A Distant Traveler

> You awaken to find yourself in a strange place. The world around you is unfamiliar, yet peaceful.
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## Summary

After you awaken to find yourself in a strange place, you are greeted by a mysterious being calling itself "Preserver". It is obvious to it, that you are not from this place because it too is an outsider. It tells you that you must keep your head down and try to blend in while it investigates the strange "rift" that has brought you here.

## Objectives

1. Find out what’s causing the disturbance in Aldersley.
2. Return to the Preserver outside of Aldersley.
3. Travel to Charselor.
4. Speak with the king of Charselor.
5. Speak with High Priest Signe in the Golden Temple.
6. Speak with a priest in the Crystal Cathedral in Emynence.
7. Find a book concerning the rifts in the Archive of the Realm.
8. Return the book to High Priest Signe.
9. Find High Priest Signe's old friend in Vale.
10. Speak to Vich the Lich in his tower on Mirror Island.
11. Return to High Priest Signe.
12. Investigate the disturbance in the undercrofts.
13. Return to High Priest Signe.
14. Find the portal in the Lost Woods.
15. Speak to Queen Elvalyovel.
16. Speak to Urebryn.
17. Return to Queen Elvalyovel.
18. Speak to Lord Amraphel of Ebonset and convince him to let you pass into Krow Hill.
19. Help the militia fight the undead, then slip past them into Krow Hill.
20. Bring the essence of Nymdyl to the rift at the Krow Hill Necropolis, and close it.
21. Return to High Priest Signe.
22. Travel to Skopelos and help in the defense of the city.
23. End of Act I.

## Journal

1. I've awoken to find myself in a strange place and don't know where I am or how I got here. When my vision became clearer, I saw a strange being nearby who approached me, requesting that I speak with it. After learning that I've become trapped here, he asked that I help him discover more information about the "rift" that brought me here and see if there is a way that it could send me back through it. It told me that I should keep my head down and attempt to blend in with the people here, searching for any signs of disturbances that may have been caused by the rift. I should go to the nearby town of Aldersley and get my bearings.
2. I have found a mysterious being in Castle Snyder’s dungeon who appeared to know something about the rifts and may even be able to open more of them. This could be a way home... or it could mean that I am becoming even more trapped on this world. I should report this to the Preserver and hope for good news.
3. The Preserver did not take the news well, and told me that these rifts are like tears that will rip this land apart unless something is done about them. He said that he would leave to go seek out answers, but did not sound hopeful that this brought me any closer to home. I suggested that I should continue to seek out more of these rifts and that when he discovered anything more, he would find me. The nearest city is the port city of Charselor. That should be a good place to find work and hone the skills I need to survive in this world and prepare for whatever is ahead of me...
4. I attempted to seek an audience with the king of Charselor in hopes that I could warn him about the presence of the rifts that threaten his kingdom. His door ward had no interest in listening to anything I had to say and turned me away - but in his dismissal he let slip the name of someone who may take heed; High Priest Signe of the Golden Temple located on the hill in the middle of the city. I should seek him out and hope that he will be more willing to listen.
5. Signe was doubtful of my account at first, but his faith allowed him to see past my words and hear the conviction in them. With that, he cast aside his doubt and told me of a place known as the "Archive of the Realm" in Emynence, where the oldest knowledge in all of The Realm is kept. He told me to seek out one of the priests there and, with his blessing, gain access to the archive.
6. I've made it to the Crystal Cathedral in Emynence and spoken to a priest about entering the Archive of the Realm. The priest was very cautious, even after mentioning Signe, but reluctantly gave me the keys to the archives and a warning; nobody has been inside the archive in a long time because the magical golems that endlessly patrol the halls seem to have "lost their minds" as he put it. With that in mind, I need to make my way into the archives below the city by way of the sewers and find the way in.
7. I've found the door to the archives and made my way inside. This place is vast... I have no idea how I'm supposed to find a specific book in all of this. The only conclusion I can arrive at is that the deeper I go, the older the books must get. With that in mind, I need to make my way to the bottom of the archives and attempt to find a book of the history of The Realm and any mention of rifts like the one that brought me here.
8. After a long, rough descent into the depth of the archives, I found a mysterious book upon a particularly-ancient looking stack of books called "The Elves of Tir'end". Upon first glance, it didn't look much different than the other tomes around it... until I opened it and saw upon the first page, an illustration of a rift-like shaft of light. As I thumbed through the pages I noticed that though some of the words were readable, they were cryptic... and other text was in a language I had never seen. I'm sure this contains the answers I seek. I should return the book to Signe in Charselor at my earliest convenience.
9. After seeing the book in my hands, Signe could sense that this was exactly what he had hoped for. He recited some of the passages aloud, adding a melody to them as he went like he had heard the verses before. After some time, he nodded his head as if understanding. But then he scowled, as he looked over more of the pages and saw that some of the pages were written in the language that I could not read. He said that he did not know the language and feared that there was only one person in all of The Realm who could - a man... or at one time a man - named Vich the Lich. He warned me that he was a reclusive sorcerer who was a known practitioner of what some considered to be black magic and was very powerful and potentially dangerous. It seems I have no choice - I must seek out Vich the Lich at his tower on Mirror Island. Signe told me he knew a man from his youth who now lives in Vale, and that I should seek him out. It was his hope that he knows a way onto the island and can take me there... I only hope that this Vich character can read the writing in this book... and that he's willing to help.
10. I've met with Signe's old friend, <name>, who has agreed to take me to Vich's tower on Mirror Island. He was reluctant at first, but hearing Signe's name quickly warmed him to the idea. He did issue a warning before we set out for the island, however: that dark clouds had formed over Vich's tower and lingered there still, bringing with it all manner of dark creatures - all of which were openly hostile to anything living. He urged against my quest, but ceased his protesting when I told him of its importance to Signe and myself. I must reach the tower and find Vich the Lich so that he can translate the book for me.
11. After ascending the tower to its pinnacle, I encountered Vich the Lich who, after a brief battle of words, decided to attack and add me to his army of undead things. It took some effort, but I defeated him and he honored his request to grant me one wish of my choosing. I choose to have him translate the book for me - particularly anything relating to rifts. He did so, going in to detail on their magical properties as described in the book. He continued on, seeming to hesitate at the mention of the Elves of Tir'end - who had apparently mastered the art of rift travel and left Paryllyx long ago, as stated by the author of the book. He seemed threatened by this information, and attacked once more... forcing me to end his existence once and for all. I should take this information and return to Signe.
12. Once I had told Signe what transpired in Vich's tower, he seemed overcome with many emotions - both at the demise of Vich the Lich and the news of the Elves' mastery of rift travel. His mind seemed to swim with possibilities and he was overcome with new purpose. As he began to plot our next move, one of the temple priests suddenly burst into the room to warn us of a situation in the undercroft. He said that the dead had risen from their tombs and were slaughtering the priests there. Signe begged me to go down to the undercroft and rescue any surviving priests, then return when the job was done.
13. I saved as many priests as I could in the undercroft, and then the doors were sealed so that no one and no thing could leave. I returned to Signe, who was eternally grateful and rewarded me for my valiance. Then, he returned his attention to the book - taking Vich's translation into account as he did. Then the source of his sudden realization before became clear as he confirmed what he had suspected; the last known location of the Elves of Paryllyx - the Lost Woods. He told me the journey would be treacherous, but that he was sure that the portal they had made to leave the world would still be there and that I could use it. That settles is then; I must travel to the Lost Woods and attempt to find this portal, using the clues given by the book.
14. I did it! By no small feat, I found the portal in the Lost Woods and invoked the ancient Elven password to activate it. When I stepped through, the oppressive darkness of the Lost Woods suddenly faded and was quickly replaced by pure, bright stone towers glistening in the light of the sun and green and purple gardens, all surrounded by a calm, endless blue sea. This is either Tir'end or I died shortly after attempting to use the portal and I'm now in the afterlife. The only way to find out is to move forward and speak to whoever guards the gates of this fantastic place.
15. I've met the queen of the elves, Queen Elvalyovel, who may have been more surprised than I was to see me before her. After a brief introduction I told her of my plight and that which currently plagued Paryllyx. Her emotions did not betray her, as she remained statuesque throughout my story, but once I had told it she gave me leave to go speak to Urebryn - her chief magistar, in his lab at the top of her palace. I should go there directly, so as not to agitate any of the powerful elves who live here.
16. Urebryn wasted no time asking me questions and analyzing me thoroughly. His lab was full of large, elaborate contraptions the like I've never seen. After a few tests, he was able to verify where I had come from and some of the taint that I had brought with me through the Lost Woods portal. When I described to him how I had awoken with the rift next to me and my adventures so far he became very curious. He agreed that the rifts were dangerous and that they should be closed immediately. In order to do so, he gave me a small jewel which contained the essence of Nymdyl - the large tree in the center of Tir'end. He told me that this would close any rifts they came into contact with, and help stabilize the world. He then asked me to return to Queen Elvalyovel with the notes he had taken on me so that she could decide what to do with me.
17. After looking over the notes that Urebryn took of me, the queen seemed to grow sad over mention of the world I had come from and the state of it, but also seemed to admire my commitment and drive to return home. She took pity on me, and gave me an item of elf make - the craft of which was legendary. She also gave me permission to return to bring news of my progress, expressing interest in the affairs of Paryllyx. With that said, she urged me to return to the world I had come from, sensing that it was nearing a tipping point for the forces of darkness that were poised to overtake it, and whoever or whatever was behind it all would soon reveal itself. I should return to Ebonset and ask Lord Amraphel's permission to enter and purge the Krow Hill Necropolis; the source of one of the biggest concentrations of the dark energy threatening to overtake The Realm.