Journal- New Discoveries
It would not be my life or the life of my companions if things settled down with the destruction of the dagger. There is of course one last artifact left to be destroyed, and it seems as though Sigmar or Ulric or both has determined that we are the people for the job. I’m not sure why. In fact, as near as I can determine, none of my companions are particularly interested in the worship of either of those two gods. I of course am pledged to the gods of my kin, who have protected us and our forest home since the time of the sundering. In fact I find it very disturbing that the human gods have placed their mark upon me. I am not against upholding their struggle against Chaos by any means, but I feel that I am losing connection with my own gods. Perhaps they even find it insulting that I bear this mark and this task from these upstart godlings. I need to spend more time in worship and contemplation and hope for some kind of answer from Isha and Kurnous. In order to do that, I shall have to endeavor to get out of this city and spend some time seeking in the wilderness.
As for my other companions, Volkrad is pledged to Verena, Furdok to whatever rude dwarven gods he worships, and Ulfred seems to have invented his own god to worship. I’m not sure about Konrad…he doesn’t seem very religious at all. He has never really mentioned Sigmar or Ulric however, so if he does revere them he keeps it to himself. So why then would they choose us? I would think that if those gods had a task they needed performed, they would seek out a trusted worshipper or priest and give them the task. Certainly I would hope that if Isha or Kurnous ever had a sacred task they needed discharged that they would come to me before serving notice to some heathen band of impious humans (or gods forbid, a dwarf).
Perhaps that is why Noddin was chosen to present to us the next step in our pilgrimage. Though I have not known Noddin long enough to determine if he is a devout follower of the Imperial gods, I can think of no other explanation for the way in which he was pointed to us by Sigmar, if indeed it was he who sent him the dreams which led him to us. So let me say a little bit about him.
Noddin Alcapse is a young indigent street performer, not exactly what you would consider to be heroic material. In many ways he does not fit in with the rest of my human companions…even his name is odd. It was my impression that Imperial men all had names that ended in “rad”, but apparently this is not the case. I suppose it is possible that he is not entirely of Imperial lineage however…I know little of his heritage. As I said, he is not of a heroic mien, unlike Konrad who has dedicated himself to the protection of the innocent or Ulfred who is the very definition of heroism and sacrifice. Nonetheless, a dream was sent to him which seemed to indicate the location of the third artifact of the Red Flayer, a chalice which (if we are interpreting the signs correctly) lies hidden beneath a ruined monastery.
Lord Frederick, who has been unbelievably generous in his hospitality and aid to us, introduced us to the young Noddin who told us of the dream and the sign which he had received from within it, a written account of a man’s discovery of the chalice which somehow was pulled physically from the dream. Upon shaking hands with Konrad, the Mark of Unity was transferred onto Noddin’s flesh, a clear sign that he has been chosen by the gods to aid us in our quest. After a little bit of delving into the history of the monastery, we made plans to travel there and investigate taking along Noddin, Ulfred’s new valet, and a young Sigmarian initiate named Sigurd who we thought should bear witness to the state of the abbey which has not been visited since it’s destruction in the Storm of Chaos.
Along the way we were predictably set upon by a small group of Beastmen who predictably nearly killed Ulfred despite the new chainmail he had acquired. The rest of us escaped with minor injuries. I guess chain is not enough to protect Ulfred…it seems I shall need to work on getting him some plate armor. Maybe that will keep him healthy. Though I doubt it. As I feared, Volkrad has become a little worrisome now that he has turned to the red winds of magic. Whereas before he used his magic with a sense of reluctance and reserve, the glee with which he called fire down upon the beastmen was undeniable. Not that he was wrong to assail them suchly…I just wish it didn’t seem like he enjoyed his power so much. I don’t know, perhaps I am reading too much into it.
In any case, we have reached the abbey and are making preparations to investigate. It seems abandoned, however, so I don’t expect much trouble. I will resume my account of the delving once I return to Stormweather.
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