Okay, here are a few journal entries from the group's past (failed) excursions to BBI. For the most part I've left who wrote them unnamed, but I don't believe it's a giant mystery who wrote most of them. I've got loads more of these, they're helping me fill in a few blanks.
Entry #1
Day 10
We ran out of curatives yesterday, and leave it to me to get bitten by a damn warg. It's infected. I can't walk. It burns like hell. Arya's been taking care of me. If we get out of this, I'm buying her dinner for a month. Patience of a saint, she's got.
Day 12
Arya and I got into a shouting match, I don't know what it was about, and it only happened twenty minutes ago. I just remember being so angry at everything. My wound's getting worse, it's probably that that's getting to me.
Day 13
Arya left for curatives several hours ago, she said she'd be back in ten minutes. I don't think she's coming back. Whether she just got tired of taking care of me or ran into another group of corrupted pawns, I'll never know. I hope it's the former.
I hope she's still alive.
Day 14
Two weeks? Has it been two weeks? It's so hard to tell in here.
I have to keep writing stuff down. If I don't, my mind goes foggy.
It took me quite some time to remember my name. Thomas.
Or was that someone that was with me?
Day 15
Thomas. Arya. Seel. Quintin. They're names written in earlier entries. I don't know them. But the writing looks like mine. My head hurts so much when I try to remember.
Day 16
Fin. Ish the Cy. Cle of ETER. nal reT uRn
Day ---
Don't
Can't
Want
Stop
Die
Entry #2
"I've come to realize I've been here before. If it wasn't the eerie deja-vu I experience every time I walk into a room that clued me in, it would definitely be the fact that I just tripped over my own corpse in the hall. I vaguely remember trying to leave someone a message - perhaps myself - in the blood on the wall. I've tried to decipher it, but I'm coming up empty-handed. I wish I remembered what I wanted to say.
Perhaps that is it - that I've been here before? That there's something to that Eternal Ring nonsense? I don't know. But it was something important, urgent enough to write as I lay dying.
All I see in that bloody mess is the letter 'A'. What was I trying to say..."
Entry #3
“If you're reading this, it means I've succeeded. I've escaped. They tried to trap me here, but they WON'T. You should leave too, while you can. Liftstones aren't reliable.
...Unless he gave me a fake one. That bastard, I bet he did.
Yeah, well, guess what? I'll find you. I'll make you pay for this.
You'll all pay for this. Every last one of you. You know who you are.
Unless you don't. But I do. I know who you are.
Entry #4
"It is a vicious cycle. I've tried telling them everything, only succeeding in traumatizing them and hastening their corruption. I have tried staying away... but I can't sit idly by and watch as they march unknowingly to their deaths. I couldn't live with myself if I did nothing. I have to help. I have to be with them.
However, it seems that the closer I am to them, the harder Ashe works to splinter us. And he succeeds. We turn on each other, spewing hateful words, raising our weapons. We are not us. There is blood on my hands even now and Ashe will not let me wipe it clean. He wants it to break me, like it broke him. I will not let it. I
can't let it. I owe you more than that.
Your death will not be in vain, I promise you. I will find a way to save you. Until then, rest well, my darling. We will meet again."
Entry #5
Intrepid travelers, heed my warning.
For whatever reason you were guided here – and you WERE guided here, whether you know it or not – it is not worth the risk. What use is gold and treasure if you cannot leave this wretched place?
The thrill of exploring a previously unknown and unmapped location fades quickly when you realize you cannot share your findings with the outside world.
If you still have your wits about you enough to turn around and leave, do so. It will not be long before you start to fade away.
Entry #6
It's always there, prickling at the backs of our minds, tugging at us.
It's becoming difficult to resist.
I know the pain would end if I just let go and let the isle take me in.
The life I desire... I don't even know what that is anymore, but it's here. I can hear it calling.
Entry #7
She corrupted. I think that's the word. Is that what they call it when it happens to humans? When they stop acting like themselves? She broke off from the group, and now we can't find her.
Shinon is holding up surprisingly well. He claims all she needs is a curative, something to clear her head. I fear it is much worse than he realizes.
--
I saw her in the depths. I wish I hadn't. She is only human in appearance now, and that is being generous. She is covered in blood, and I don't believe it's hers.
I called out to her, but she didn't respond. I wonder if she still knows her name. Despite Carcharoth's objections, I went in closer. When she turned, when the light of my lantern hit her face, I knew she was lost. The isle had warped her into a banshee.
What are we supposed to tell Shinon?
Why is he still of sound mind?
--
He refuses to believe it, even after seeing her. Such bullheadedness is actually a good thing in this situation. He isn't falling into corruption, he still has hope, even though it is false.
Nobody knows why he isn't corrupted. Perhaps we should take the time to learn why before proceeding.
Entry #8
-There is a note at the corpse's feet-
I'm not as strong as the rest of you. I can't do this anymore. I can't watch as someone else I care about dies. I know you'll be better off without me. I'm fragile both physically and mentally, and I'm holding you back.
I love you all and I don't want to wait around until I don't. I want to die as me, not as something else. Please take care, I will be watching over you.
~Z
Entry #9
The hallucinations are nearly non-stop now. I'm seeing giant beasts where there are none. I just fired several volleys of arrows at three inert magick medals. I saw a golem. I saw it. It was there. I'm scared that it's only a matter of time before I start mistaking the others for monsters.
Perhaps I should go off on my own. I know we were supposed to stick together, but if I'm a danger to them, I don't want to be around them.
Yes. That is what I'll do. Clear them a path. If they're not around, I'll know I'm safe to shoot at anything. Yes. Good. It's settled.
Entry #10
I found a golden egg! It's a pity I don't have anything to put it in, I don't know how long they last, but surely it'll be rotten by the time we're out of here. I think Gabs said she brought some frozen holy water, maybe I'll just grab a few of those and store my egg with them.
–
Gabs wouldn't let me have the frozen holy water, she said we needed them for more important things. Maybe she misunderstood, I didn't want to use them up, I just wanted to store them in my bag with the egg. They could still use 'em if they needed them.
–
I guess it's just as well, I lost my pack. We were ambushed by goblins, one took it and ran off. Those buggers. My telestone was in there. Briana said we should be able to get it back, she said she can track them. I don't really want to derail this whole rescue just for my gear, though.
–
I don't even care anymore. I was so excited about that golden egg. It was the first one I'd ever seen. I was hoping to bring it home and put it in an airtight flask, so I could always have it. It was so pretty.
It's surely rotten by now. And stinking up the rest of my gear. I'll probably have to throw that telestone out. Damn those goblins. Thank the maker I still have my hammer, because I've got an itch to go splatter some brains.
–
...How is this possible? We found my pack. It's been... at least a week? The egg is still okay. It doesn't stink, it isn't turning brown.
...And the goblins that stole my pack? They weren't goblins. They were people. Humans, pawns. Just like us. We all saw goblins. But after we killed them, they...
They didn't look like goblins.
–
Chase said he knew. He knew they were human. He still killed them. He said something about 'revolting against our masters'. He attacked Alynna. Shinon cut him down. He didn't get back up.
Why is he not getting back up
and then later I'll go back to BBI and be reminded of what it's like to want to crawl into a corner and cry >.>
