\documentstyle[twocolumn]{article}
\setlength{\oddsidemargin}{0in}
\setlength{\textwidth}{6.5in}
\setlength{\topmargin}{-1in}
\setlength{\textheight}{9in}
\begin{document}
\parindent=20pt
\setcounter{page}{32}

\title{Journal of Prince Durin Ironstaff of Darkholm}
\author{\copyright1992 Jim Vassilakos}
\date{}
\maketitle

{\it \noindent
{\Large T}he following text was found hidden within a
secret compartment beneath the throne of Darkholm.
It describes the conquest and reclamation of the ancient
dwarven city as well providing a clue as to the subsequent
and mysterious disappearance of its inhabitants. The original
text was written in Dwarvish in the Prince's own hand, each
entry apparently dated according to the Age of the Third Sun,
covering a period from middle 887 to late 888.\\}

\begin{description}

\item[11 Elysius 887:] Melchizidek the Grey visits me at my family
den at Greenshire. The Wizard seems vibrant on this meeting, and
we sit out by the Turquoise River and watch the sunset, talking
legends and smoking pipe weed. In the evening we eat beef
stew and drink frothy ale as he jokes about all the ignoble
halfling tendencies which I've supposely acquired. Around midnight
the high wizard finally gets down to business and
proposes a quest to Darkholm. His offer is not totally unexpected,
as I had heard rumors that he wished to meet and do battle
with Sauris, the Black Dragon of the late Theodred, and the
fellow wizard Reinold who Melchizidek refers to as ``the remaining
evil." It is strange, of course, to hear him speak out so strongly
or to wish to do battle with
dragons or wizards, for this is not Melchizidek's kind of work or
usual temperament by any stretch of the clay. Even after the
burning of Portown, Melchizidek was loath to
intervene, preferring to pretend that the citizens had brought
the dragon's fire upon themselves by capturing and executing its
master. Yet he has
me at his side, as to retake Darkholm and find the hidden
horde of my ancestors would be my greatest dream come to
life.

\end{description}
          
{\em Several pages of journey preparations follow.}

\begin{description}

\item[17 Nightal 887:] We leave from Port Leo in a sturdy vessel. The
company settles down for the night after a great feast on the
high seas.

\end{description}

{\em A page of uneventful journey in stormy weather follows.}

\begin{description}

\item[26 Nightal 887:] We reach coast with a break in the weather.
Melchizidek says that Durbin lies several days to the east and
that the quickest route now is north up the coast and then east
by foot.

\end{description}

{\em Several pages of journey though Bleakwood (as the dwarves call
it) follow. There are several bands of orcs making their south-westerly
migration through the woods which the company carefully avoids.}

\begin{description}

\item[7 Deepwinter 887:] We enter Darkholm directly from the base of
Mt. Draco, the key of my ancestors opening the river gates just
as the Book of Mazes predicted. Wisps of black smoke rise from
the summit, and the ground rumbles sporadically with trepidation
during the night.

\item[8 Deepwinter 887:] With the benefit of the maps, we are for
some distance able to negotiate the sinister, watery labyrinth
which defends Darkholm, however, a new problem arises. The
strange, watery creatures which now inhabit the caves along the
Maze River's banks seem to disapprove of our presence. One raft
falls victim to fire, while others are set upon by Giant Sharks
and Gars. My soldiers are not used to fighting on board rafts,
and if it were not for Melchizidek, my guess is that we would
have all been slaughtered or drowned. Juhdin, my cousin, argues
for me to burn our craft and venture further on foot.
Melchizidek's warns against this, however, saying that we would
have to fight every step of our journey if not protected by the
water way.

\item[9 Deepwinter 887:] We set camp in a deserted grotto to repair
our remaining craft. We are now on the outskirts of the Naugarth,
lands that are truly Dwarven, and sensing this, our opponents are
too wary to follow directly. We set camp here, and several of the
youngers rest while my uncle Balock, my second in command,
accompanies me to the Well of the Fire God, where we drop the
fallen stars of Arioch recovered by Tamlin in Balin's expedition,
to awaken fiery Amaimon from his slumbers.

\item[10 Deepwinter 887:] Our prayers are answered as the waters
begin to steam and then boil. Hours later, the giant sharks and
gar which awaited us in ambush now float dead upon the water's
surface. We assemble the
rafts and take the river downstream. The steaming rapids soon
fold into the whirling conduit pool where we abandon our craft
and climb along the hanging chains. We regroup beside the still
boiling shores and begin marching onward, through the worm
tunnels, taking special pains not to disturb the denizens here.

\item[11 Deepwinter 887:] Dim and Oin fall victim to an uncharted
trap. Balin consults the maps furiously while we attempt to clear
our scouts' remains for a proper burial. There is no mention of a
major trap in this vicinity. Without our two best scouts to
examine our path as we follow, Amarth offers to take point, but
Balock refuses, arguing that we cannot risk our only assassin. He
takes point himself.

\item[12 Deepwinter 887:] Lost Glimi, Sodder, and Froin to Goblin
attacks today. We killed a score and retreated into the Great
Hall, locking ourselves inside. Our party appears to have split
in the confusion, and I have no idea as to my uncle Balock's
safety nor to that of Melchizidek's.

\end{description}

{\em Several pages of minor skirmishes follow.}

\begin{description}

\item[17 Deepwinter 887:] I saw Balock's head on a goblin spear
today. It is not an image I shall soon forget. We met our enemy
soon thereafter, and for the first time I feel that I know the
hunger of a true warrior, to kill without remorse and without
fear of dying. So terrible was my wrath, that I put the company
at grave risk, continuing the battle long after we had won the
right of passage and in jeopardy of meeting the goblin's
reinforcements. Juhdin pulled me from the fray at the last
moment, and I nearly killed him, so heedless was my anger.
I will name him as my inheritor when we find the others now that
my Uncle is dead.

\item[19 Deepwinter 887:] The company regroups today at the Shrine of
Healing. Melchizidek is well, thank the gods, as is most of the
company. I name Juhdin as my inheritor and second in command, and
we have a long meeting with the wizard on our next course of
action, now that we have gained entrance to the city. Melchizidek
wishes to kill Sauris, the Black Dragon of Theodred, while Juhdin
is less prepared to do battle with dragons and more inclined to
sweep away the Goblins while we have the advantage of the city. I
decide to heed to wizard's council over Juhdin's arguments.

\item[20 Deepwinter 887:] It seems as if the goblins knew of our
plans. Instead of preparing defenses as Juhdin predicted, they
were waiting for us in the west stairwell, apparently as a front
line of defense for Sauris. Our climb will be a difficult one
indeed, and I am sending troops to circle around, however, it will
be several weeks before we can mount an effective offensive.

\end{description}

{\em Several pages of battle field logistics and heroic displays of
stupidity follow.}

\begin{description}

\item[27 Yawehn 887:] Sauris is slain, but the evil wizard Reinold has
escaped up the stairwell to the east tower. We made ready to follow,
however, Melchizidek halted us, saying that magic alone would
defeat magic. Battle weary, both myself and Juhdin agree.

\item[1 Newrain 888:] Melchizidek returns from dealing with Reinold
and says, ``Our enemies are conquered, let us return to our homes
in victory." Nearly all the dwarves of our company refuse to
leave, and we tell Melchizidek that we are already home. He makes
ready his leave to the Tri Isles.

\item[2 Newrain 888:] After the feast, early in the morn, Melchizidek
tells me that a great change has befallen him, and no longer
should I address him as Melchizidek the Grey. I ask him what evil
magic has befallen, yet he says that the magic itself is not evil
but has befallen by a one who is evil. Of this, he refuses to
speak more, except to say that soon he will become Melchizidek
the True. Our conversation turns to the dwarves of whom I am now
prince. He warns that as the newly enthroned  prince, I must protect my people,
that the evil which has been conquered still lingers within the
mountain and that we are better to avoid it. He warns me against
rebuilding the east tower and even against exploring it, saying
that terrible magic still lingers there and that forever more it
must be known as the {\em Forbidden Tower} where none may venture.
Also, he warns against any further deep mining. A passage to the
Shallowlands might accidentally be opened, he explains, and we
both agree that our defenses are too weak to withstand another
large-scale conflict.

\end{description}

{\em Several pages of rebuilding the dwarven city of Darkholm
follow. The dwarves become preoccupied with the search for
Darkholm's hidden treasure which, it is assumed, the goblins have
been too dense to find with nearly nine centuries of looking.}

\begin{description}

\item[20 Summertide 888:] We begin mining again, though I know it is
against Melchizidek's wishes. The mineral veins are exhausted,
but many of the elders believe that the lost treasure may have been
buried at the very base of the mountain. We decide to
mine only a little at the very ends of each vein so that a
passage to the Shallowlands is not opened.

\item[8 Leafall 888:] There is a strong earthquake in the morning
quickly followed by an eruption. The network of lava channels
leading to the mountain's sides disperse the fires perfectly as
designed. I had wondered for some time if after so many centuries
they would still do their job, but my fears and concerns, I now
see, have been for naught. Our dwarven forefather's built
Darkholm to last. Now our duties are simply to clear the channels
before further eruptions occur yet after the lava cools. The
secondary channels are now being opened for precaution's sake in
case Amaimon should see need to test us further.

\item[18 Canis 888:] We capture bane midgets in the mines. Several
escape behind us, however, and we chase them to the city gates
and corner them, but they mysteriously disappear. Norak, our
diviner, says that it is a dark omen. 

\item[27 Canis 888:] We find two midgets within the city. Under
interrogation they tell us of a Sorceress named Veronica who
lives in the east (forbidden) tower. 

\item[1 Nightal 888:] The council of elders is held. Juhdin implores
me to seek out this Sorceress Veronica of the east tower to see
if she has our treasure so that my throne may be restored with
the jewels and gold which my forefathers stripped away and hid so
long ago when Darkholm was deserted. I refuse for a time to even
hear the argument. Melchizidek warned me to stay away from the
tower noting that the evil magic of his battle with Reinold was
still potent and that whoever goes there can die of the magic or
worse still, can bring it back to the city. However, all the
elders are very insistent that we must at least try to contact
her. We send back one of the midgets with a message that we seek
the Dwarven Horde.

\item[8 Nightal 888:] A week has passed since we sent out message to
the Sorceress, and we have not heard back from her. Juhdin has
called the guard to arms and the Elders expect me to soon lead a
charge on the Forbidden Tower. I believe that my decision to even
hear Juhdin's argument or for that matter to even allow the
digging in the mines was a grave error. I should have heeded the
Wizard Melchizidek's warnings to the letter.

\item[9 Nightal 888:] {\em (Final entry)} The
midget returns quite suddenly delivering a
message from the Sorceress. She says that she has the Dwarven
horde in the east tower and that she has been searching for the
rightful owner for quite some time. She says that she will let
the Prince of the Dwarves, being myself, take the treasure back
to the throne of Darkholm where it certainly belongs, and that I
have but to venture forth with my people to the east tower.
Immediately, Juhdin calls for a great feast of celebration and
curses Melchizidek for his senile and unwanted advice. I still
have reservations and desperately wish to speak with
Melchizidek, but he is far away, and venturing to see him would
mean leaving the Mountain and leaving Juhdin in command. So I
have no choice, and we prepare to make the short journey to the
tower. It should take only a day for the company to venture forth
and back, and all are eager to make haste.

\end{description}

\vspace{2in}

\begin{quote}
``Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge."\\

\ \ \ --- Darwin\\
\end{quote}

\end{document}

