Journal Of Irina Korvic
Day 1 of the Expedition to the Mountains of Iron 🔗
Today, we embark on our journet to find the remains of a once mighty kingdom nestled within the peaks of the Mountains of Iron. The mysterious monarchy described by some of the more obscure Kalassarian histories as the Kureran Culture.
I have been quite fortunate in being chosen to accompany the great scholar Ivan Kolyankovic in this historic expedition. I write this entry as we depart from our College at Castle Astow. To keep it short, I am excited at the prospect. We may finally find hints about the strange births of green-skinned infants after the appearance of the Orb of Burtz. The appearance of these children closely match the written descriptions of the Kureran people.
Day 2 🔗
We've purchased very convincing forgeries of Poasan credentials to be able to cross the border into Acqua Termina. There, we will make our way north into the mining town of Brol. From there we will attempt to trace paths described in our Kalassarian manuscripts. We may have been able to, instead approached the mountains from Port Imago by way of Kosavostok Bay, but that would only delay our expedition for weeks from all the necessary bargaining and paperwork.
All in the name of discovery!
Day 5 🔗
We finally arriveed at Acqua Termina. It's a disgusting little Poasan town at the mouth of River Acqua. Litter scattered everywhere, with the stench of rot emanating from the many open sewers everywhere. Badly built ports that, at times, do not have enough water for even flatships to dock. They would do well to add weirs or floodgates to stabilize the water level.
We are currently weighing our options. We may continue on foot, which may be slower, but we would remove the risk of riding vessels that may run aground and waste valuable resources without saving any time. Considering our equipment though, and the perilous road through the wilderness, we may be better off risking the voyage within the flatships.
Day 7 🔗
We chose to travel by land, and it may have been a mistake. We had to fend off a particularly persistent pack of plunderers that had, many times, attempted to raid our well-supplied caravan in the dead of night. Poasah is truly a haven for all sorts of vermin. I miss Tanduaria sorely.
Day 10 🔗
Quite astonishing! Our guides have led us through a very well-hidden trail along the mountain wall. I was loathe to distance our group from the scenic mountain road on our way to Khriss settlement, but the sheer anthropological interest in paths and caves that were excavated using primitive tools was too great to pass up. Extraordinary! The dimensions of the ---
The rest of the page is unreadable due to extensive water damage
Day 13 🔗
After four full days of travel along the man-made paths that were painstakingly carved by primitive, stone tools that built these hidden walkways through the mountains, we've finally arrived at Khriss. It took us much longer than we anticipated, given that we've cut through a substantial portion of travel, if we followed the main road, but we're here now, finally. We've been assaulted by sudden storms that forced us to take refuge. It would sound miserable, because for the most part, it was, but the man-made caves that the pre-historic people have build along the mountain paths provided us with a much-needed respite, not to mention new locations of interest to document and study. Thank the Divine Masochist for these, otherwise we would have frozen to death.
Day 14 🔗
Our first night at Khriss Settlement was very restful. The settlement itself, now that we've spent part of the day with the local prospectors and their families, I've come to like this place a lot. The people of this burgeoning community are very friendly and hospitable, full of optimism. Their look forward to exploring the rich veins of ore that are naturally grafted within rocks of this vast mountain range. If only Tanduaria was so fortunate to have access to all of this raw natural resource.
The latter portion of our travel, though interesting to say the least, was quite exhausting. We have learned a great deal already, but now we must begin the real work. Tomorrow we will explore some artifacts that may have connections with the elusive Kurerans. Hopefully this is not another shameless fabrication.
Day 15 🔗
Not Kurerans yet, but we now have archaeological evidence that the Kalassarians had a mining community here in Khriss! Miners have found a cache of pickaxes, shovels, and other mining tools that seem to be consistent with our understanding of Kalassarian mining techniques.
However, no traces of artifacts that may be contemporary with Kureran culture. Kalassarian records that we do have mention that by the time when these particular tools were in use, the Kurerans have already disappeared or died out. It is disappointing considering the purpose of this expedition, but this find is still monumental in its importance.
More pages are either missing or unreadable
Day 35 🔗
We may have finally found the the correct trail to Korad Pass again! We're deep in the forests of these valleys in the Mountains of Iron. Our cartographer, Dog is making sense of where we are in relation to the maps he'd been compiling. We must be close. There are even markings that match the few descriptions the Kalassarians have about it.
Day 37 🔗
We lost sight of the trail again. Many are getting anxious, and Dog tells me that the markers that he'd placed were either dislodged somehow, or have been tampered with. We need to find some kind of clearing to get our bearings.
Day 45 🔗
We're no longer running in circles, but we're also not making any progress. We found a cavern system yesterday, but it was absolutely empty. There may be biological systems that would make natural historians very happy, but no new signs of the Kurerans. We've been here for weeks now, and we're no closer to finding the remains of the Kureran Kingdom. We may need to head back to Khriss soon, to regroup, reassess and resupply. I have no intentions of giving up now.
Day 50 🔗
Our assessment of our disastrous first run: 5 people dead, and many of our guides have left us, convinced that this expedition is cursed. I don't want to give up, but we might not have enough staff to attempt this again, despite the soundness of our revised plan.
Day 51 🔗
As our negotiatins with the guides and some locals regarding an extended search have floundered, I found myself wandering close to the old, condemned tunnels in the Khriss mineshafts. Specifically, those ones that had Kalassarian markings on them. Our geologist tells me that many of the fractures here don't seem consistent with erosion pattern. There is a chance that these have been collapsed intentionally. The local miners tell us that it isn't that unusual. Many shafts are collapsed intentionally, either due to something on the other side that might prove risky, or because of structural instability in the shaft itself.
Ivan sides with the miners here. He says that we might be biased towards finding something when there is nothing to find. My gut says otherwise, but I can't discount the possibility that I'm losing objectivity.
Day 52 🔗
We're heading home. What a waste. We ARE getting close, I can feel it! There is something here that is just passed that last ridge. If these damned superstitious morons would just get with the times, we could continue!
Alas, we cannot afford to antagonize these people. Not just the guides, but the mercenaries we brought with us. Some of these disloyal bastards might report us to the Poasah border authorities, and we'd lose our chance to return in the future.
Day 53 🔗
We now return to Tanduaria in shame. We've not found what we came searching for, lost a number of the most intelligent scholars of our time, and I have lost my faith in my own abilities, and that of my once-cherished mentor. Ivan just doesn't want this as much as I do.
We failed this quest now, but I WILL return. With a better crew and a more sound plan. Does Ivan not realize that the Fall of Kurera may just be the what we need to make sense of our future? The disappearance of the Kurerans, of Ritma itself, and it's connection to the Orb of Burtz is definitely connected, and I will find this connection, or die trying.