[color=d3d3d3][sub][i][The following are extracts of a journal from Guardsman Gregor Tements, 3E 433]


[b]29th Last Seed, Sundas[/b]
It was a strange day today. Nothing extremely odd happened, but there were enough instances that, put together, makes you start to think something is going on.

First, we had animals going insane in the city walls. I’m usually greeted in the morning by the crow of the rooster, but there was nothing but silence. All the birds had fled the city – or, were just being so quiet and still that nobody could see them. Of course, I didn’t notice their absence until much later when other strange things began to occur. Pets of the townsfolk were acting crazy, dogs straining on leashes and cats clawing at doors to get outside. I even saw a swarm of rats, swimming through the muck and leaving the city through the cistern.

Things only got stranger when we heard complaints from the local hunters – wildlife is rarely sparse here in Kvatch, even during the cold months of winter… but the hunters said there were no animals for at least 10 miles around the city; no rabbits and empty warrens, no birds and abandoned nests, no deer. One exasperated fellow even noted the lack of butterflies that usually frequented the forests. Wolves and bears were seemingly missing too – we didn’t have one report of an attack all day.

Most of the others are calling me crazy too; just for noticing these strange things happening. ‘Why try to understand beasts?’ They laughed. A mage told me to not worry about them; we can’t understand animals, so why try now because they’re acting out of the ordinary? Another mage said something about the location of the moons affecting them, and then another person joined in talking about the late winter we’d had was doing it all. I left the tavern at this point, not wanting to break up what was turning into an argument between the three while off-duty. As I left, I noticed a strange feeling in the air. Not quite cold, but it still caused me to shudder. There must be a storm on it’s way.

 
 
[b]30th Last Seed, Morndas[/b]

I’m a fool, a bloody fool… I should have listened to my gut instincts, should have fled the city with all of those damned animals. My family… my family still stuck inside with these monsters! They came in the night, there was nothing anybody could do. And the sky… by the Gods, the sky was the colour of blood. Thunder crashed in the crimson sky, but there was no lightning – no sign of anything worldly amongst that sea of red. Will I ever see the stars again? The sun? I do not know… I don’t know why any of this is happening. How could the gods let the very gates of hell be opened on this earth? How could they let those demons slay our children and raze our homes to the ground?

I do not know… but I know I will not give up easily. I may not see the sunrise on the morn, but I will fight to make damn sure my wife and children will. As I write this, I ready for battle… if there is anything left of Kvatch… of my home… after all of this, and some lucky soul finds this diary, please bring it to my family. I know not when I will see their faces again.[/i][/sub][/color]


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With all the fires raging in the city, and the sky the colour of crimson, one would have considered the temperature to be warm - hot, even. But no - there was a distinct chill in the air, and Naenya couldn't help but wonder if it was the actual weather causing the drop in temperature, or the layer of fear that covered everyone in the Chapel like a thick, smothering blanket. Shivering lightly, Naenya tucked her arms more tightly around her body, surveying the room. There was a hush among the people; as if hoping if they remained quiet the monsters outside would forget about them and go away. A mother shushed her whimpering child; a man in the corner was muttering prayers in an almost feverish manner; the local priest was staring at the stained glass window of Akatosh with a stony expression set in his eyes, as if questioning why this was all happening.

[i]"Well, of course he is. I suppose everyone is..."[/i] She mused silently on the situation. While many were no doubt pleading with the Gods for an answer of 'Why', she was thinking more of 'How'. All of her studies into the Daedric realms had told her quite plainly that those gates outside were completely impossible. Well, ones that stable were, anyway. Already she was formulating different theories in her mind as to how it had happened, but even with her chattermouth ways, Naenya knew better than to discuss them with anyone in the Chapel. Too much had been lost... even when she'd run out in the middle of the night she'd felt nought but fear. People being slaughtered all around her, fires raging, that awesomely terrible gate glittering like a giant red eye...

Naenya shivered again, but it had nothing to do with the temperature this time.

Perhaps sensing her discomfort, Bobo pecked lightly at her ear from where he sat upon her shoulder. Or, maybe he was just hungry. Who knew?

“Oh, we’re in quite the mess this time, aren’t we?” She sighed quietly to the magpie, digging through her pocket until she found the little bag of birdseed. He twittered in her ear, hopping about slightly. She had been tempted to let him fly away, perhaps with a message to her father back in Cheydinhal; but she couldn’t risk his life. There has been too many spells and arrows being shot up into the air. Tipping some of the seed into the palm of her hand, Bobo hopped onto her arm and began pecking away quite happily. He seemed to be unaware of their current impending doom – or simply didn’t care about it. Naenya sometimes wished she had the single-mindedness of animals before she remembered she would be unable to read books. What an awful existence that would be.