Ranthe 24, 5678

So much happened in the past two days that I don’t know where to start. We returned to Nazada yesterday to explore more of the city, but made a startling discovery. There were two new sets of footprints, one similar to ours, but the large one was obviously an ice monster. We soon encountered the ice monster, and tried to escape. Pelmarco and Niahla’Sen made it to the horses, but I was not so fortunate. Niahla’Sen then discovered her arcane powers did not work in Nazada, and Pelmarco realized the futility of trying to rescue me. When one ice monster can kill as many Red Exemplars as we saw, the risk is too great. That was the last I saw of them.

Today I awoke inside a cave. A female Huvudet was tending to my wounds while the ice monster sat in the far corner gnawing on a leg from my horse. She said her name is Vanta’Zar, but prefers if I call her Dawn. I believe she considers herself to be filling that role in the Huvudet mythology by helping me in my exploration of this land, but when I awoke, that was not foremost on my mind. Instead, I wanted to know what we were doing in the company of the ice monster, and what happened to my companions.

Vanta’Zar explained that the ice monster brought me back to its cave as a meal, but she managed to convince it I was a friend, and that my horse would be a much better meal. She then went to find Pelmarco and Niahla’Sen, but they were already packed and leaving the way we came when she spotted them, no doubt mourning my death and spooked by my demise. All I have left is my journal and the few other items I carried with me during our exploration of the city. Pelmarco and Niahla’Sen took everything I left at our campsite. I wonder how long it will take for news of my untimely demise to reach Prince Nomolo and Hudena’Sor.

I’m not sure how long it will take my wounds to heal. I don’t have any cuts, but I think I have a broken rib. Dawn says I need to take it easy and give my body time to mend. Now all I can do is lie here, and talk to Dawn. She does her best to care for me, bringing me food and water when I need it. The ice monster continues to sit in its corner watching us. How long will this go on before it decides my horse was not filling enough?