Scrolls

Reference: World

Scrolls are objects you can get as loot from monsters and contain information about the story of Plaguelands. They are divided into different sections

## Exile's notes (22)

1. "My name is Emil von Rott, and I was once a Knight of the Order of the White Shields. When I found myself alone in the Plaguelands - without a sword or my armor - my despair was indescribable. But I was able to overcome myself and slowly, day-by-day, learned the difficult art of survival."

2."If you are reading the scroll, you must be an Exile. You are in the same deplorable situation in which each of us found ourselves at the beginning of our respective journeys. But you are not alone. Follow my instructions and you will someday be as experienced an inhabitant of the territory of sorrow as I."

3. "Before anything else, you must craft an axe and pickaxe to obtain wood and stone for manufacturing necessary construction materials. You can gather small stones and branches without them, but tools will make your search for resources faster."

4. "Don't waste any time, construct a reliable dwelling quickly! All you need is a few good pine logs. Strong walls will help you survive your first night in the Plaguelands and safeguard your goods from other Exiles. It's true that the Grey Decay has forced many of us to forget any good manners we may have had before."

5. "Do not forget to immediately start a fire. Food prepared over a fire is much better for satiating hunger. If your fire goes out, you most likely just need to add some more firewood. This is also the case for Smelters as well as other devices that require fuel to function."

6. "To keep from starving to death, collect berries and the meat of wild animals. However, your surest course of action would be plotting out a garden and planting it with leek seeds. Peasants might have seeds, though little of their peaceful selves will remain in them. You'll make quick work of them, though."

7. "You cannot forget that you are surrounded by hundreds of monsters more dangerous that poor peasants. Turned by the Decay, Knights and Templars, too, have lost their minds! You will need weapons and armor to fight them. These can first be made of copper. Search for it in rocky places."

8. "A torch is not the most fearsome of weapons, but don't dare leave home without one. If night comes while you are away from home, a torch is your only hope. Remember, fire is the soul of Light, and your only salvation."

9. "Not everyone has forsaken us. Those who have their own interest in the Plaguelands frequently use us as their tools. But there are those who help us from the good of their hearts. To contact them as quickly as possible, assemble a cage for ravens. Doing so will make your life easier and open new possibilities."

10. "You will, of course, need several devices to refine lumber and stone, smelt ores, and weave cloth. You can build all of them with your own hands as long as you are capable of holding an axe."

11. "The province is stained with swamps, but their water is undrinkable. To keep from dying of thirst, build a well. Fill all the flasks you can find, for leaving home without water is risky - I'd even say bordering on madness."

12. "With time, however, you will learn to twist rope with the help of tanning racks, prepare leek soup on campfires, and even forge nails. There are no lackeys nor servants in the Plaguelands. A noble person must themselves look after their own well-being."

13. "There are even rarer items, which cannot be gathered or crafted. Do not forget to loot corpses, even the most homely object can be a treasure in the Plaguelands! And always keep an eye out for birds. Flocks of crows can often direct you to places from which you might profit."

14. "If you're lucky enough to find a dungeon map, do not hurry to go there. Yes, there are rumors that the treasures hidden away in dungeons are worth any risk, but a wise person will always take time to prepare. Before everything else, I speak of weapons, armor, food, water, and healing tinctures."

15. "From time to time itinerant merchants wander into our land. Desperate people... you can barter with them for prized valuables like weapons or rare crafting materials."

16. "When setting off for a long venture, always take a spacious sack for trophies and spare weapons with you. If your sword breaks in battle, it could mean your life."

17. "Beware of other Exiles. Desperation pushes people to shameful acts, and in the Plaguelands men are the most fearsome of monsters. I am running out of ink, but if you are still alive and reading my notes, it must mean you have some knack for survival. I think you can cope with the challenges of fate without my bothersome advice..."

18. "This is the best day I've had since finding myself in the Plaguelands. Early in the morning I found a small Direwolfling. There were no adult wolves around and i decided to take the cute little furball to my castle. He's still really small, but I get limitless joy from watching him grow and become stronger."

19. "I built a suitable pen for him. It's enough space for one wolf, but yesterday I heard the whining of another wolfling. I guess the direwolves are starving this year and leaving the weakest of their young to their own fate. So, before their food replenishes, I'm going to upgrade my pen to make it more comfortable and so I don't have to constantly trip over them in my home."

20. "These Direwolves are proving to be loyal and helpful companions. The most important thing is how many useful skills they can learn. I've reared about two dozen wolves and even bred a few. For now, Mathilda joins me on my adventures while Johan and Wilhelm guard my home from uninvited guests. And a few of my wolves are even helpful around the house."

21. "I've been intensively breeding for months now. At first, it seemed unpredictable - but I've identified a few patterns. It turns out wolflings can have a variety of coasts as well as be predisposed to different skills. Why am I so concerned with all this? I want to know: how self-aware, how conscious can these pets become?"

22. "Dear friend, if you ever come across a lonely wolfling - take it with you. A wolf is more than company on a dark night, they can be a friend for life. Yes, you have to make sure your pen has food and water, walk them and keep them fit - but there is no greater fulfillment than rearing a suckling pup into a battle-hardened wolf."

## Inhabitants of the Plaguelands (24)

1. "Compiling the knowledge gathered by the Order's brothers on the Plaguelands, we stumbled upon the question of classifying the creatures now inhabiting the afflicted province. The first such classification was written by the Captain-Commander Jacques Kerr. According to his work, there are many a creature which can not be counted either among humans or animals."

2. "Exiles are persons that are touched by the Grey Decay. Their nature is little studied. There are conflicting opinions about their origins and their powers. They are rarely encountered outside the Plaguelands. The Emperor's Edict decrees the destruction of all touched by the corruption. But by the secret command of our Order's master, our brothers escort the wretched souls to the Plaguelands. May the Light have mercy upon them."

3. "The dire wolf is an ancient beast, preserved by the heathens to protect their forests and hunt for imperial scouts. They are much larger than normal wolves and forever hungry, for they must compete for meat with the Damned."

4. "Lepers are peasants or townspeople afflicted with the Grey Decay. Their bodies and souls have been disfigured, their minds destroyed. They are insane now, attacking anyone capable of withstanding the disease. Servants of the Plague God use these unfortunates as living weapons against imperial forces."

5. "The Damned are Lepers, reanimated after death. At the start of the epidemic, Lepers were buried like the other dead. But what later dug itself from the grave froze many an innocent with fear. There is no one to bury the wretches now, but many Damned still wander the Plaguelands. The Damned are consindered to have lost all their senses and are the Grey Decay's final phase."

6. "Damned Knights are Imperial warriors who voluntarily accepted the Plague God's pestilence in return for the immortality of their souls and greater physical power. The consciousness of these monsters is under question. Our only reliable knowledge of them is their insatiable desire for human blood and suffering, which bring the plague warriors indescribable rapture."

7. "Damned Templars are the wicked foil of Harat's temple guards. They are knights of the Imperial Orders who voluntarily accepted the Plague God's pestilence in return for the immortality of their souls and greater physical power. They spread death and terror across the field of battle, delighting in the death throes of their enemies."

8. "Wailing Witches are widows, grieving their husbands, whose torment (sic) souls are permanently trapped by the Grey Decay. Wailing Witches find peculiar solace in serving the Plague God. If you hear a witch's (sic) cries from a distance, it's much safer to go around her than risk disturbing such a dangerous creature. You also shouldn't fall for her tricks: a witch can lure careless travelers into a trap before attracting all the surrounding Damned with her frenetic screams."

9. "The Night Guest is a demon who appears at night to drink the blood of the living. No mortal can kill the Night Guest, but fire can force him to retreat for a time. In addition, the Night Guest always avoids certain Places of Power - presumably because of the emanation of a large number of souls."

10. "Leprous soldiers are the Forsaken Order's foot soldiers. They've reached such spiritual and bodily decay that they show no sensation for anything around them, only obeying their commanders' orders. The Forsaken Order's Soldiers are ready to kill anyone who has not accepted the Plague God's Curse."

## Origins of the Pestilence (7)

1. "From the archives of the Scarlet Angels: after the emergence of the Gray Decay, studying its nature and origins has become one of our main occupations. On par with guarding hospitals and saving those Damned who have not lost their mind under the strain of the disease. Despite all this time that has passed, we still endeavor to find a cure to save all those who we can."

2. "When our Order first heard news of the epidemic which struck one of the imperial (sic) provinces, we thought it was another ordinary disease. It became clear only later that the Grey Decay does not kill but rather turns people into something altogether inimical to the Creator's Light. It is no surprise that those who lost their minds became a weapon in the hands of heathen wizards. It was clear that cults of Darkness were at work."

3. "Not all our scouts returned from the Plaguelands. But we did understand some things. Our observers believe that the province was struck by the pestilential emanations of the Plague God - one of the ancient heathen gods, whose cult had suddenly enjoyed a surge of popularity across the Empire's provinces. We are not certain yet, but our suspicions are strengthened every passing day, and we continue to keenly observe in the name of the Light and for all those who depend on our defense."

4. "To feed the corruption, servants of the Plague God bring victims to their wicked master. The Emperor's warriors or locals not succumbed to the disease often become their victims. Places for such sacrifices are often called Soulmarks or Places of Power, for this is where the servants drain the life-force from their captives. To this day, coming across such places, one can hear the voices of those taken in the name of the Plague God."

5. "The souls trapped to Soulmarks are the subject of extensive study for the Order. Some of them scream out curses, others whisper secrets hidden from the living. But there are certain Places of Power, where a traveler might find safety from the Night Guest - an evil spawn of the Plaguelands. We believe that these Places trap the souls of those who, to their dying breath, kept faith in the Light."

6. "Though it is difficult to say this, but the emergence of the Plaguelands was not without treachery. Eyewitnesses assert that they saw warriors in the colors of one of the Empire's Orders in the province's forests not long before the epidemic struck. It was only later that our brothers-in-arms' treason became evident. The reasoning behind their actions, however, remains a mystery to this day."

7. Aside form the traitors, there were righteous people amongst us, too. true warriors of the light who the plague god's priests destroyed to please their lord. but even in death, they continue to serve the living. after discovering a fervent place of power, exiles may pay homage to the fallen hero and receive a temporary blessing. they can direct the power given to them by the light against the dark's filthy spawn.

By Syam Firdauz ( Indonesia )

## Legend of the Grim King (17)

1. "Three centuries passed since its creation, and the Empire founds itself at the peak of its power. The throne, at the time, was occupied by Emperor Wilhelm I, a 14- generational descendent of Robert the Lightbringer. For three centuries now the priests of Harat had pulled the strings behind many Emperors and spoke in their name. But the populace loyally believed that they were led by the Emperor himself, and those with any doubts preferred to stay quiet, lest they fall afoul of the Inquisition."

2. "The Inquisition had power in every sphere of life. By order of Grand-Inquisitor Marn, three Great Orders were established to fight heresy. The Funeral Reapers became the sixth Imperial Order. They brought terror to any heretics and apostates across the Empire. The Order drew its number solely from the Zakkarites, members of a secret fanatical sect who professed contempt for pain and fear in the name of redemption for their sins and attaining bliss in the afterlife."

3. "The seventh order, the Steel Wolves, recruited from uncivilized tribes most recently converted to Harat, who hoped that their new god would bring them military glory and bounty. The tireless and selfless warriors soon won the respect of friend and foe alike. Their act of heroism on behalf of the empire and faith quickly became legendary."

4. "The eighth Order was recruited from professional witch hunters and the Empire's most famous duelists. Later it accepted into its ranks graduates of the military academies, educated in the way of revering the Emperor's perfection. The brothers of this Order did not fight in ranks but rather served as hounds, tracking spies and the Empire's most secrets enemies, no matter where they tried to hide. The Emperor's Heralds brought judgement to heretics in the name of their ruler."

5. "Wilhelm I was vainglorious. As a young man he wanted to distance the priests from the throne. He disbanded his retinue of Emperor's Shadows, as their loyalty lay with the Harat faith, and surrounded himself with the Golden Guard, assembled from the Empire's best warriors. The priest tried to reason with the ruler, claiming that the Empire would collapse without their protection. But the Emperor politely declined their every claim and took away the faith's right to speak in his name".

6. "To strengthen his grip on power in the Empire, Wilhelm I established four more orders, obediently only to him and impervious to the priesthood. The Order of the Scarlet Angels were the embodiment of the Emperor's mercy. Wearing scarlet cloaks, they were the guards of hospitals and defenders of the common folk in times of war. Their selflessness and humility made them holy warriors in the eyes of the people."

7. "The Emperor's generosity was, in turn, impersonated by the order of White Shields. The Order's brothers defended castles, fortresses, and roads across the empire. Fortitude, bravery, and fidelity to duty were essence of the Shields in their white cloaks. Their reinforcement of ramparts immediately raised the spirits of any town's defenders, providing them with redouble strength to fight in the name of the Emperor."

8. "The Imperial Lions are the inflexible embodiment of the Emperor's will. It is the most highly-disciplined Order, in which each knows their place and is prepared to carry out an order at any cost. The Empire's best commanders are the Order's officers, which is why the Lions have fought gloriously to victory in many a hopeless battle, where any other Order would have suffered inevitable defeat."

9. "The order of the Crushers was conceived as the embodiment of the Emperor's patience and guile. The Crusher's specialty became the capture of the enemy's most impregnable citadels. This Order's brothers were not keen to come face-to-face with their foes. Well-planed tunnels, destructive explosions, and giant trebuchets were their signature. Wherever walls fell, one could find these inventive warrior-engineers."

10. "For years, the Emperor's authority grew immensely. The Inquisition even came under his control, and the priests didn't dare contradict their sovereign. There were no omens of misfortune until the Emperor's concubine gave birth to twins. Wilhelm was not superstitious, but the priests reminded him of the prophecy concerning two sons in the imperial family and the fall of the Empire. Wilhelm limited himself to just sending away one of the twins to far off castle."

11. "Some outraged priests conspired against the Emperor. It took them many years, but in the end the Emperor was poisoned. He was succeeded by the "older" son, Ioann I. The boy was twelve when, pressured by the priests, he agreed to have his brother murdered. The inquisitors ordered a young priestess in service of prince to cut his throat. But the priestess fanatically believed in the holy inviolability of the imperial family and couldn't complete her task."

12. "Taking the boy with her, the priestess ran to the pagan-infested forests of Lubenia, which stretched past the Empire's borders. The pagans they met did not kill them but rather took them in. The pagans, it turned out, retained the rites of a nearly-forgotten religion. After learning the evil truth about the cult of Harat, the priestess accepted the Dark faith of her ancestors and took a new name. They called her Aissa, meaning 'preceptress' in an ancient tongue."

13. Aissa became the young prince's foster mother, the only mother he knew. She was the only light in his life as the memories of his treacherous father and brother poisoned his mind. To receive the power for revenge against the emperor and priests, the prince agreed to go through the ritual to accept the God of Death."

14. "The ritual was so horrific that even the pagan mages who brought it about were terrified of what they had done. Many days the prince felt his body slowly corrupting without dying, but when the ritual ended, the dark god gifted the prince powers unobtainable for mortals. So the prince gave his name to the Nameless God and he was consecrated to Death. The Great Darkness filled his inhuman heart."

15. "The boy grew up and forcefully subjugated many heathen tribes, making them his loyal slaves. There were rumors that his body was immortal and his soul filled with such and abysmal darkness that it threaten to swallow everything whole.With the aid of the heathen warlocks and apostate priest, the pretender's army invaded the Empire and set towns and temples ablaze. That was when the Empire first heard of the coming of the Grim King, as leader of the barbarians was called by the Harat priests."

16. "The Imperial Orders paid dearly to defeat the Grim King's army and chase him back into Lubenia's forests. The priests of Harat captures the Grim king, brutally murdered his stepmother, and only after pinning his body down with sacred seals did they perform an exorcism. The priests failed to extricate the darkness from his soul. They could only shatter it into a thousand pieces, depriving the king's soul of the power it was bestowed by the Nameless God. His followers' souls also shattered into pieces."

17. "But that was not the end of it. Lubenia's forests became cursed places, abandoned by even heathens and heretics, where people didn't dare go come dusk. Few ever returned alive from a night in the forest, and the shadows which people spoke of only in hushed voices gave birth to the legend of the Night Guest - an immortal monster that hunts humans to drink their blood and abduct their souls."

## Legends of the Emperor (14)

1. "Three centuries ago, the continent was divided into many smalls kingdoms, constantly at war with one another. At that time, the Kingdom of Dagria - now known as the Capital Lands - was ruled by the glorious King Robert III, famous for his military valor and wise governance."

2. "In those days the religion of Harat grew in strength in the kingdoms nearest Dagria. Preachers told people of the defeat of Darkness by the Light and promised adherents a better life after death. The cult of Harat was persecuted and oppressed for a long time by evil heathens. For the followers of this new religion believed in one god and declared all the rest demons."

3. "King Robert saw in this an opportunity to expand his royal power and lead his people into the Light. He negotiated with the High Priests of Harat and declared theirs the only legal religion in his realm. King Robert erected a magnificent Temple in the capital and began pursuing wicked heathens across all of Dagria. In those days the priests proclaimed the king an agent of God on earth and declared his right to rule the entire world."

4. "Relying on the support of the priests and local adherents of the cult of Harat, Robert III - in just a few years - conquered the kingdoms of Falves, Kadesh, Lubenia, Birn, and became protector of the Teorsk Marches, thereby establishing the Eternal Empire of Light and declaring himself the first Holy Emperor."

5. "But prosperity did not last long. The government's strength was undermined through war, and the priests,having tasted power,demanded more privileges. As a concession to hierarchs of Harat,the Emperor was forced to give his assent for the creation of an inquisition,which was completely controlled by the priest and punished any blasphemer or criminal against the faith."

6. "Once,the Emperor saw how the Inquisition tortured a beautiful woman accused of witchcraft and heresy.The Emperor was young and ordered them to release the witch. Kayla (as the witch was called) promised him dominion over the heathen tribes if he took her as his wife. The Emperor understood that the priests of Harat,who declared him their patron,would not dare make speak of such a relationship with a witch."

7. "The Emperor asked the witch to call to his side the otherwordly powers she served. Kayla prophesied that the Emperor would rule the entire continent, but he would have to fulfill his side of the deal. The Emperor promised to make the witch his wife, and she gave birth to a son. The boy was so handsome and strong that people could not look at him long without shedding tears of joy."

8. "When the boy turned one year old,the witch demanded the Emperor establish three knighthood orders to destroy other heathen kingdom. The first order were the "War Dogs." The order was comprised of the strongest warriors from the peoples conquered by the Empire. Vicious berserkers struck terror into their enemies by just appearing on the field of battle. No army in the world could withstand them when the warriors, screaming their battle cry, crashed into their enemy's formation like an avalanche."

9. "The second order ware the Twilight Riders. They was recruited from western nomad, voluntarily in service to the Emperor. Wherever the Twilight Riders appeared, enemy ranks broke under the hoovers of quick and bloody charges. The Riders, meanwhile slipped away like water, reforming and charging from where there were least expected."

10. "The third Order - the Dusk Blades - were known for their cruelty. And they were then not unreasonably called the Dusk Executioners. This Order was made up of former convicts and those sentenced to death. Those strong men, used to spilling blood on city streets, quickly quelled the dissent of any rebelling province."

11. "The new Orders proved insurmountable in war and allowed the Emperor to greatly expand the Empire's Borders. The influence of Harat simultaneously grew within the country and beyond its borders. The ruler of the Empire of Light could not publicly marry a wicked witch. Doubts ate away at the Emperor's soul. After all, the king had bent to the priests' will to do away with the witch and secretly sent a temple assassin after her."

12. "Before her death, Kayla cursed the Emperor, promising that he would soon die a terrible death and his empire would fall, 'When the Imperial family has two sons, the younger will swallow the older, and Death will sit on the throne." In fear, the Emperor refused to leave the palace. He surrounded himself with guards and priests. He elevated the witch's killer to be Master of a new order. Such was the origin of the fourth order: The Black Crows."

13. "The Black Crows were the most secretive and clandestine of the imperial orders. There were many legends about them. Some said that they were the throne's assassins. Others asserted that the Crows sought out and destroyed vile pagan relics and the most dangerous heretics. One way or another, they played a decisive role in the fate of the whole Empire of Eternal Light."

14. "Despite it all, six months after the witch Kayla's murder, Emperor Robert III died a gruesome death. His remains were found in the Emperor's bedchamber, and no one knew what had happened to him. The throne passed to Robert and Kayla's son, Darion I. But priests of Harat ruled as regents in the young boy's name. That was the end of the legend of Robert III Lightbringer, First Emperor of the Empire of Eternal Light."

## History of the Treason (13)

1. "With the asendance of Emperor Johann I to the throne, popular unrest increased year after year. More and more uprisings occurred across the whole Empire. Heresy raised its ugly head. Some said that the armies of heretics were led by demon-possessed heathen kings, who wanted nothing but the destruction of the Harat religion and to topple the young ruler from his throne."

2. "The most powerful heretical cult became that of the Plague God, who gave his followers odd pleasures and destroyed the flesh and minds of his enemies. The cultist themselves often turned into sore-ridden monster, but they accepted this with enthusiasm as blessing from their god. Wrath, pain, and terror brought them such bliss that they often disfigured their own bodies."

3. "The most ardent warrior against heresy became the Master of the Order of the Dusk Blades, Lord Marcus. His feats were legendary. However, upon visiting the same forest where the Grim King had been defeated, the ancient evil caught him, too. After one of many campaigns into the forests of Lubenia, Lord Marcus returned possessed by demons. He fought insanity for a long time, but it was a greater challenge than even he could handle. Driven by ghostly voices he sowed the first seeds of heresy among the Imperial Orders."

4. "Meanwhile, Darkness loomed on the edges of the empire. Pestilence came from Lubenia's forests and swiftly spread to all the Empire's new provinces. At first, people thought that it was a plague epidemic, but the disease turned out even more terrifying than the black death. The infected lost their sanity and turned into monsters, hunting those who had not yet been touched by the disease. Darkness plunged it fangs deep into the flesh of the Eternal Empire of Light."

5. "Later, during the inquisitional trials, witnessed said that they saw warriors in the colors of the Order of the Black Crows in the forest of Lubenia before the outbreak of the Grey Decay but no one had believed in them then. Following their interrogations, witness one after another either succumbed to the pestilence or disappeared form their cells despite the doubled guards and depth of the cells underneath the capital temple."

6. "When the pestilence appeared, Lord Marcus seemingly awoke from a dream and started acting decisively. The first legion to fall were (sic) the War Dogs. Traitors from the Order mixed a potion given to them by Lord Marcus into their master's wine, and Master Karn went into an unrestrainable rage. Defeating many imperial servants and priests, he led his legion into the Plaguelands, where he joined ranks with the Damned, fighting against the Emperor."

7. "Rivers of blood were spilled. The Emperor sent his best warriors to stop the Darkness and defeat the heretics and apostates hiding in the Plaguelands. The Twilight Riders were the first to encounter-invade Lubenia. Their sweeping offensive forced the heathen armies to stumble and then retreat deep into the forests. Many of the Plague God's priests were killed and thousands of Damned bodies were burned."

8. "But even thick forests and deep swamps could not stop the Emperor's will. Columns of Imperial Lions already marched along the roads liberated from the enemy armies. Division after division marched under the forests' canopies. The ringing of clashing blades rose across the province as it mixed with the war cries of imperial knights and the death cries of heretics."

9. "Only the frantic counterattacks of the Torturers - as the traitorous War Dogs now called themselves - could slow down the advance of the Emperor's best troops. The long battle continued day and night. Fresh troops replaced the fallen while the wounded were carried to the rear, and the battle continued with a renewed vigor. At some point a combined operation between the Imperial Lions and Twilight Riders crushed the Torturers and sent them retreating into the deepest, darkest forests."

10. "With sword and fire, Imperial soldiers cut their way through hordes of enemies, but when victory was close and Lord Iven, Master of the Lions, was decisively crushing Karn's berserkers, cutting his way to their leader, the troops of two other Imperial Orders marched onto the battlefield."

11. "The beleaguered, wounded Imperial Lions and Twilight Riders raucously cheered the Dusk Blades as they formed up for battle. Behind them soldiers in Black Crow colors marched in line, crossbows at the ready. From there, the battle ended quickly and was one of the most mournful pages in the Empire's history."

12. "The Dusk Blades attacked the unsuspecting Imperial Lions from the back, splintering their formations and mercilessly destroying their demoralized opponents. The Black Crows rained bolts down upon the Twilight Riders instantly depriving them of their decisive mobility. The Imperial forces were crushed within an hour. The Master of the Twilight Riders, Peregrin Plag, was taken prisoner by the Black Crows, and Lord Iven went missing in action."

13. "The remnants of the Imperial Loins were scattered any many succumbed to the pestilence. Under torture, Peregrin Plag agreed to trick the warriors of his Order into a Black Crow trap, where they were surrounded. Threatened with being turned into mindless Damned, the Twilight Riders took an oath of allegiance of Plague God."

## Random Selections (12)

1. "The Grey Decay, Corruption, Pestilience - there are many names, but the disease is one and the same. Losing their minds, men become monsters. They attack those who have yet to turn. The Emperor dictated to destroy anyone touched by the Grey Decay, though there exist cases when the Damned retain their consciousness. Some priests say this is a reckoning for our sins, others say it is a trial of our faith. One thing is clear: if the Grey Decay continues its spread - we are doomed."

2. "Brother Rupert, I pass the responsibility for our guest onto you. His body may be ravaged by the Decay, but his soul fights on. You are to take him to the Plaguelands and let the Light decide his fate. I, Sebastian Kerr, take upon myself the responsibility for breaking the Emperor's Edict to destroy all those afflicted with the Grey Decay. So no one doubts this, keep this scroll on you at all times until you have successfully completed the mission entrusted to you."

3. "The order of the Scarlet Angels undertook the difficult task of establishing a library, the collection of which included multi volume works on the secrets of the weapon mastery and healing, as well as numerous studies devoted to the plaguelands and its inhabitants. Unfortunately, the library was looted in a raid, and many of the books are lost forever. Those volumes that remain, however, are greatly valuable."

4. "The priests of Harat used mysterious black stones known as "Soul Shards" in their rituals. Those stones contain the power bestowed by the Nameless God unto the Grim King's followers. With the help of Soul Shards, priests learned in mere moments skills and knowledge that otherwise took years of training and study to master. This may sound like the ramblings of a madman, but believe me, dear friend, I have seen it all with my own eyes."

5. "St. Peter's Tincture is one of the most incredible items in the Plaguelands. Many a life has been saved with this elixir. If you're lucky enough to find yourself in possession of this tincture, save it and use it only wheb you think you are in mortal danger. Just remember - even though this potion can heal the gravest of wounds, it cannot save you from the Grey Decay. "

6. "Sir Rowen, I'm happy to hear you've finally killed Rupert. Leave the last Exile he escorted out to me. I'll send a raven with advice - hopefully, we can be friends. In the meantime, I have new orders for you. The Angels sent a cart with medicines to the haven. Intercept it. Without medicine the survivors wll succumb to the plague. The exile will understand later that it's a necessary measure.

Lord Huginn"

7. "The adepts explained to me just how wrong we all were. We tried to fight against fate and only ended up making things worse. We feared the Nameless God, but he was right beside us. The Grim King will inevitably rise. The Reaping Night will come. And our world will once again be in balance. Life and death - one cannot exist without the other. Now that I understand, I'm heading north. I may be old, and my life may be waning, but I will spend the rest of my time in peace."

8. "Chief, some of our gang stumbled upon the old man. He's a dirty hermit, but he had a very valuable sword. The right buyer would pay a fortune for it. But the old man wasn't an easy mark. He withstood five of our guys. I barely made it out alive. We need to find him and finish him for what he did."

9. "From many, one. Cipher: 23-8-19-15-4-1"

10. "From many, one. Cipher: Night Guest in Sorrow"

11. "From many, one. Cipher: .htlqxubtpkxqpcb"

12. "A page from the Grimoire Memoirs

(The ritual of conjuring up images and events from the past is described here in an unknown language)"

## A Forsaken's Diary (10)

1. "Our disastrous defeat has greatly changed the order. Our illusions of obligation and honor,which we held ourselves to before,have entirely disappeared. Lord Eisenhorn has given into apathy and refuses to see anyone. The officers rounded up the remaining dregs of our order and relocated us under the ruins of an temple. It's a dismal, depressing place, but it's better than staying the forests among the mindless and soulless Damned."

2. "No one wanted to join the dark god's side, but there's no path for us back into the Empire. The Empire has ordered the execution of anyone touched by the Plague God's breath. And that means the inquisition's dungeon, torture, and death in the cleansing flames is all that awaits us back home."

3. "We did not forsake the Empire, before that the Emperor forsook us. Master Eisenhorn says the Emperor himself is to blame for our current situation, and we are in the right to unleash our anger upon the soldier's still loyal to him - to fight and win back our right to return from our undeserved exile."

4. "Black crows no longer appear in our camp above the ruin. In their stead has appeared a most evil-looking barbarian. He speaks Impertinently with the master and is not afraid to use force against anyone standing in his way. Between his giant height and animal strength it's doubtful that anyone would risk fighting him."

5. "Master Eisenhorn has changed considerably. Blood sacrifices have started. First it was runaway peasants and the occasional exile. But when some of the officers tried to get the master to see reason, he started sacrificing his own knights. "Cleansing," as the Gatekeeper calls it, happens every day, and I am beginning to fear for my life."

6. "The priest killed brother Manse today. Light knows, the poor man didn't deserve it. But the barbarian spares no one and kills everyone who even looks at him wrongly. The priest is strong no one can withstand against him. The madness that's gripped the order is only becoming worse, and we are delving deeper into an abyss."

7. "The changes touching this order are becoming more apparent. I can now feel how my body is beginning to transform. Every day I am stronger than the last, and the pains racking our bodies this whole time have become so familiar that no one pays attention to them anymore. Perhaps the master was right, and the grey decay has another side - one that we will experience for ourselves."

8. "My thoughts are muddled, and I cannot remember much from before our crusade into the Plague lands. But that is not important. I am transforming and I enjoy it more every passing day. I killed a brother yesterday who wanted to take my weapons. Though he pretended to sleep, I could see how he conspired to steal my sword and dagger."

9. "The Plague God's gifts are incredible. I once could not have imagined that I could wield such power. I thought our master had gone mad when he ordered us to sacrifice our brethren who failed to convert to the Plague God. But, in truth, it is the rest of the world that has gone mad, fooled by those priests of Harat."

10. "The Plague God guides us. The Plague God transforms us. The Empire must die!"

## Commander Rin's Report (4)

1."For Lord Huggin's eyes only: My Lord, another step of our plan is successfully concluded. The new priest was exactly the person who could direct the energies of our restless ally in the right direction. Who could have thought that the northern barbarian could be so convincing. I don't know how he specifically reassured the Forsaken, but Master Eisenbord always listens to his advice."

2. "As we planned, none of the Forsaken would dare surface without permission from the master's new advisor. Eisenborg himself gave the priest the keys from the dungeon and declared him the order's Gatekeeper. We no longer have to worry that the Forsaken will repeat their individual attempts to attack the imperial forces or scatter about the forests, in which case it would take weeks to reassemble their forces.

3. "Turning the Forsaken into faithful soldiers of the Plague God is going according to plan. It looks like they have not noticed the changes happening to them, and i hope that will remain the case. In case of unforeseen issues, a battalion of heatens is camped past the river and awaits the priest's orders to invade the province."

4. "The only major possible obstacle to our plans might be the Scarlet Angel battalions. My people are doing everything they can to distract and confuse their scouts, but even the best sometimes fail. I'm also attempting to recruit some of the exiles living in the region, but it's too early to predict the success of that endeavor.

## History of Prince Luther (5)

1. "When news broke of the simultaneous defeat of several imperial orders, the Emperor's son, Prince Luther, received his father's blessing to create a new order. The Prince was young, desired glory, and he found companions just like himself. The order recruited only the younger sons of nobles and skilled mercenaries. No one knew then that the seeds of corruption and pestilence had already started to sprout in his soul."

2. "Just a year after sounding the order, which he named the "Imperial Sons", Prince Luther headed the second crusade into the Plaguelands. This time, they planned to destroy the remnants of the traitorous orders in one fell swoop and then retreat, not entangling themselves in a fight with the pagan natives. The Prince was joined by Lord Ingmar and his order the Emperor's Messengers, as well as Gerhard Eisenborg with the Order of the Crushers."

3. "The Imperial forces attacked the traitor's camp from their march, and the battle seemed to be leading to the enemy's complete destruction, but the entire crusade turned out to be an elaborate trap. The Plague God's promises had already lodged deep in Luther's and his companion's hearts. The corrupted and pleasure-seeking youths easily accepted the Plague God's gifts, betraying the empire and the whole of mankind."

4. "Attacking the Crushers from behind, the Imperial Sons sowed chaos in their ranks, destroying their battle readiness. The cornered Crushers surrendered to the mercy of the victors. The Imperial Messengers kept their formation, retreated, and left Lubenia. Lord Ingmar could not bring himself to attack the prince. That I show another, the last, crusade into the Plaguelands ended in catastrophe- a catastrophe from which the Empire could not recover."

5. "To isolate the Plaguelands, the Emperor ordered the Order of White Shield-bearers to build a chain of fortresses around the forest of Lubenia and defend them day and night. I ordered the Scarlet Angels to search the Empire for outbreaks of pestilence and destroy every Damned they encountered. But filled with a sense of justice, the Scarlet Angels spared damned who still had their minds - believing that so long as a person's soul fought with the pestilence there was still hope for them."

## The Journal of Gerhard Eisenhorn (14)

1. "Our former allies' took us by such surprise to know that my warriors had no chance of resisting them. The imperial ideals we served to protect were desecrated. The old world was destroyed. Critically injured, I was immobilized and captured by the Black Crows. I still remember the piercing cold gaze of their captain. He looked at me as though I was a lifeless corpse."

2. "A few warriors picked me up and dragged me for a long time. Eventually I found myself in a hut with an altar. The Crows hid after throwing me to the feet of a heathen priest. He muttered something under his breath, but when apparitions pierced my consciousness, his voice rang loud and clear. I saw what awaited my order. I felt the pain and terror of the coming transformation of my brothers into evil beasts barely resembling humans."

3. "It seemed like my pain would last forever and the terror would grow until my mind shattered into madness. But suddenly, through the agony, I heard His voice, "The Empire is nothing. Human life is fleeting. Bring me your people and you will learn the very meaning of life. Humans come and go, but life goes on. Changing and gathering strength, life defeats death." And then I blacked out. But death did not take me."

4. "I was let go that same day. Half blind and deaf I wandered through the forest and by some miracle stumbled upon a camp of our Crushers. They were spared, but none there felt relieved. The warrior's faves and bodies were covered in spots. The Grey Decay touched us all. What I saw in the priest's hut came back to me over and over again in nightmares, but I fought them back. Honor dictated I care for my people and keep them from dying in that wretched place."

5. "Two days my shattered order limped back to the border of the Plaguelands, but when we made it out the darkness of the forest, we were met with a rain of arrows. Knights in the colors of the White Shield-Bearers stood in rank and prepared to throw us back. Unprepared and unwilling to fight out brethren, we left. The Emperor made an edict that anyone touched by the plague was to be executed. Our fate was sealed."

6. "After a long trek through the Plaguelands, losing too many brethren either to the plague or to the monster they transformed into, we found respite beneath the ruins of a temple, burned by the heathens. Grief fills my heart. We have nowhere to go. We have neither strength nor a purpose. We can only pray to the gods for mercy. The only question is which one of them might answer our prayers in this forsaken place."

7. "When the Crows came, internally, we had already agreed to serve the Plague God. At worst only death awaited us, or something worse than death - transforming into evil beasts, hungry for flesh. My people deserved a better end. Today I swore an oath to do everything I can to save the remnants of my order. Or at least the ones who still have faith in my word."

8. "The Crows brought a priest. The heathen quickly interested us with his preaching. He told us of the Plague God's wonders, of his power and wisdom. He explained that change is the purpose of life, that we shouldn't fight for some phantom, heavenly Light - but for earthly life. Life as it already is - chaotic and indomitable in all its forms and manifestations."

9. "That day, we forsook the Emperor and Empire. We became the Forsaken. And all who did not wish to join the new order we sacrificed to the Plague God. The more offerings we brought to our god, the more our power grew. A long time has passed since I last felt myself as a normal person - I have become something else greater, something more perfect."

10. "We did not choose our fate. It was chosen for us. We did not betray the Empire; the Empire betrayed us. We sent envoys to parlay. We begged, but were answered with arrows, death, and dishonor unbecoming of our lives of faithful service."

11. "They think we forgot. They think we forgave. But one day we will be strong enough to take revenge upon the Empire for its betrayal. They will feel our pain and terror. Our former brethren will see the true power of the Plague God."

## Chronicle of the Eternal Empire (3)

1. "In the seventh Year of the Descendent Light, by the bountiful Creator's mercy, King Robert III was declared the anointed, defender of the faith, and the First Emperor of the Eternal Empire. His rule was marked by countless glorious victories and the conversion of many people's to the true faith and heavenly mercy. Coming to his final rest in the thirty-seventh year of the Descent of Light, Robert III Lightbringer left the throne to his only son, Darion I"

2. "From the temple archives: "Taking into account the nonage of Emperor Darion, in its greatest wisdom, and with endless love towards the people of the empire, the High Council of the Priests of Harat has taken upon itself the great burden of governing the Empire in the name of the Light and for the sake of saving people's souls from corruption and other evils."

3. "In the forty-second Year of the Descedent Light, the High Council of Harat founded the order of the "Emperors' Shadows" to safeguard the sovereign from heathen evildoers. The order was comprised of the most zealous followers of the Emperor's cult - persons who wouldn't think twice about laying their lives down for Him and for the good of the Light and the Eternal Empire."