Cia's Journal 2

It began to snow as we headed to town. We brought a wagon with us and Raine let Isabella come along. This country is very beautiful and reminds me of the country near my old home. I wish I could visit Mother and Hern back home. I haven't gotten a letter in a while, I was hoping to find one waiting in the city for me.
We had the phlactery identified at the wizard's guild, and it contains the soul of a very powerful litch. After much debate, we concluded it would be safest in the possession of the lord of this country. We spent a night at his house after discussing a great deal with him.
That night I had a disturbing dream. I saw myself on an alter, my youngest brother Oin standing above me. He thanked me for the power I had given him and then sank a dagger into my chest. I awoke with a scream, then screamed again as a huge skeleton swathed in blue flames towered over me. I rolled off the bed, barely avoiding its first blow. The second blow caught me in my chest, tearing my gown and knocking me into the bed, even though I was now desperately clutching my shield. My mind suddenly unclouded and I was filled with His Holy Light. Brandishing the necklace of Pelor I never remove, I sent the skeleton running in fear just as Alandry opened the door. Apparently my screams had awoken the whole house. It went past before he could really react and I chased after it, despite Raine's attempts at checking my wounds. The house guards finished it off, and we set to the task of trying to figure out where it came from. I forced the nagging suspicions out of my head and inspected the bones. Only a high level necromancer or priest could have raised such a monstrosity, and there are rumors of a spell that can transport undead. We returned to our rooms, now two to a room. I don't mind sharing a room with Raine, I do mind Alandry's attempts at healing my wounds by laying his hands on me a little too long. I can cure myself just fine. Horrid new thoughts and old memories haunted my mind, and I got very little sleep after that.
The next morning I removed the remains of my gown to find a black tattoo scrawled on my chest. The words Demon Mark rang through my head as my heart jumped beneath it. I scrawled a copy of it and showed it to my companions. We agreed it was the mark of a demon lord. I tried to force my thoughts away and enjoy a shopping trip with Alandry as the two arcanists tried their hand at undercover work. Magically disguised as orcs, they tried to infiltrate the darker side of the city, but dug up more trouble than they wanted. Apparently they were jumped by an apparent assassin who eventually escaped them. We hired new workers and guards and headed back to the tower that day.
It started to snow again just as we left, and soon we were walking through more than a foot of snow. Thank goodness for our horses. We spotted 6 large wolves in the distance. Ready for the fight, we tied the horses and locked the wagon, but the wolves didn't approach. They just sat and watched us. Alandry shot an arrow at their feet, but still they sat. Eventually, the male arcanist's patience wore out and he shot a spell at them, and they charged. Apparently these were wargs. We managed to take down four, the other two ran. Everyone in the wagon had been put to sleep and Isabella was missing. Alandry rode after the trail and I followed in my usual fashion to back him up.
The snow held the tracks so it was easy to let the horses run. Eventually we saw a figure stopped along the path. When I got fairly close I dismounted my horse, knowing it was no good in combat. Before I could close the distance as Alandry had, I was jumped by the remaining two wargs. They managed to take down my horse but I dropped one before the other knocked me to the ground. I managed to fight well despite my position and slayed the foul beast. I used one of my last spells to heal my horse and reached Alandry just as he dropped the assailant. It turned out later he was the mage assassin from the city. There were multiple tracks in the snow, but the paladin discerned which had the heaviest burden and decided to follow it. I ran after and our companions weren't far behind.
We came upon a cabin with the tracks leading to the barn, then a set of footprints to the cabin. I circled around while Alandry ruthlessly searched the cabin. A few times I was worried about the sounds coming from the cabin but he was just smashing everything in his way. I went to the barn to find a horse and several supplies. I searched the stables then loaded up the horse with all I found. I cast a spell to find anything magical in the barn and noticed what is called a rope trick right above my head. I yelled out to my companions and ran from the barn.
Apparently a person can only stay in a rope trick for so long before it ends. We waited him out for a few hours and he surrendered without a fight. He told us very little useful information. They had been paid to kidnap Isabella and bring her back to the city. Other than that the details were sketchy at best. They had also been told to deliver a rock to us. There was a faint spell cast on it. Raine decided to be brave and picked up the rock. My brother's booming voice echoed in my ears twice within one day.
"Thank you, dear sister, for this sacrifice."
The mage offered no more information, despite the fact that now he was involved in murder and would surely hang for it in the city. We tied him up with his still unconscious friend. My companions had apparently tried to bandage the mage and stripped him of all possessions while Alandry and I had followed the tracks. So we'll rest for now and eventually head back to the city, putting these criminals to justice and hopefully find Isabella before my brother completes his dark intentions.
To my knowledge, my brother has been spending the last 10 years in the church's care. I never heard he'd been released or escaped. This troubles me greatly and I have already prepared a letter to the church regarding this matter. If nothing else they should be informed and perhaps they will even send help. I am greatly disturbed by the possibility that my brother has returned to demons, even moreso that perhaps he has done so willingly. I can only hope his mind has been so destroyed that he is merely in their possession, and he has meant none of it. I wish to be his savior in all of this. I do not blame or fault him one ounce in the deaths of my father and Dal. I still love him and he is my family no matter what happens. My acceptance will never waiver, even if he is in fact in full control of himself. I deeply regret involving Raine and Isabella in this and I pray for Pelor's protecting eyes to watch over her. I will put an end to my brother's demonic activities permanently. This I vow with all my soul, by Pelor's Light.