is guilty without proof.

But I'm going to remember that word.

Bjorn also managed to get hold of a map of the prison compound.

Even in that condition, he was thinking about the others.

I made a copy of the Azrakar Brigade Prison Compound Map.

I don't know whether Bjorn will survive. I hope he does.

If he doesn't, then that map had better mean something. I'm not letting what he went through be for nothing.

I never even knew the man before today.

WHY MUST I HAVE MORALS?

It would be so much easier to stop caring.

Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be happening.

A Distraction and an Entrance

We found the entrance to the Azrakar Brigade Prison Compound.

Anders has a plan.

He's going to make a distraction—enough noise to pull attention away from the entrance—while I slip inside.

Which means I'm about to infiltrate a Balaur prison.

Excellent.

Just excellent.

I hope he knows what he's doing.

To be fair, I hope I know what I'm doing.

We've agreed to meet back at Aldelle Village afterward.

Yes, that village.

The one I'm still convinced is hiding something deeply unpleasant.

Apparently, I now have to survive a prison break and return to somewhere I don't entirely trust.

One problem at a time, Cadmus.

Things Worth Remembering

Final Thoughts

I started today by taking a nap.

That was nice.

Then I woke up, acquired an earth spirit, read enemy orders I couldn't understand, killed more Balaur than I'd like to think about, met a dying man who warned us about traitors, copied a prison map, and agreed to sneak into an enemy compound while somebody else makes a racket.

So the nap was probably the highlight.

At least we know where the missing people might be.

Anders seems decent. Garlond has people depending on us. Bjorn did what he could to help.

I can't just walk away now.

Sparks. Bluey. Rock.

Let's get these people out.

And this time, if there's a choice between a daring aerial escape and a perfectly ordinary staircase, I'm taking the staircase.

End of Entry 010.

Personal note: Rock might be useful for finding tracks. Test this before relying on it.

Additional note: Find out who Bjorn meant by “traitors.” Don't accuse people without evidence.

Important note: Bjorn's fate is not confirmed. The map may help save the others.

Final note: I HAVE THREE ELEMENTAL SPIRITS AND I AM STILL ONLY GETTING TWENTY DOLLARS.

Entry 011 — Survivors, Suspicion, and a Sharp Knife

Region: Ishalgen
Locations: Azrakar Brigade Prison Compound → Aldelle Village
Companions: Sparks (Fire Spirit), Bluey (Water Spirit), Rock (Earth Spirit; also called Rocky)
People involved: Hergal, Anders, Garlond, Pelleir
Current objective: Rest for the night and leave this increasingly suspicious place.
Original payment: $20. Still insufficient.

We Found Them

Good news.

ACTUAL GOOD NEWS.

We found Hergal and the other members of Garlond's crew inside the Azrakar Brigade Prison Compound.

And we got everyone we found out.

After all the sneaking around, the guards, the strange orders, and worrying about what happened to the missing mercenaries, it is very nice to be able to write that down.

We got them out.

I don't know how often an adventure is supposed to end with the people you went looking for actually surviving, but I'll take it.

Also, Anders helped make the whole operation possible. He's continuing to seem like a decent person.

That is a surprisingly valuable quality around here.

Oh, So Hergal Thinks It's Suspicious Too

Turns out Hergal has been getting a bad feeling about the villagers.

THANK YOU.

FINALLY.

ANOTHER PERSON WHO THINKS THIS PLACE IS WEIRD.

It's not just me!

The village is practically next door to a fortress belonging to a Dragon Lord's forces, this whole region is supposed to be controlled by the Balaur, and somehow Aldelle Village is a cheerful little place offering supplies and shelter to strangers.

And let's not forget the Veil Jewel that tried to take my soul.

I haven't forgotten about that.

I suspect I never will.

Hergal noticed something was wrong even without having my particular experience with the soul-stealing rock.

Which is comforting.

In a deeply uncomfortable way.

I Can Land Now!

We used a Wind Stream on the way back.

And guess what?

I LANDED PROPERLY.

No face-first introduction to a rock.

No accidental experiment involving gravity.

No sudden, unwanted conversation with a resurrection stone.

Just flying and landing.

Like a person who actually knows how to use his wings.

I am genuinely proud of myself.

It's a low bar, perhaps, but after dying because I ran out of flight energy, I think I'm allowed to celebrate.

Current flight record: Improving.

Current relationship with the ground: Cautiously optimistic.

Garlond, Please Listen

We met up with everyone again.

And Hergal brought up his concerns about the village.

Garlond doesn't believe the villagers are being mind-controlled or involved in some sort of trap.

Apparently, he thinks we're jumping to conclusions.

Look, I understand why.

The villagers helped him. They gave us supplies. They provided somewhere to stay.

And if somebody saved my life, I'd be reluctant to believe they were secretly helping my enemies too.

But I WAS THERE WHEN THE JEWEL TRIED TO TAKE MY SOUL.

And I've read documents warning about the jewels, stolen memories, and people who forget who they are.

So forgive me if I'm not reassured by a friendly village chief.

I don't know whether the villagers are willingly involved, mind-controlled themselves, or completely innocent.

That's the problem.

I DON'T KNOW.

But I know enough not to lower my guard.

Garlond is a decent man. I'm glad he's found his people.

I just wish he'd take this a little more seriously.

A Gift From Pelleir

Back in the village, Pelleir gave me an Enhance Stone.

Apparently, these things can improve my equipment.

Which is interesting.

Very interesting.

You mean to tell me I can make my gear better with magic?

Why did nobody tell me this earlier?

Actually, more importantly...

Can I use these things on tools?

Because imagine an enhanced knife.

A really good knife.

One that never needs sharpening.

Do you have any idea how useful that would be?

I could keep the same knife for years without having to worry about the edge going dull.

And if it works on knives, what about other tools?

I'm going to need to investigate this.

Obviously, being able to strengthen armor and weapons is useful. But the possibilities for everyday objects are what interest me.

Of course, I should probably find out what an Enhance Stone can actually do before trying to put one on a kitchen knife.

I've already done enough badly planned magical experiments.

And I still don't entirely trust Pelleir.

I'm keeping the stone, though.

It's a useful stone.

As far as I know, this one doesn't want my soul.

Time for Bed

We're staying in Aldelle Village tonight.

I'm going to bed.

Notice I didn't say I'm going to sleep.

After everything that has happened, I doubt I'll manage much of that.

Between the fortress, the jewels, the apparent mind control, the missing memories, and the suspiciously convenient village, lying unconscious in a strange building doesn't sound particularly relaxing.

So I've asked Sparks and Rocky to stand watch.

Sparks can handle anything that doesn't like fire.

Rocky is made of earth. I figure that's a decent quality in a guard.

Whether this is a good security arrangement remains to be seen.

But at least I trust them.

I still have Bluey, too. I'm not forgetting about him just because the other two got night duty.

Things Worth Remembering

Final Thoughts

Today we rescued people.

That's what matters.

Hergal and the others are out, Garlond has his people back, and I managed to fly without dying.

Three good things.

That's practically a record.

Unfortunately, we're sleeping in a village that I increasingly suspect is some sort of trap, and the man we rescued doesn't agree with me.

Still, I'll take the victories where I can get them.

If nothing happens tonight, perhaps tomorrow we can finally get moving toward home.

And maybe I'll find out whether magic can make a knife that never needs sharpening.

Honestly, that might be the most useful discovery I've made since learning I can summon spirits.

Sparks. Rocky. Keep an eye out.

I'm going to try to rest.

I would very much like to wake up as myself.

End of Entry 011.

Personal note: Hergal noticed the village was suspicious too. I am not imagining things.

Additional note: Successful landing! Gravity has been defeated. Temporarily.

Equipment note: Test what Enhance Stones are actually allowed to improve before getting ambitious with a knife.

Security note: Sparks and Rocky have the night watch. Whether I actually sleep is another question.

Final note: My name is Cadmus. I am keeping my soul. And I am still owed a great deal more than twenty dollars.

Entry 012 — The Longest Night

Region: Ishalgen → an unfamiliar shore
Locations: Aldelle Village, the airship, a village on the far shore
People: Pelleir, Hergal, Garlond, Anders, Nemon
Companions: Sparks, Bluey, Rock
Current condition: Alive. Alone.
Current objective: Find the families of the people who died, if I can.

I Was Right

I woke up.

And it was the whole damn village.

THE WHOLE VILLAGE.

All that time I spent worrying about Aldelle Village. All the questions about how a nice little settlement could exist so close to Fafnir Fortress. The Veil Jewel that tried to take my soul. The warnings from Elvida. The way Pelleir kept insisting everything was fine.

I knew something was wrong.

And somehow, I still went to sleep there.

Or tried to.

They turned on us. It wasn't one or two suspicious people. It was the village.

I fought. I took them out. I did what I had to do to stay alive.

I had wondered whether the villagers were being controlled, whether they knew what they were doing, whether any of them could be trusted. I don't know how much choice any of them had.

But I know what happened when we stayed.

Hergal

Pelleir killed Hergal.

Hergal, who had already felt something was wrong with the villagers.

Hergal, whom we had only just rescued from the prison compound.

We went through all that trouble to get him and the others out. We found the prisoners. We brought them back. I thought we'd done something good.

And then we brought them here.

I keep thinking about that.

He was right to be suspicious.

We were right.

I wish that had been enough.

No More Villagers

Pelleir is dead.

I killed her.

I said before that this village was a trap. I was angry. I wanted the threat dealt with. I made comments about getting rid of the villagers.

Well.

I guess I got my wish.

No more villagers.

Funny how terrible that sounds now.

I don't feel victorious. I don't feel clever for spotting the warning signs. I don't even feel particularly relieved.

I just keep thinking that if I'd pushed harder, if I'd insisted we leave during the day, maybe things would have gone differently.

Garlond

Garlond didn't make it.

Neither did the others.

After everything he survived—the destroyed airship, the Balaur, the crash, the prison camp, searching for his missing crew—he was finally reunited with his people.

They were supposed to leave in the morning.

We were so close.

I argued that the village was suspicious, but I didn't insist hard enough. I let the plan be to rest and leave at daylight.

And now there won't be a morning departure for any of them.

Hergal. Garlond. Anders. The others we brought out.

Gone.

I didn't even know most of them for very long.

That doesn't make it any better.

The Airship

I ran for the airship.

I was the only one who got out.

I finally reached it. After all that talk about finding a way home, here it was: a ship that could take me away from Ishalgen.

No Garlond to steer it. No crew to celebrate escaping. No one left to argue with me about whether the village was safe.

Just me.

I managed to get airborne.

And then the damn ship got shot down.

Of course it did.

I survived a village full of enemies only to lose my escape route in the sky.

Somehow, I made it into the water and swam until I reached shore.

I don't know how much more of this I can take.

Nemon

There was another village on the shore.

And there I saw her.

The woman who got me out of Fafnir Fortress at the very beginning of this whole mess.

The one I couldn't put a name to.

Her name is Nemon.

So that's one answer, at least.

I found her again.

I got out.

But the others didn't.

Their Families

Fuck.

So many dead.

I keep thinking about Bjorn, the injured man who helped us find the prison map. About Hergal's suspicions. About how happy Garlond must have been when we found his people alive.

I keep thinking about how they were supposed to leave at dawn.

I should have pushed. I should have said we were leaving immediately. I should have refused to sleep there.

I know I couldn't have known exactly what would happen.

But I knew something was wrong.

And I stayed.

Now I can only hope I find their families.

They deserve to know what happened.

They deserve to know that the people they loved weren't forgotten, that someone tried to get them out, and that they came so close.

I don't know how I'm supposed to tell them.

But I want to try.

Things I Need to Remember

Final Thoughts

I spent so long joking about the twenty dollars.

The terrible pay. The bad clothes. The ridiculous dangers. The people who wouldn't explain anything to me.

I thought if I complained enough, maybe all this would eventually make sense.

But there isn't a joke for this.

Garlond wanted to save his people.

We saved them.

And then they died anyway.

I made it out of Ishalgen.

I found Nemon.

I'm alive.

I don't know why that feels so difficult to write.

My name is Cadmus.

I remember their names.

I intend to keep remembering them.

End of Entry 012.

Personal note: Don't confuse being right about danger with having saved anyone from it.

Promise: If I can find their families, I will tell them what happened.

One last thing: Next time I believe a place isn't safe, I won't wait until morning.

Volume II — Checkpoint

Last recorded location: A village on an unfamiliar shore, where Cadmus has reunited with Nemon.
Last recorded event: Cadmus survived the attack at Aldelle Village, the loss of Garlond and his crew, and the destruction of his escape airship.
Unresolved commitment: Cadmus hopes to find the dead mercenaries' families and tell them what happened.
Next entry: Entry 013 — Not yet recorded.