A Journal for Adriel
written by Lady Korrynn of Daggerdale, Faithful of Mystra

Tarsakh 7-1369
Tower of Lady Korrynn, Daggerdale

I  know  not  how  to begin. I suppose I should start with telling you
that  I  just  learned  of  your  existence  only four evenings ago. I
thought  it might be nice for you to have a chronicle to look back on.
A  way  to  better understand your mother and most of her friends. The
entire  Nameless  Band  will  be taking an extended vacation due to my
condition.  I  have  many spell ideas and magic items I wish to create
during this period and I also thought that nine moons and all of those
passings  of  Selune  would provide me enough time to chronicle things
for you.

I  am  writing  to you from my tower in Daggerdale. You will know this
place.  Daggerdale  is  a  nation  we,  the  Nameless Band, freed from
Zhentarim  control  almost  one  year ago. We have been enemies to the
Zhentarim for fourteen years now. It has not been an easy life but one
that  I  have enjoyed to the fullest. Daggerdale will be your home for
it  is a goodly nation and Randal Morn is a fair and just leader.  The
temple  to Mystra is true and strong. I built it with the aid of spell
casting.  It  did  take a lot of planning and it took me days to cast.
But  your  faith  to the Lady will grow strong here as will many other
skills you will develop.

I  met  your  father  in Cormyr three years ago. He is there still but
will  be  moving  here  very  soon. He is going to be giving up a very
important  position in that nation. He was the High Sage of Arabel. He
is a brilliant mage and knows more about Gorgons than anyone in all of
Faerun.  We are to be wed soon. The engagement becomes official at the
end  of  this  cycle  on Greengrass. He is a good man, your father. If
anyone  tells  you  he  was  a psychotic, crazy mage, you believe them
because your father is amongst the finest of us "crazy" mages.

I  could  tell  you  about  each  one of the Nameless but I think that
wouldn't be too fun. I think I will start from the very beginning. The
beginning  of  the  Nameless Band, before we even had a name. When Joe
was  a sell-sword. Faraday....well he wasn't Faraday, and he wasn't as
great  a  thief,  but  he  was  good.  Even  back then. We didn't know
Palanor,  Samantha or Jorin back then. I wasn't even Korrynn. I wasn't
who I am now, not in the least. Back then I was Kate. I was evil.

Tarsakh 9-1369
House of Stars-Dagger Falls

Today  I  write  you  from  the temple. I have been discussing wedding
plans  with  Athina.  She is the High Priestess here. She and Jahnifer
are  determined  to  make  a big affair of this, but I would prefer to
keep  it small. We are also talking about the anniversary party we are
planning  for  the  Dale.  We  have  done our best to help make this a
prosperous  nation  again. The party will be our way of thanking those
who have stayed and helped to rebuild this country.

I  have  taken  my  leave of them for a while and have come to the top
floor to write to you. You are to be borne here. It has been deemed so
by  the lady herself. You don't know it yet but the day after you were
conceived you were blessed by Mystra. You will be an incredible person
someday.  Follow the path that she has for you and you will succeed at
whatever you choose to do.

Now  I  suppose  I should start up where I left off. Your mother being
evil. It is a long story. Too long to write it all out but I will tell
you a  little  of it now. I was borne in the city of Ravens Bluff, but
with  a different face and the name of Kate. My parents were nobles of
this  city.  I  was  brought up with anything a little girl could wish
for.  I  had  a  nanny. When I was very young she noticed that I had a
skill  with  magic.  She taught me a few simple cantrips over the next
few years. She was a special person to me for showing me the art.

My  skills  with  magic were kept a secret between my nanny and myself
for quite some time. My parents would have disapproved. They wanted to
have  the  perfect little noble lady for a daughter. I preferred being
alone,  or  playing  adventurers  and orcs with the little boys in the
neighborhood.  I  longed  to  learn  more  of  magic, but my nanny had
limited  abilities  herself  and  had shown me all that she knew. As a
young  girl  I knew I couldn't ask my parents to go to the War Wizards
college.

When  I  turned eighteen there was a ball of sorts. I was presented to
Ravens Bluff  society. That  meant  that I was of age to be courted. I
detested  being  "shown"  in that way. That evening, after the ball, I
approached  my  parents  and  told  them  of  my  wishes to attend the
college.  They  weren't  too pleased with my decision but being that I
was  of  age  they  could  not  object. They agreed that I could begin
school the following year.

By the time I finally entered school I was twenty six. Eight years had
passed  with  them  trying to marry me off to some rich noble, or some
old  Lord  of So and so. They did what they could to try and get me to
forget  about  magic and the school. My father was at court all of the
time  and  I helped with the family business more and more. Over those
eight years I saved almost all of my earnings. When I had enough saved
for  tuition  I enrolled at the school. My parents were unable to stop
me  because I paid for it on my own. My father was unhappy with me and
my  mother  told  me  that  if  I wanted it badly enough to pay for it
myself then she would support my decision. They both had been resigned
to the thought that I was going to be an old maid anyway.

Aaaahhhh!  I  count  the days till the Dragon Isle. Athina has come in
and  asked if I was ready to start discussing plans again. Then asking
what  I'm doing.....Is it a new spell? No it's a letter to my child. I
don't say that to her though. She might think I truly was insane then.
I will continue my writings to you again soon. The old memories that I
thought faded are crystal clear to me when I write you.

Tarsakh-10-1369
Tower of Lady Korrynn-Daggerdale

The thoughts of Ravens Bluff have been invading my memory since I last
wrote  you.  I had better get past this part of the story so I can get
on  with  my life! Faraday's Inn will be opening in a few days as will
Samantha Crownsilver's theatre, and there will be a huge party for the
grand  openings. I'm sure some of the best bards in all of Faerun will
be  there.  That  is one of the many differences between the Dales and
Ravens Bluff, life here has so many more simple pleasures, like music.

I  spent  five  years at the War Wizards college before I graduated. I
still  worked  at  the  family  business  to help cover my costs, so I
couldn't go to school full time. I was thirty when I left. I was ready
to  move  up in the world. I wanted to become one of the most powerful
mages  in the realms. At that point in life I didn't care how I got my
power,  I just knew I wanted it. I knew the only way to gain power was
to  gain  knowledge  and  money.  The  only  way  to  do that was with
adventure, and I knew I couldn't do that alone. I went out night after
night looking for formidable people to adventure with.

The  night life  in Ravens Bluff was rough. There was a city guard but
even  they  couldn't  stop  every crime in that city. I would leave my
house  and go from bar to bar looking for just the right people. After
a  couple  cycles  of  Selune  I realized that a lot of groups weren't
willing to take a woman mage with them. I also learned that being weak
with my magic was a disadvantage. I had to get better with my staff to
protect  myself. I can't tell you the amount of times I would sit with
groups in hope of adventuring with them, only to have them try and rob
and/or  rape  me  later.  Lucky  for me I only lost a little money and
components and not my honor.

I  began  to  venture  farther  and  farther  into  the older parts of
Ravens Bluff, searching  the bars there for parties to travel with. On
the  evening  of  my  six month graduation ceremony I said a prayer to
Mystra  to  help  me  out in finding an adventuring group. Back then I
prayed to her, but not like I began to later. Then one night about two
weeks  later  I went into a place I had never been. The bulletin board
was  full of want-ads. I don't know why I chose the one I did, I guess
it  was  the  one  that caught  my  eye.  It  said to inquire with the
barkeep. I asked him about it and he told me to have a seat and wait.

As  I  sat and waited, and drank my ale...of course, I looked the room
over  trying to see who the ad might have belonged to. I tried to look
wise and powerful, even though I really wasn't. As I turned back to my
table  a rather tall younger man approached me. Turns out that guy was
Flagg. He asked my intentions and I told him. My intention was to gain
myself  power  at whatever cost. I joined him at his table where I met
Joe and Olive.   They told me of their plans to leave Ravens Bluff and
go to  Shadowdale.  I almost jumped at the mention of Shadowdale. That
is the  adventuring  capitol of Faerun. I accepted the offer, thinking
if  things  didn't  work  out then at least I would be in Ravens Bluff
and could get a new party to travel with.

The next evening we all went out looking for loot. We would need money
for  supplies  and  they wanted to see how I was. They were all on the
ground  and I was up on a roof. I knew where all of them were and they
knew  where  I  was.  A few minutes later we saw a nobleman with a fat
purse  walking up the alley. I almost immediately noticed he carried a
watch and he had enough rings on that at least one had to be magic. He
spoke  with  another man briefly and they exchanged something. As soon
as  the  other  man  was  gone I would make my move. I had to make the
first  move  and make it a good one. I had to show them I was capable.
It was a choice I made that changed my life.

He  began walking my way and I flew down on him. He had slapped me out
of  the  air before I even touched him. He began saying I made a grave
mistake  and  that  he  was  Lord Holiday and I would pay for this. He
pulled  out  a dagger to kill me. Just as he was about to strike there
was  a  noise.  He got nervous and cast sleep on me. Little did I know
everyone I was with except Joe was asleep too. When I woke up they had
clothes and ice held to the side of my face. I was bleeding badly from
a cut Holiday had put there.  We were healed by a priest whose faith I
can't  remember.  Even  with the healing I still had a bright red scar
that ran from my temple across my cheekbone, almost to my lip.

A few nights later we did a planned robbery of a wealthy mans home. It
was  well  planned but something went wrong and the man was killed. We
knew that we would have to move quickly to get out of the city. Murder
was  the  word on the street and the killers were on the loose, so the
guard  was tight.   We got out of Ravens Bluff one day later. That was
the last time I saw my homeland.   It isn't home anymore to me though.
It is a  place  that belonged to a different person.  I have no family
there, nothing.  Daggerdale  is  my  home now. I have plenty of people
in  my  "family",  with you,  Azgetrion, and the Nameless, I have more
family than I did before.

Kate-Korrynn,  Flagg-Faraday,  but Joe is Joe and Olive is Olive. That
is a story in itself. I have much to do in preparation for the opening
of the Inn.  I also have to prepare a gift for King AzounIV of Cormyr.
We are attending his birthday party next month.  King Azoun is a great
man ...too bad he has Vangerdast behind him. I have so much of my life
to tell you.  I could write you for nine months straight about my life
and I still would have stories to tell.   I have watched history being
made and I  have made history. I hope your life is as full as mine has
been.  I could only hope that it is better, not as full of tragedies.

Tarsakh 11-1369
House of Stars-Dagger Falls

I  am  still  here  at  the  temple.  I  returned  after speaking with
Alustrieal.  It seems casting any magics during pregnancy has some risk
to  it.  That  and you are the first borne chosen of Mystra, which may
cause  a  greater  risk.  I  spend  my  days in prayer and meditation.
Working  on  your  silver  fire is now my prime requisite for the time
being. There are only four days until the opening of Faraday's inn. It
is  the  largest  thing  on  our  properties.  His  dwarves  have done
extremely  well  in  the  construction and the design is wonderful. It
will be the grandest inn in all of the Dales.

I  was  going to skip a lot of the past. It isn't too pleasant a thing
for  me. Then I thought that there were many things that I had to tell
you  about. Important things that changed our lives forever. The first
change was when we left Ravens Bluff.    We took a ship across the sea
and landed  in Harrowdale.  We heard of the Half Axe Trail and decided
that was the quickest way to Shadowdale. We found the trail and start-
ed our journey.   The first night on the trail I was approached by the
ghost of Durall  HalfAxe  and  was aged ten years.  So now I was forty
one years old and had a lot less experience than my age should tell.

We  continued  down the trail even though it was heavily overgrown and
the battles  were  deadly.  We fought various orcs and kobolds but our
greatest challenge was the gorgon. We faced off with Old Smokey of the
Cormanthyr.  Your father could tell you much of that particular beast.
It  was  a difficult battle both Joe and Flagg were turned to stone by
the breath of the  monster.   Olive  and  I dragged them to the nearest
village where we worked off a couple of potions of stone to flesh from
a  local  that  had  a  supply  handy  for  just  such  adventurers as
ourselves. After Flagg and Joe's health were fully regained we were on
our  way.  I was in desperate need of training. The next city we would
get  to  would be Hillsfar and hopefully there I would be able to find
someone to train with.

The  next  couple  of  nights  were rough even though we traveled on a
road. We encountered several orcs and kobolds . After one particularly
rough  day  full of fights we made camp for the evening. In the middle
of  the  night  we  were  attacked by a group of gnolls. We all fought
valiantly  but  it was Joe who saved the party. He went into a sort of
frenzy  and  went out killing practically all of them himself. He died
that  evening. We were stuck in the middle of this immense forest with
no  fighter.  I  figured  we were doomed. We buried Joe and all said a
prayer for him. Flagg took his index finger and put it in an empty jar
he  had. We left him the next morning taking note of where we left him
under  a crude grave of dirt and stone, with a stump to mark his final
resting place.

That  was one of the most frightening experiences of my life. The Half
Axe  Trail.  We  were  crazy  young adventurers and we thought we were
indestructible.  I  have "died" twice. Once in my old life and once in
my new. I don't fear death. I just fear the way by which I will die.

Tarsakh 13-1369
Tower of Lady Korrynn- Daggerdale

It has been merely a tenday since discovering myself pregnant.  I find
myself being very conscious of you. I work with the silver fire within
you  everyday.  Some days longer than others, I wonder if you remember
it?  Your father has moved here to Daggerdale. He brought along all of
his  possessions  as well as Timothy. He has been enchanting the tower
and  preparing  for  his  life here. He has been spoiling me with rare
fruits  and  fine  herbal  teas.  I  do look forward to our time alone
together.  We  have  never been alone for that long a time. We spent a
winter  together  in Arabel and he treated me like a queen. Especially
when I came down with the flu.

The  arrangements  for the opening of the Inn are complete. I have had
the  gem enchanted for the King's gift and I've purchased enough paper
and  ink to do thirty-five scrolls. I am not used to having time on my
hands  to  do  these  sort  of  things. The last break I took was that
winter  with  your  father  in  Arabel.  I  don't  count training with
Elminster a break. He is anything but easy to train with. Besides, Joe
and  Faraday,  along   with  Olive  and  a  few  others,  raided  some
dwarven tomb. Oh I'm real sorry I missed that....ha!

I have been trying to figure out how I want the nursery. I am sure you
will  be  spending  more  time at the temple and with your father than
with  me.  That  sounds horrible, but I have an important job. I would
want  nothing  more  than  to  retire  and  spend  the rest of my days
teaching you the ways of the world but I can't trust anyone else to do
what  we do. Can just anyone hunt out the Zhentarim as efficiently and
swift  as  the Nameless? Who else would destroy their keep? We do plan
on  that someday in the near future. I know there must be a balance of
good and evil, but they have been too evil for too long.

We  haven't  always  hunted  Zhentarim.  We used to hunt drow also. We
stopped  that  pursuit.  The  drow are a very deadly and very powerful
race. At the time they could have totally destroyed us and they almost
did........but that is another story. Not all drow are bad. I have met
one  drow, Quielle, that is somewhat like a sister to me. I have heard
of  another  drow,  a ranger named Drizzt that Faraday has learned of.
But  never,  and  I  emphasize  never,  have  I ever heard of a goodly
Zhentarim. That is part of why I dislike them so. That and they insist
on conquering free nations and making them follow Zhent ways and gods.
I  believe in freedom of religion. People are free to worship who they
will and should never be forced or limited in their choices.

Mystra  is  hopefully  going  to  be  the  goddess of your choice. The
decision will be yours but know that you are blessed by her. I worship
many  gods  as  do the rest of the Nameless and Azgetrion as well. You
will be well versed on all of these gods and I can tell you some of my
own  personal  experiences  with  them  as  well. Like the fact that I
bathed in Deneir's bath.  It was glorious. A war with Malar.  The gods
wield  much  power in  the  Realms but always remember that they wield
only  the power given to them by their worshippers.  If their faithful
quit  praying what are the gods? Ask Shaundakul. He would let you know
what happens when people stop praying.

I  know  not  why I left my story today. I had other things on my mind
possibly.  My  mind  is  full of the future. I am tired, both body and
mind.  I  will write again after the opening of the inn, with tales of
who was there and what went on.

Tarsakh 16-1369
Tower of Lady
Korrynn and Azgetrion- Daggerdale

It  is  the  early  morning hours of this new day. I have yet to sleep
after  the  affair  this  evening  at  the  Stone  Horse  Inn and Lady
Crownsilver's  new theatre. I thought I would write before bed so that
I  could  perhaps  remember the night better. It was quite an evening,
even your father was dressed more casual for once!

We  went  to  the  inn  the night before the opening and it was a full
house. There were tents and bonfires all around the place. People knew
it was to open in a day and they were all waiting to get a chance at a
room  at  Faraday's marvelous Inn. There were bards galore. Along with
mimes  and  jugglers  there was a fire breather and a sword swallower.
Criers  were  hailing the opening of the theater and bards sang of the
theater  as  well.  Once inside the inn we all realized Palanor wasn't
there. None of us had even seen him in a tenday.  In a hurry we headed
to his property.

As we grew close to his temple we noticed a great lack of people. Then
as  we  went up the steps to the main entrance we noticed the gambling
hall  was  closed. It's a crying shame because I was feeling extremely
lucky  at that moment. When we got to the top we heard chanting coming
from inside the temple. I knew some sort of ceremony was up but had no
idea how big until Faraday opened the door. The light that was seeping
from  the cracks of the door was pretty bright but when the doors were
opened it was blinding.

Through  the whitest light you have ever seen I could make out Palanor
only  he wasn't like Palanor he was a big mass of white light. A light
filled  lump,  still  with  human  form  but not with any features. We
entered  the temple only to be pretty much told to leave. They were in
a  summoning chant and we weren't "devout" priests. We left hoping all
was  well  with Palanor and Tymora. As we left I think we all realized
the blinding flash of light that had to have burst from this place. We
all  went  our  separate ways for the evening and agreed that we would
meet up in the morning at the Inn.

Written in character by Michelle Duarte