Linaras, 15th of Deepkolt, P.C. 967 - Willow's Journal

I don't think things could have gotten any worse for us on this trip if we had tried to upset every evil god and goddess on Krynn.

Apparently Taywin has completely forgotten that in the winter on the plains are harsh and unforgiving.  I have been tracking her little kender self halfway across Ansalon, hampered by the weather every miserable step of the way.

Even Mariana has started to get dejected with this so called adventure.

How do I know that it's Tawyin?  She keeps leaving me hints, every few days there is a camp with some trinket left behind and we always seem to be a day or so behind her.

Today a new wrinkle appeared.  We came across what we at first thought was another one of Tay's abandoned campsite, but Kethyar was acting strangely as we approached.

As we topped a gentle rise (these rolling hills are really playing havoc with my sense of topography!) we realized that the campsite was not at all abandoned.

The human male that was left for dead by the bandits couldn't be in worse shape.  I was able to keep body and soul together for now, but for now we are stopped to make sure this man survives his wounds.

He woke for a while, and seems to be lucid enough to tell me his name is Elric, but beyond that, I could not get anything from him.

Mariana is off gathering what she can find for firewood, if we don't freeze to death, we might be able to get back on the road in a day or two.

I just hope that Taywin is FREEZING right now.

Palast, 16th of Newkolt, P.C. 967 - Mariana's Journal

I have finally gotten my wish.  I'm off out of this village heading east with Willow.

Apparently her little kender friend has taken something that belongs to us (cause really, who else would take something out of THIS village?) and from what Willow has been able to glean from her animal friends is heading at speed towards the plains between these woods and Solamnia.

Wouldn't it be grand if we didn't catch up with her for a while?

Like maybe until we get to Solamnia?

Or maybe some how I can convince Willow to travel around a bit after we retrieve the harp.

Although, I will admit, we have left the brooding silence of the forest, and now travel the flat, empty and rolling plains are a bit strange to me. Mother says that I was born at The Grove in the great desert to the North, and while I have been back to train as a bard, I have very little memories of these sorts of spaces.  It's a bit.... unnerving.

I wonder what Solamnia is like?

Willow seems determined to not let our adventure last that long.

I would never do anything to impede us, however, I'm not an adventurer by nature.

Branchala, look favorably on your servant and grant that I can reach my heart's desire.  Oh the songs I will sing if this is granted!

Bracha, 14th of Newkolt P.C. 967 - Taywin's Journal

I have to be the best friend known to man, woman or beast! I have figured out how to help a person I just met, and maybe get my old traveling companion back on the road again.

See, I decided to drop in on my good old friend Willow and met the daughter of the woman in charge of this village.  Her name is Mariana.

Well, it seems that Mariana is in love with a Knight of Solamnia.  Willow says that she's been pining for this person for a few seasons now, with no let up.  (Humans!)

And wouldn't you know it, said Knight of Solamnia just so happens to be the grandson of my good friend Aurik.  I haven't seen Ravenskeep in a while.  I wonder what I could do to convince Willow to hear east with Mariana.  I suppose if maybe something where to disappear from the village they would HAVE to go look for it.

I hear there's this magical harp that plays by itself.  I would love to see that sort of thing.

And you know, it wouldn't hurt for the Bronzewoods to have some connections with the elves, especially a family like the Dawnspringers.

I wonder where Anaya keeps this harp thing.....

Linaras, 1st of Fleurgreen, P.C. 969 - Mariana's Journal

Well, that was fun.

Apparently my mother would be more than happy to not only send Willow after me, but my cousin Otter as well.

They caught up with me last night and are currently in the process of dragging me back to the village.

It took all of my presuasive argument skills not to have Otter truss me up like a chicken and take me back over his horse.

But I'm not giving up.  I think he noticed me as well, although they weren't in the village that long I'm sure that since my mother and I are one of only a handful of folks here in the village that can be considered fully human that he couldn't have helped but noticed me.

I just have to bide my time.  Maybe I can convince Willow to go adventuring again.  Maybe even find HER someone.

Bakukal, 27th of Yurthgreen, P.C. 969 - Mariana's Journal

By Branchala, I do believe that I have found the love of my life!

There's just one little itty bitty problem.

He's a Knight of Solamnia, and not just any Knight, I hear from my mother that he is Sir Bertram Bronzewood, heir to Ravenskeep in Southern Solamnia, lately promoted to a Knight of the Crown.

Which for most would not be that impressive, names and titles mean little to nothing in this quiet part of the Krynn, under the giant ancient trees of Silvanesti, but that name rings a bell.  I seem to recall that they are a very old family.  Old enough that my good friend Willow has heard of them.

She told me that when she was very young that she lived a while in Solamnia, and while I have tried to get her to tell her tale, all she will say is the farther she stays from there, the better she likes it.

This of course has got me intensely curious.  I mean, what could make her want to avoid a place!

She swears that it's not anyting freightening, just some long dull dreary years spent in the company of a most unique companion.

She really should say things like that to a Daughter of Branchala's Grove!  That just makes me even more interested.

I wonder what my mother would do to me if I just up and followed the young Knight home?

Bakukal, 6th of Paleswelt, P.C. 1017 - Taywin's Journal

I am constantly amazed when I round the feet of the mountains and look on Ravenskeep.  This place has stood for longer than anyone can imagine and still, no matter what the place remains.

Aurik barely remembers the place, but that's to be expected, I have kept him from his home for almost half a decade, but I remember.  It's not the most beautiful structure in the world, a bit hulking and foreboding at times, but what the lightest, most graceful palace in Silvenesti Forest can't match it is it's staying power.

We have heard that the battle was fierce in this area during what everyone is now calling the Third Dragon War (prey that there is not a Fourth), but seeing the outer curtain wall you would think that not much had happened here.

Even the fields that should still be bearing the sign of dragonfire (and worse!) are full of crops waiting to be harvested.

If Willow could see this, I think she would rethink her idea of heading back to Silvenesti Forest.  I know that her people are there, but still, it's not too bad here, and the woods on the flanks of the mountains have a lovely bronze and copper glow about them in these last days of autumn.

But, I have things I have to do, and dropping with his family is just the first thing.  I'm going to miss him, even if he's a bit gangly at this point, all arms and long legs and sharp knees.  I feel sorry for his poor horse, I'm sure even his heels are sharp as daggers.

I'll put this away for a little while, and finish my ramblings when we have reached the keep.

I wonder if anyone will recognize me at this point?

Post Script - Werstran, former Lord of Ravenskeep died this afternoon.  It seems like he held on just long enough for his son to return and take his rightful place and the new Lord.  Aurik's mother is beside herself with grief.  I don't think that the boy quite knows what to do at this point with this new responsibility.  At 14 he is the youngest person that has ever had to fill this void.

I can't imagine anyone younger having to carry this weight.

Bracha, 14th of Holmswelt, P.C. 1018 - Taywin's Journal

We received word today from the battlefield.  The war is over, but what a price!

So many dead and wounded, but none will be mourned more than Huma (who the Knights are already calling "DragonBane") and Heart.  The Knights here are already calling for a monument to the lovebirds in all places Foghaven Vale in Ergoth!

While part of me understands why a dragon such as her would fight for the future of Krynn, the other part of me is just not sure why anyone would risk their lives in such a way when they had the option to just walk away and be happy. The rest would have taken up the challenge.

I mean, I would never have wanted the Dark Queen to be completely in charge of the whole world, but there are other, worse alternatives.

Now the evil dragons have been driven to the Abyss with their Queen and the Metallic dragons must leave to the Dragon Isles, or go into hiding among the folks of Krynn, never to interfer with the actions of mortals, always to live at the edges of humanity.  It's going to be most difficult for the Silver dragons.

So maybe the Lord of Ravenskeep was right to bring the key here to Palanthas, because while this city WAS attacked, several times actually, the Library still stands, as the library has always stood since the beginning of the city.

I suppose that Willow will want to go back the Anaya's village where she's from, and I'll be in charge of returning Aurik to his home.  I wonder how the boy, now almost a man, will react to whatever the war has down to the ancient keep in the mountains.

I suppose there is only one way to find out......



Majetag, 3rd of Fleurgreen, 1020 PC - Willow's Journal

It's been over a year since I have been back to Ravenskeep.  I swear to Eli that Taywin purposefully got lost trying to go to Palanthas.

I mean, really? How hard is to just go north following the mountains until you reach the human road, head North and then West to the High Clerist's Tower and then on to the city. Or even go East on the road until you hit the North/South road and then on to the city.

I swear she did this on purpose and while I generally I would love to teach someone a lesson that has wasted my time.  I have to admit that she might not be the person to go up against.

And now we are stuck in this city and while some people would praise the grandeur and magnificence of the architecture and marvel at the buildings.  I long for the cool forests of my homeland.  I'm seriously beginning to think that any association with these humans..... and Taywin of course, is foolish.

If this war ever ends, I'm going home to the forests and never coming back to this place.