Goldmaker's Books

## Overview

see Ciphered notebooks.

The Books are in five parts, each large tome making up about 50-100 years of Goldmaker's history. They are long and all hand written in a code that was cracked by Idril over the two weeks spent planning with X.

They are sorted by date, and are an inter-cutting mess of journal entries, stock tables, theories and notes. The bellow section is a rough overview of the most useful info, which will be added to over time.

## Notes from the decoded books.

### People

#### Hastur

I've been lucky enough to only speak directly with Hastur once, and it is not something ever want to do again. I was young and foolish, it was the first time I dipped my fingers into the pie I was suppose to be cooking. I had decided to hold on to a couple of scrolls, this was only a few months after Grinkvil had convinced me to work for Hastur. When Greyfield - Still Salaman back in those days - found out that there was some missing he marched me down to the basement, down long stone halls underneath that fortress of theirs in Eastern Downs. There was some contraption, which from what Grinkvil has said I assume is a 'waystone' Then the figure of Hastur was before me. Tall, four arms protruding from his cloak. The sheer power emanating from it was enough that I knew I had no choice but to obey. I was so scared I hardly remember what was said. After that I was much more careful, I always had someone else to blame when things went missing. Not that I have been stupid enough to take much.

Grinkvil speaks of Hastur like a god. Dencier seems to think their more like a primordial. I don't know what it is, Just that the last thing I want to do is cross it. Luckily it doesn't seem to care much for our business. I even think that the whole encounter I had may have been some trick by Greyfield to help keep me in line.

There is practically no way I could fight off Hastur, I think if it wanted me dead there's little I could do. My best bet is to run off somewhere and not rock the boat too much.

#### Arron Greyfield (and the Greyfield's in general)

The Greyfields have ruled the eastern valley since before I came down from the mountains. I first met Salaman, then Berolt for a short time, but mainly I have dealt with Arron Greyfield. Not that there is much difference between them, noble folk are all the same. They think gold will keep them safe, and that their guile is enough to out-talk the sun and moon from rising. I hate to think what the Greyfields have been working with Hastur for. But I cant see it ending well.

As for the man himself, the current Lord Greyfield is a strange man. I think he must hate the stuffy nature of court despite how he acts at such things - I am invited occasionally to events he holds. Sometimes I even go. - He wears a different face around myself and my colleagues. It makes me wonder who he really is; the cold distant calculated man who I once saw flay a man without breaking his line of thought, or the war charismatic political leader that I see at his court gatherings. I cant tell if he puts a stone face around me or a phoney smile around his court.

Lord Greyfield is a competent fighter and a skill caster. I've seen him best one of his own private guard in a duel. The guard was in full plate, shielded and welding a long-sword. Greyfield took him out with only his rapier that he wears at almost all times. From what I've heard it's either magic or poisoned. knowing how careful he is, Probably both.

If it comes down to it, and I need to eliminate him I think he's the only opponent I wouldn't trust myself to take in a strait fight. He may look old but the half-elf can still move. I think the best plan would be to use the Darkness Pellet that I've buried 350 paces SW of the Junction of the Twin Bridge Inn. If I can get it dark enough, prevent him from casting, and get the drop enough to disarm him, there might be a chance. Otherwise Knock him to the ground and try and use my strength advantage over him. The only other weakness he may have is if I kidnap his wards, The Girls a talented caster from what I hear, so I think I could get her.

However the problem with going after any of the Greyfields is the same. Arron Greyfield is never seen without his personal guard, he calls them Grey-shields. They are skilled combatants, but I should be able to disarm them from a distance with my whip. After they loose their shields I feel I can take them. Even if my whip doesn't work, I doubt they would be able to stand if I threw my full brunt at their shield.

#### That brings me to the knight of stone, Sir Valerie.

They are not the man worry though, The real issue is his personal guardian. An earth Genasi woman named Sir Valerie. She's a far better fighter than I, and more annoying she doesn't seem to be dependant on her magical items. Although they are potent as well. I think my best bet would be to take her out at range with a spell scroll attack. I am yet to find one that I'm confident will do the trick, but when I do I'll be keeping it near by me. Not risking burying that somewhere.

#### Lady Shesacarva

I don't much like this one. But she's one of the few I wouldn't say that to her face. If she even has one. Always in that mask. I've got two theories about why she wears it. Possibly she is some kind of thing that lives an awful long time, but don't look much human and She wears that to hide. Or, and this seems to be what a lot of the folks at court think, 'Lady Shesacarva' is not a person, but a title handed down from one crazy woman to another. She's always got the doppelgangers with her when she comes around. Maybe they are learning to become the next one.

I don't know exactly what her deal is, but it doesn't take a lot to work out she's a powerful caster of some kind. But I know her bones will snap just like any mage if she's out of magic.

She seems to know the Greyfields the best, and has been around the longest as far as I can tell.

#### Finnian

Damn sneaky Halfling with a scar around his eye. I get along with him ok and hope he'd side with me if it came to it. But if not no matter how sneaky the bastard is i could take him.

#### Cannis Jerako

Cannis is one hard to work with, but would be even harder to work against.

I know I'm no saint. But do what I have to do so I get results. I am pretty sure Cannis enjoys it. He is cruel and sadistic to the point I wonder what its like inside his head. I've done things that keep me up at night, but in the end I know they needed to be done. Cannis though, I don't know how he sleeps.

~~As for if he needed to be taken down, it would be difficult. He's a werewolf and not exactly subtle about it. I figure he thinks folk are scared of him. But I've killed plenty of werewolves before. All you need is silver and to be quick.~~

Never mind the previous entry on Cannis. Greyfield got the scholars to do something to him. He isn't someone to fuck around around with now. I don't even know if silver would work. If it came down to it I think some kind of psychic spell might do the trick. Plus silver and magical weapons might actually make some kind of scratch on him.

I've put together a stash of things buried South-West from the West side guard house, right at the high tide line. Buried pretty deep in an iron wood box. Its got a silvered bow / quarter staff, 10 silver tipped arrows and one indestructible one that some damn moss sniffing ranger shot me with once. There's also a scroll of Confusion that could incapacitate him for a few rounds. But I don't like my chances even with all that. Best move would be to avoid a direct fight with him in the first place.

#### Other people.

There are not actually all that many people involved in all this. Brannion has a handful, and there are a couple of Bishops and the three crooked Cardinals in the Church. But outside of that it's mostly people who think their working for Greyfield. Or one of the people like me that work for him. All any of my crew ever know is were working for a powerful and rich buyer. Oh, and that I'm the one in charge.

### Exit plan.

In case this all blows up I need to have a plan to deal with it all. I've spent hundreds of years sending powerful spell books and magical items off to Greyfield, so any soldiers he sends after me are going to be very well kitted out. But that's why I kept the Mage Bane.

The Mage Bane - has some old name 'the exsecutioni mandare' - is a powerful magical item I was sent after way back. It creates a relatively powerful anti-magic field 50ft around it. I figure if I have this hidden in my pack then I can rush Shesacarva or any other spell-caster who comes after me. Once i get my hands on them without magic they don't stand a chance. Same goes for anyone using the fancy items I've been finding over the last few hundred years, You might have a sword that summons Hell-hounds and boots that let you fly, but set close and It'll just be a regular sword and set of boots. I figure I've got pretty good odds against anyone in a fair fight like that.

I put the thing somewhere that I wont ever forget, but I am not going to risk writing the name of the place in here, just incase these notes fall into the wrong hands.