The Life and Times of Elrond Súrion

May 15th of the 109th year of the first age in the 12th cycle

I have never been one to keep notes or a diary, but after today I think that should change.  Prior to today I lived a pretty normal life (for me at least).  I had friends we played in the park and throughout the housing complex, learned about the world and chased girls.  The part of city we lived in was nice and typical, if any neighborhood could be called typical.  About a year ago I began studying magic with Elenion Ancalima,a old wizard that lived in the neighborhood.  I was doing well, picking up the old tongue and dove into books on arcane formula and fantastic creatures.  That all came to an end two months ago.  A contingent of the overlords troops came to my teachers door.  I was in route to a lesson when I saw it they took him from the house and the broad daylight gutted him as he tried to cast a spell to escape.  I ran home as quick in complete unbelief to what I had saw.  Prior to that day I heard rumors about how the Overseer and his alien masters destroyed those that spoke out, but I never dreamed that it was true.  My neighborhood was quiet and peaceful, the constables annoying but for the most part helpful.  Now right before my eyes I saw my teacher, who never said a foul word about anyone, cut down like a criminal. 

 When I got home and told my parents what I witnessed, a look of grave concern swept across their face.  My father sternly forbade my mother and I from leaving the house, as he turned to go out into the night.  Shortly after midnight my father returned, along with my grandfather whom I have only seen twice in the last decade.  As my father took my mother aside, grandfather sat me down and removed the veil from my eyes.

He told me of the noble history of our family, told me of the Illithid masters, who eat the brains of those they capture, and he told me about the resistance and my family's role in it.  I always thought that father worked late, not that he was involved in a movement directed at the Overseer.  It turns out that my teacher was working with the resistance and was discovered.  My father was worried that they would discover that I was Elenion Ancalima student and come looking for me.  We planned to leave the next evening, using the day to gather our belongings and destroy any evidence of where we had gone.  Both my brother and sister had long since left the house so it was only my parents and I that needed to prepare.  Grandfather left that same evening to return to his position of coordinating the many cells in this part of the city.

Little did we expect how quickly the Overseer's men would find us.  Someone in the neighborhood must have talked, and if I ever find out who I will slit their throat.  Three hours past dawn they came to the door.  Father and I were upstairs readying our belongings when it was heard.  Father reacted first to the sound of the door crashing down.  By the time I made it down stairs with my kurki in hand I saw those butchers slicing my mother in two.  My father was in a rampage slicing through them, blood splattering everywhere.  As if by instinct I charged the animal that killed my mother, sinking my blade into his flesh, cutting into his heart, through his back.  I went into a blinding blood rage, I do not know what happened after that.  I woke up in a dark musty room with my father cooking some food.  Looking down at my hands there was still pieces of elf flesh under my nails, a testament to what had happened.  -- That was two days ago, the day everything changed.

 November 11th of the 127th year

 Yesterday, was a good day.  I was finally trusted with command of a squad within our cell.  It has  been over two and a half decades since my mother was killed and I vowed to destroy those responsible for her death.  In that time I have learned to move without notice, break into nearly building, and to kill...with trap or blade.  Two and a half decades since life was fun, beautiful and innocent.  Two and a half decades of death, pain and blood.  Finally father feels I am ready to lead, I only hope that I do not disappoint. 

May 14th of the 129th year

 Tomorrow, we will seek our vengeance.  Father has called our entire cell together for a daring raid.  We finally identified the Uoise (secret police) captain that ordered the death of my family and had my mother killed.  After three decades of planning and gathering our forces we are ready to strike.  The plan is simple, the bulk of our cell will cause a distraction, while my father and I slip inside and deliver judgment upon Ancalimon.  Tomorrow will be glorious

 May 19th of the 129th year.

 Today we made our escape.  The attack on the Uoise outpost was a disaster, and it is my fault.  Everything was going well, we made our way to the captain, silently cutting down the few guards that were not responding to the distraction we created.  He was in our sights when I saw the most horrifying creature.  It floated above the ground and a mass of slithering tentacles for a mouth.  As I prepared to strike it turned and looked directly at me and at that instant I froze. Its tentacles latched onto my face tearing into my flesh, I wanted to move, to do anything but I couldn't.  Just as I thought I was going to die, I saw my father's blade cut my free.  Still unable to move, even a muscle I watched as the creature attached its tentacles to my father and heard his screams as he died. 

I awoke later in a cell with a odd individual.  She was a feline that walked on two legs and talked.  Her name was Aisha, she talked a lot and didn't seem to be able to hold a train of thought for more than two minutes, but she is kind of cute for a non-elf.  It seems that she was captured while out hunting in the forests near the city.  Lucky for both of us when they underestimated my skills with locks.  I quickly fashioned a small pick from a scrap of metal and opened the door.  For a small and slender thing she packs a punch.  Aisha pounced out of that cell and in a moment had the guard subdued.  We cut ourselves out of the jail and I got us to one of our safe houses for the night.  We are safe for the moment, but I don't deserve to be, I failed my father when he needed me most, and my failure cost him his life.  Tomorrow night I will attempt to find what remains of our cell, and a way to get Aisha out of the city, I owe her that much for her help in our escape.

 May 21st of the 129th year

 I found the remnants of my father's cell and was surprised to see my grandfather present.  It seems that I only get a chance to see him when something horrible has just happened or is about to happen.  He was working on preparations to disband our cell and get the members out of the city.  He said it had gotten too hot for us, and we left enough personal material around that the Overseer's mages may be able to scry us, exposing the other cells throughout the city.  I didn't want to leave, my thirst for vengeance and a chance to redeem myself for my cowardice was strong.  Grandfather ordered me to embark on a quest to find a powerful artifact.  This artifact would allow us to defeat the Overseer and exterminate the Illithid's controlling our city.  So it was today that I set out to find the Yacura Osta Tel'quessir.  Aisha told me that her village elder was old and wise and may have some clues to where I can find this artifact.  I promised to get her out of the city anyways and this is a good a lead as any, so we will set out tomorrow.

 June 10th of the 129th year

 Today we arrived at what is left of Aisha's village.  It has been burned to the ground with nothing but dead bodies to show for it.  There were signs of the Overseers troops, I am not sure why his forces would strike this far from the city, but there must have been something here that he wanted.  Aisha had no idea why they would attack and spent most of the day in tears.  What could I do but give her a hug and offer her the chance to quest with me to find the artifact that will bring down this corrupt regime.  Tomorrow we will set out to the river, from there we will follow the direction of the fates, looking for clues as to the location of the Yacura Osta Tel'quessir.

 September 28th of the 129th year

 Our travels brought us to Cataclysm Bay, low on money and clues as to where to go next we hooked up with a privateer ship known as the Dark Madien.  Aisha was set against the idea of working on a boat, [fear of water I guess] but with some coaxing and the promise that the boat was dry she agreed.  I am a bit afraid of her reaction when he hit our first storm, but I think she will forgive me.  Being on a boat will bring much needed gold and a wide array of individuals to question about our quest.

 August 1st of the 130th year.

 Finally the time aboard the Dark Madien paid off.  We captured an illicit trader today that gave me my first real clue since leaving Grayholm.  He spoke of a vast library that contained all the worlds knowledge, surly they must have records of the Yacura Osta Tel'quessir.  We will make port in a week and then Aisha and I will set off towards Trolls Bridge and the castle library.  I think Aisha will appreciate dry land, it is a miracle that she has not left yet, but she most likely feels as I do.  All we have each other, both our families are dead and the only goal is the destruction of the corruption infesting Grayholm.