The writing on the worn leather cover of the thick notebook states: Notebook Experiments on Summoning property of Kintaw [The pages are all labelled by page.1, page.2, etc] The first few pages detail the background and materials needed in the summoning experiments. Most of the writing is in an ancient language that hasn't graced this land in millenia. Some of the more obvious words include "summon", "power", "different", "death". The more interesting experiments start on page.6. Year 135 Month of the Battle Day 25 First experiment carried out today. Rite set up as decreed in the ancient texts (see Ref. Necro. 245) Had a little trouble at first as it seems the obsidian reagent was much flawed, but this was soon remedied through purification in fire. The summoning proved successful! A small creature, no greater than the size of a rat appeared in the circle, a creature of pure evil. Not only did it radiate a great evil, but it shied away from any source of good. (I knew the ancient texts were not false!!). * * * * (the entry goes on to describe the nature and power of the creature) * * * * This went so well, and even greater powers await! This page contains the specific information and setup of the next experiment, the results of which are on page 8. Year 136 Month of the Frost Giant Day 2 This experiment was much delayed due to the rarity of reagents needed. The hardest to come by were the bones of a daemon, most rare, at least so far here in the north! Again, rites were followed as written in the ancient texts (see Ref Necro. 367). The rite was supposed to conjure a lesser being of evil, yet something else appeared inside the summoning circle. I might attribute this to the lesser quality sand I used in the rite. The creature was evil, to be sure, but it was dead, yet alive. The most distinguishing feature of it happened to be the eyes: they were absolutely black and dark, like two circles which absorbed the light! The more amazing fact is that it soon spoke! I had not expected this until summoning greater beings. It asked where it was, and who had summoned him. I answered him, and he asked for more information, which I readily supplied. Then I commanded him to explain who he was, and where he was from. He told me he was just one of thousands from where he came from, a place "set aside", he called it, waiting to be summoned by a source powerful enough. (What a vast source of power could be available through this place!) He named this place as Vacalid. So, having discoursed with him enough, I sent him back to where he came from. I must look further into this "Vacalid" place. Year 136 Month of Old Forces Day 15 I finally found reference to this "Vacalid" place! I knew I had heard of the place, but couldn't quite remember, and finally. . . It's referenced in the old nursery rhymes told by the arctic barbarian tribes! They use the term 'Vacalad', which is undoubtedly this place. The stories and rhymes of this place name the inhabitants as, for a rough translation "fear-its", beings of grotesque and evil nature. Surely, again, similar to what I encountered!! The barbarians, of course, fear just about anything that they can't understand. They write of the 'fear-its' coming in the night to take their children, and sometimes an entire family. The most famous of these stories being the "Tale of Talmoro" in which an earlier chief succumed to the 'fear-its'. I must continue the research into these beings. Year 136 Month of the Grand Struggle Day 1 I have found snippits and bits of information in many different sources, but most importantly I found out why I summoned that creature! It happens that this tower is built on the ancient gateway through which the Vacalids used to enter this world. Through my spell, I managed to weaken this barrier, and so instead of conjuring a frog, I conjured a Vacalid. Taking all the information that I could find on the subject of these 'fear-its', I compiled it all into one book for reference purposes. Now I had mentioned a gateway through which the Vacalids entered this world. I found reference to an old story in which a shaman by the name of Paschk managed to close the portal, by sacrificing his own life, thus creating a 'death' seal over the portal. I must consult my book on portals to discover how I might once again access this gateway. Year 136 Month of the Grand Struggle Day 3 The portal book tells of a way to access the 'death' portals. I can easily make one component, but the other will be much harder to find. Maybe I can find one from the local villagepeople, or maybe I will have to raid a tomb on the mainland. In the meantime, I have started summoning other Vacalids, talking with them and learning more about them. They are a fascinating race, nothing like the killers which the barbarians believe them to be. And I have just recently learned after much prying from one, that they have lost their most prominent conjurer, which means they will need somebody to take his place! Perhaps I can impress myself upon them. Year 136 Month of the Grand Struggle Day 10 An odd occurrance today, I had finished speaking with one of the Vacalids I had summoned, and ordered it to leave, but it didn't do so right away. In fact, it turned its vacant eyes to stare at me for a second, and then vanished. Most disconcerting, I must look into ways for better control. But good news! I have offered myself to become their new master conjurer. I made this offer to one of the more powerful beings. He seemed very pleased at my request! I believe it is only a matter of time now. Year 136 Month of the Great Struggle Day 11 Wonderful news! I summoned the one called Macavalan back, and he told me that I had been accepted by his people to be their conjurer. Macavalan is quite a character, to be sure. I must remember to write a few things about him later. But anyway, he gave me the information on what I needed to do to make permenant my position over them. I am to find the ancient portal they used and perform a specific ritual on it that will bind me to it as the gatekeeper, thus letting me open and close it at will. I believe I know exactly where this gate is too, for I remember my brother Photor talking of some great mystery in the basement! I will go check this out tomorrow and begin preparing the ritual. Year 136 Month of the Great Struggle Day 12 I found the sealed portal in the basement today. Luckily, with this new ritual, I will not need that skull to complete my spell! In fact, I have all the reagents I need! I don't know if this is related, but a few odd things have been happening around here. The kids have been saying that they see the walls being to bulge and pucker, things seem to vanish, only to appear right where they were, hearing strange whispering voices, and I myself have seen dark figures ducking around corners. I do not like to think what might be happening, but all will change once I confirm myself as master of the Vacalids. Year 136 Month of the Great Struggle Day 15 Disaster!! BETRAYAL!!!! Oh CURSE my lust for power, I have doomed my family because of it! That ritual to give me so much power has been the downfall of us all! I set up the ritual as instructed, and when I chanted the phrase, suddenly a great eruption occurred BEHIND me. A gaping black portal opened up behind me like a tear in the ground and from it pour so many of the Vacalids, and they were NOT in the talking mood! I barely managed to get up back to the lab, they were close on my tail. I must work quickly for a means to get rid of the vile betrayers! Year 136 Month of the Great Struggle Day 25 All is lost! Through my magical means, I have discovered all but my brother are dead, and I do believe he is in one of his 'states'. It is all my fault, and all I can do is but try and save myself, and I do not know if I will be able to do even that. Luckily the Vacalids cannot enter into this room, I was quick enough to enscribe protective runes about this chamber to prevent their entry. In the meantime, I can do nothing but continue my experiments and hope I stumble on a way to be free of this place.