In the Archives of the University

Going through the old archives I found a few pages from a journal written by some unknown scholar back in the early 1st Era. Not much is known of their journey, beginning or end, but a small parchment attatched, most likely written by the scholar called Mataijas here, hinting that only a few of them returned, and empty handed at that.

Day 302

Once we had the Dark Claw behind us we headed straight north for a few weeks, then turned northwest to reach the highlands between the Dwarven Mountains and the Goblin infested mountains to the northwest. If one can trust the tomes in the University's archives we should be the first men to walk these hills for at least three or four hundred years, but most likely much longer. Inspired by the
old tales of the lost tribes I have decided to name these lands the Highlands of Gormath or maybe the Gormathian Hills. I have to think about that before we return to Palor. It is said that the domain of the ancient dragon of the earth was indeed in the far northwestern reaches of Helitheren, I feel it would be e fitting name. I have not shared this knowledge with the rest, I have a feeling that fighting Ancients was not a part of the deal the Wise did with the mercenaries that I now call my companions.

Day 311

As we have yet to find any traces of our kin's great march north we hope that these very hills hold some evidence of them passing through here. If nothing is found we are out of leads for now and with the growing unrest among our sellswords I fear what could happen if our journey would not bear fruit. I overheard a seemingly popular topic by the campfire a few nights back. This search for a lost people seem to have filled their heads with ideas of hidden cities made of pure gold. Since I expect nothing more than a couple of caves with the Winged Torch, the crest of the Hakedim, it would be all the evidence I need to prove Haked led his family this way. But I don't know if that I would be enough to settle the hunger for gold that now resides in the hearts of my fellow men.

Day 313

Our journey from the White Mountains to here took longer than expected and I fear that winter could strike sooner rather than later by now. We are equipped to survive the cold, but it would slow us down even more, and I fear what effect it may have on the morale. We already have to move with care in these lands, both Dwarves and Goblins would most likely attack us on sight. These delays, I don't know how much longer I can keep everyone motivated. Mataijas, my fellow scholar is the only one who I know would follow me even when others decide it is no use going forward.

Day 319

It's now been almost a week since my last words on these pages, I must try to do this more often. Over the last days we have found several caves that would have proved useful for a traveling people. Some of them had evidence of someone, or something, staying there long ago but nothing I can tie to Haked, for all I know it may have been a Goblin outpost. While it fills me with motivation to move forward the sellswords are not convinced. We lost a couple of our Ourian men last night. They must have left during their watch. We have four or five other Ourians but I have heard them cursing their brethren for being so weak, it seems to have spurred them to prove not all of their kind are oath breakers. I only wish the other mercenaries would share their view, the morale is suffering from these kind of events.

Gormath's Highlands, that will have to do.

Day 326

Snow has begun to fall and as I feared the morale joined in. One day we had clear skies, the other a snowstorm that reduced our vision to next to nothing. We now have snow up to our ankles. While the storm left the snow did not, and we've had a few days of light snowfall and it shows no signs of wanting to stop. One of our rangers led us up along a winding path. “This path clearly isn’t a natural formation so if a minor people walked these lands they might as well be the ones who walked up here first,” he said. I had no reason to argue, any reasons was better than none at all, after all we were walking blindly among the hills hoping to find something. Maybe this was that something we had hoped to find. The path ended with a plateau, not a huge one, but large enough for us to be able to make camp far enough from the steep slope whence we came, to not fear falling over the edge in our sleep.

Day 327

We decided to stay here for the day, hoping the snow would give us a day or two to be able to look out over the land beneath us and maybe see something we otherwise would miss. The snowfall today was light enough to see almost all of the plateau, I have studied it and found a few points of great interest to me. It is shaped like a droplet almost, falling from the northwest. Our path reached it from the east, close to the tip of the droplet-shape, apart from the path most of the eastern side is nothing but a cliff, falling further than I can see in this weather. But on the west side there two mountainsides rising as straight up as the eastern side is falling, and between them are what is most extraordinary. A pass, in it self it is not much, but where it begins from our plateau are two pillar-like rock formations. The rangers and Mataijas were not as impressed by my finding, they once again thought there wasn't enough to tie them to Haked, Dwarves are of course famous for working with stone, and even Goblins could accomplish a feat this simple. But I am convinced they are made by neither. They are too roughly hewn to be Dwarven and Goblins never build anything above ground. Mataijas said that there is nothing to prove they were not made by lazy Dwarves or likewise. But there are other signs that I think disprove Dwarven hand in this; they are not made of the kind of rock these mountains hold, Dwarves never move rocks, they take pride in creating out of what is at hand. No one is convinced though. But I know this is the right path.

I have given the name of the highlands some thought again. Naming them after a creature no one has seen or heard about for thousand of years might be foolish. Am I only fueling a dying legend, causing fear where there is none to be found, at least not in the shape of an Ancient? These highlands are roamed by nothing but the Dwarves and Goblins that resides on their respective sides, would be more appropriate to name them after a more realistic threat.

Day 330

We had our day of clear weather, finally. We looked out over seemingly endless snow covered hills. Far to the northeast we could see the highest peaks of the mountain range where the Goblins have their dens. But nothing we could see from here was noteworthy and we decided the pass behind us was, despite no one believing in my theories about the pillars, the most promising way to go. Since no one wants to listen I will keep my other ideas to myself from now on. To make it easier to track our path I have named the pass Carsef, the pass of snow.

Day 331

I am now writing as we are walking for this cannot wait. As the first of our group walked between the pillars, their torches - as we have so little light for each day - shed their light upon the pillars and threw shadows beyond them. That was when I saw it. I swear by the gods that the pillars with a torch between them caused the shadows to resemble wings. I have not been able to find a crest engraved on any walls since we left the White Mountains but I have seen it now, hidden only to be revealed by a torch, the torch of the Hakedim. I will not tell anyone, the looks they give me as of now are enough, but I know the truth of this pass. I can almost hear the voices of their people walking through this pass so long ago, their footsteps echoing in these mountains through the ages.

We have made camp at a series of ledges where the path widened. I might have gotten a bit carried away before, but who could say I had not reason to? While walking I looked behind us several times, half expecting to stand face to face with Haked leading his people down this very pass. We are getting closer, I can feel it now. It is not only through all the signs we - at least I - have seen along the road here, but I can literally sense us catching up with past events. Everything is unfolding in front of us as we walk the same exodus as the Hakedim walked. Mataijas is distancing himself from me. The looks he and everyone else are giving me, they are doubting me. I will prove them all wrong. We will get up early tomorrow to be able to walk during the short period of light we will receive for the day. It will make it easier for me to see more of Haked's hidden signs. After all, this pass must have meant something to them if they made the pillars and carved them to hide their secrets, it was not something they could have done if they just walked through.

Day 332

Another fruitful night and day have passed. We are through the pass and have camped in a valley protected from the winds. There is a lake here, it held great significance to the Hakedim. While walking through the pass I could feel its history being revealed to me. The Hakedim had lived at the bottom of the winding path for a year or so before Haked called for their journey to continue. The pass had been like a sanctuary to them, down which only Haked and a few chosen ones walked, down to the lake. There they would meet with the gods and the spirits of the mountains to seek guidance. Then, one day there was a powerful sound coming from the valley and they found a new path in the far end of the valley, the gods had split the mountain for Haked to lead his people further west. Tomorrow all we have to do is walk down that path and we will soon find the city of the Hakedim. I have also learned that I was not the first one who called this pass Carsef, it was Haked himself that once named it such.

Day 333

A series of unfortunate events occurred today. We woke up to being a smaller company by three, one of the deserters were a ranger as well to add to our misery. Then while we were getting ready to move out, our ranger that had gone to scout out the path came back reporting that we have to turn back for this valley is a dead end. I refused to believe him and urged everyone to not be disheartened but to come with me to the place where the hidden path was. It was the word “hidden” that was the only reason the ranger allowed me to question his so called expertise. But it was all for naught. When we reached the path it was indeed hidden from our unworthy eyes and there was nothing but a slight crack running down the mountainside. The ranger sighed and mocked me for doubting him but what really struck me was Mataijas placing his hand on my shoulder telling me to let the rangers lead and do their task. Mataijas, who I had once considered my brother, finally revealed his true face and turned his back on me! Finally the last event of our day was the most unfortunate, in their eyes that is, a storm outside of the valley blew straight down Carsef and filled the valley with so much snow that we had to take any cover we could find and hope it would pass. I can feel the spirits of the mountain communicating with me through the storm, for the gods walked on together with Haked, telling me not to be dismayed but to endure. This storm is but a challenge where I can prove my worth and they will open up the path once more for human eyes. I have to prove myself worthy. I must stay strong through this storm.

Day

They are calling me. It is time for me to join Haked at his court and learn the secret knowledge that he holds. The storm calmed down and I can once again see the lake in front of me, but now there is ice like a bridge crossing it to the other side. This bridge must be my final test of faith, for I cannot see the other side but I know Haked is there waiting for me. The spirits told me to leave these weak minds behind, for they did not believe when they saw. I will leave this journal behind as well, so they may know what they missed.

Mataijas, one day maybe you will join me at the court of the Hakedim.

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