Sundas, 9th Day of Second Seed
This is the remaining account of a master necromancer’s journal and his surviving apprentice after an attempt to deal with something called “The Masters". The apprentice was found by the road near a cave by locals and was later questioned by the guards.
Loredas, 1st day of Second Seed.
We missed our day searching for seclusion. The Revenant is out tonight, but nothing can be done till the caravan arrives. It took all our coin to hire reliable help in the form of bandits to cross the border into Cyrodill and secret away the last remaining altar from Fort Istirus. My apprentice wondered why we didn’t kill and enslave them. I told him the living attract less attention. He has a lot to learn.
Sundas, 2nd day of Second Seed.
We found a semi inconspicuous cave in the hjaalmarch swamps. It’s a little too close to the roads for my liking but it will have to do. I sent my apprentice to meet the bandits at the border near falkreath, he will pose as a merchant to attract less attention. Everything is going according to plan.
Mundas, 3rd day of Second Seed.
The caravan has yet to return, but that is to be expected. The patrols have gotten heavy as of late, but shouldn’t pose too much of a problem. Checked the surrounding area, haven’t seen many people on the road. I take it as a good sign.
Tirdas, 4th day of Second Seed.
Caravan still not returned. I decided to deal with the forsworn again. Their seemingly never ending supply of grand soul gems never ceases to amaze me. I always wondered why they dealt with me, maybe its my Breton blood. Maybe it’s my magical profession. Either way, I’ll never get used to hag ravens.
Midas, 5th day of Second Seed.
Everything is set. My soul gem quota is met, 5 grand, arranged in a perfect circle. I know the proper incantations by heart. I have all the proper ingredients for the ritual and my prized welkynd stone at the ready. I had to make a hole in the ceiling of the cave to let our coveted moon shine through, though at the risk of collapsing. it did not obviously. Everything is set.
Turdas, 6th day of Second Seed.
Caravan returned. When the bandits unloaded the alter in its proper spot, me and my apprentices paralyzed them. Their now tied up and will stay till the Revenant comes. My apprentices is asking a lot of questions. Ah, petulance and philosophy all wrapped in one youthful bundle. Just three days…
Fredas, 7th day of Second Seed.
One bandit attempted to escape, but was stopped by my apprentice. The bandit had to be killed. Wouldn’t stop shouting. We made an example of him. I will refuse to let anything go wrong. I refuse to falter.
Loredas, 8th of Second Seed.
Tomorrow. The air is thick with me and my apprentices excitement. I decided to write down the process for references to go back to.
at least five mortal souls to offer, (obviously they must be in a gem, though the number varies, each account I’ve heard says there must be enough to gain the Masters’ interest.)
one must have a strong magic supply. Their presence seems to drain most magic in the area, and if my magic fails me they could easily take my soul. I prepared for this contingency. In case my magic fails me, my prized Welkynd stone should do the trick.
the gems in the circle filled with the bandits soul should not only please them, but hopefully sate their hunger. The circle provides a constant source of magic that my apprentice will provide. They shouldn’t do anything with him; their business is with me.
The journal entries end here, and besides being a little damaged was in readable condition. It was found sitting neatly near an ancient looking Mage, shriveled up. Like the his very essence was sucked out. The local Mage seems to be disturbed by it and the bandits remains, and refused to remove the black soul gems. Some were shattered and others turned to dust. The apprentice in question was found shaking, holding a cracked stone which might be the Welkynd stone mentioned. His only response was “he failed”.
The journal and the stone is being sent to the college to hopefully shed more light as to what happened.