Tattered Journal (Iynoc)

The tattered journal was written by Iynoc, a scholar believed to have existed in the First Era. His journal contains information about an event that occured some time, and is questioned if the events are true or not. Iynoc uses a system of dating that does not exist anymore, and describes a form of magic no longer practiced.

Contents
The tattered journal is written about an event called the "Bleeding Sky". There are 13 entries.

1 Seu
I am Iynoc, Second Researcher of His Majesty, Lord Tyrioc. He requested that I maintain this journal with anything pertaining to the phenomena that is called the "Bleeding Sky", which took place on 37 Moen, when the sky was torn asunder revealing the hellish crimson.

That day we observed the event and made records of it, and after some contemplation we concluded it was the result of a God's intervention. The tear made an odd noise, according to those outside. Reports of a thousand high pitched whistles akin to that of many voices screaming in agony.

More interesting, however, is the way the tear fades, dissipating as it reaches the thresholds of the mountains, barely venturing into the skies of the surrounding area. This is why we called it the "Bleeding Sky", it appears like a giant wound in the sky, blood pouring in every direction.

Tyrioc wants us to look into it. Based off of where it is alone, it seems to be hovering over Gro territory. Most are afraid of the Gro, due to their brutish and savage behavior. Tyrioc believes the peace we have with them will hold long enough for us to venture to the Wound.

3 Seu
The Wound is still present, as bloody as before. It is starting to cause a panic among the cities, and the people have begun demanding that Tyrioc do something about it. He has granted me and my assistants a group of soldiers to take with us as protection. With us we also bring gifts of food and meat. We can't simply venture into their land without fear of them fighting back.

7 Seu
Our mission was unsuccessful. When we reached the crossing, we were met by Gro with crude spears and swords, snarling at us and swinging their weapons. We tried to hand over the gifts, but they would not take it. Odd, they had never denied food before.

I made an observation while there, they all had odd markings over their body, usually depicting a figure or some crude tribal shape. The figure was disturbing, to say the least. A large man with what looked like spikes growing out of his back. We've never seen any form of marking on them like this, even their elders don't wear jewelry or the like. Communicating with them seems impossible, so we left.

I fear that Tyrioc will be displeased.

10 Seu
That wretched hole is still there. Cities are panicking, and we have nothing. There have been strange noises reported over the last two nights as well. Deep, guttural noises followed by shrieks. Tyrioc has issued a patrol during the nights now.

Speaking of Tyrioc, we was displeased with the results, and is sending one of his head advisors out there with a legion of his finest men. He has requested that I accompany them to take note of the results.

I am becoming scared too.

2 Nio
I was terrified that I may not be able to write this entry. We reached the mountain path and were met by a force of Gro and a trap, as if they'd been expecting us. Twelve of the accompanying soldiers are dead now. The Advisor discharged his lightning orb into the ground, but it did nothing to frighten the Gro. We've never seen the Gro like this before, they aren't afraid of us, our weapons, or our magick. We retreated.

4 Nio
We convened with the King and his Advisors. The noises still continue, and the fear in the Capitol is growing. They have decided to launch an attack against the Gro, but they want to survey the land first, to scout ahead. As such, I've been assigned to assist Survey Master Plac. He knows the lands better than anybody else, and assured us he can lead us into their canyon undetected. With this job Came the position of First Reseacher. Is the promotion worth such commotion? I am scared, but I will not let Tyrioc down.

9 Nio
The horror. The Gro have changed. We've spent a number of days in the mountains now, observing them and their culture. Plac was able to get us in with no issues, but what I saw will haunt me forever.

The Gro have evolved. They're still primal, but they've changed. They worship a statue now, a wicker and stone statue of a being with odd, spider like appendages coming out of its back.

We also believe that we are directly under the Wound now. We can see into it, into the demonic landscape above. Every now and then, something will fall out of it and it will be quickly swept away by the Gro into one of their huts. We believe it is the tear that has changed the Gro. We would be idiots to ignore the signs when they're right in front of us. What it leads to or how it changed them is still a mystery, however.

We watched them go about their lives. It was terrifying. Almost all of them were equipped with refined weapons. Spears, swords, axes, and one figure with six odd knives. Several times a day they'd all stop and gather around the statue, falling to their hands and knees. The last time that day, they organized themselves into rows of twenty by ten, standing instead of crawling. They would chant, over and over again, in some dark, twisted language. Then, the figure with the six daggers would walk to the front of them, with what could only be described as being the head of the odd cult. It voiced something odd, in what could be described as the twisted, dark version of a language. It then pointed to one section of the masses, a 20 by 2 area. By the Gods. The Rest of them descended upon them, ripping and tearing, eating them. They did nothing, the victims. They stood there and let it happen.

The sounds were the worst part of it all. The ripping of flesh, splattering of viscera, breaking of bones, the terrifying screams. We could hear the chewing of organs. Plac held brave, until the Priest stopped, as did the rest of them. It looked directly at us, pausing for a moment, before yelling something. The crowd was up, covered in the blood of their own kin. They were upon the main front of the group in what felt like mere seconds. The rest of us ran. We ran as fast as we could, not looking back until we were at the city's walls.

1 Brei
This morning, the patrols were found slaughtered outside the city walls, flesh, bones, even entire limbs missing, as if they'd be eaten. So a meeting was held, all of the Masters were there. It was decided that the Gro threat must be dealt with once and for all. The legion will be marching into their territory on 3 Brei To deal with the Gro threat.

I personally oppose this idea. Whatever happened to them, they are now stronger than we are. They outnumber us and we have nowhere to retreat to, should they fail us. To the South is the ocean, to the West is a desert where nothing could survive. In the East our enemies wait for us and the North is a frozen, barren Hell.

Should the men fail, then so too with we all fail.

3 Brei
Today the Legion marched Eastward, confident that their intellect and superior weapons would be enough to stop them.

5 Brei
The Legion still has not returned, and the city is in a widespread panic. No work is getting done as people prepare for the worst.

7 Brei
Dead. All of them. Plac and what remained of our group returned to the Red Mountains to see if we could find them. The bodies were gnawed, bones raw. The canyon was empty, the Wound still present, their statue was gone.

11 Brei
By the Gods, I think I'm the only one left. They attacked us, with a ferocious energy I never dreamed possible. We could hear them coming though, they were chanting the same damned noise that they were chanting when we were in the canyon. We had nobody to defend us, nothing more than a mere squad of trainees.

I'm a damned coward. I hid. I watched and heard women and children cry and scream, the sounds of flesh on blade, the cries of men pleading for mercy. There was none. As far as I know, I'm the only one who made it out alive.

They attacked on all sides, they cut and destroyed anything in their way. When there was nobody left to kill, they burned the city to the ground. I took this chance to run. I risked being caught and killed like the rest, but I don't care. I made it out.

I ran to the Northeast, to the inhospitable, frozen mountains. I've infused this journal with an orb of eternity so my people, my civilization, my very life, will not be forgotten.

Final Entry
The bloody hole in the sky is gone, not that it matters. Nobody is here to research it, to record it, to question it. Just me, in this Gods-forsaken icy mountain. I don't know what those damned Gro used to burn our cities, but it burned black and purple, unnatural, and left nothing but crimson red ashes. It took less than half the day to wipe out my people.

I saw them. All of them. They were marching North, into the barren tundra. I thought they were coming for me at first, but they went past me, carrying that abominable statue. They're insane if they think they can survive where they're going. Nothing lives out in the wastes.

I have nothing left. No family, no work. No civilization. It has all been erased. I'm leaving my journal here, in hopes that some day someone can find it and stop the menace.

I miss Tyrioc. I miss my family. I miss my friends. I miss my work. The older people, they used to tell tales of a place after death. If one lives a truly good life, a prosperous one, they may go to a heavenly afterlife.

There's another story, that the soldiers used to tell. A place you go if you serve the Gods and your King well, if you die in battle gloriously. Silly, really, but I have nothing left to lose and I might as well take what little revenge I can.

Farewell.