Arefal's Journal - Volume 1

Scholar's Log, 4th of Frostfall
Skyrim, Winterhold
As the scholar of the party (or fifth wheel of the carriage as my colleagues believe), I have been tasked with  recording our findings in this excursion.
The leader of our group is a Dunmer known as Sudene. They are wise, but admittedly androgynous. If she is female,  she is fairly stocky, and if he is male, he is light-voiced and lithe. I dare not ask his or her sex, out of fear  of his or her anger, which is swift. Our party consisted of six before, but Sedene threw our archer overboard  after he (the archer) questioned Sedene's motives for the adventure.
Sedene is a master of knives, and carries several daggers on his person. I do not know how many she carries, but  suffice to say he will never run out.
I will move on from Sedene, because the use of pronouns regarding our leader exhausts me.
We are joined by Pandora, a Bosmer cleric and alchemist. She is fairly skilled with a blade, and has some  knowledge of traps and sneaking, but not much. She was hired to heal and to provide other Restoration services.
Turol Al-Borgul, an Orc berserker who specialises in the use of warhammers is, in my opinion, dead weight. He is  slow (mentally and physically), and heavy. However, he is good friends with Sudene, and I suppose he will be  helpful if we are faced with enemies just as large and stupid as he. I will admit his cooking is adequate.
Zulema Etydama, an Altmer spellsword with hair black as the night's sky, who insists on using a mace or morning  star and specializes in shock magic. After this excursion is finished, I would like to stay on good terms with  her, and communicate regularly. When she was first recruited, I found her interesting, intelligent and wise. We  have little time for conversation, but the conversations I have had with her have been exceptional. Her presence  keeps my morale high.
We had an Argonian archer, but he was thrown overboard.
I, Arefal Dolesnele, am a Dunmer scholar of Alteration magic and the history of Skyrim and Morrowind. My knowledge  of Alteration has allowed me to protect these books from rot. I am unenthused with regards to this  mission...quest....thing, but I need the money promised me, so I will do my best to please Sudene, with the hope  that extra gold will find its way into my pockets.
If nothing else, I can sell some of the treasures Sudene has promised are inside. Perhaps I shall find useful  spell tomes or long-forgotten books that will help my studies.
Our quest (as Sudene refers to it) is to investigate the curious Dwemer ruin on the northeast coast of Solstheim.  Several reports have said the ruin rose out of the sea. 
We are among the first to enter the ruin, assuming it did not rise before. I wonder if the same architects who  built Nchardak were behind this.
== Notes ==
Arefal, despite being a self-described scholar, makes a few errors in his journals.
Itnamzand is on the northwest coast of Solstheim, not the northeast as Arefal states. Also, Arefal misspells Sudene's name several times.
In Volume 1, Arefal's tone is light and unconcerned with any danger Itnamzand may present.
== Background and Inspiration ==
Arefal's Journal was added to Relics of Hyrule with Itnamzand in version 5.0.
It follows the vein of the Mage's Journal, Warrior's Journal, and Scout's Journal, as well as Ignacia's Journals, and can be considered a combination of the two. That is to say, Arefal's Journal is in five volumes and is chronological and coherent like Ignacia's Journal, but follows a failed party like the journals of Kinolangdanzel.
JKalenad is very proud of the humor and voice of Arefal's Journals. He considers them the best dungeon journals in the mod. He is also proud of the gradual tonal shift the journals take, which is further reflected by their respective lengths. 
The Argonian archer mentioned in the journal may be added as a follower in a future update.
== See Also ==
Itnamzand
Arefal's Journal - Volume 2
Arefal's Journal - Volume 3
Arefal's Journal - Volume 4
Arefal's Journal - Volume 5
Category:Lore
Category:Books