The strange events that have been happening lately continued today. The puddles in the temple have expanded dramatically, and now resemble a small pond. Ebonheart tried getting exiles to soak up the water with towels--this met with some success, but more puddles appeared as quickly as the water could be mopped up. Loom'Bir came from the bathhouse to investigate the sudden demand for his towels. He was asked for his opinion of the puddles, since he had construction experience. He thought the water was seeping up from underground, and suggested we go search. Several exiles did so, but as far as I know nothing was found.

There were some Darshak Scouts in Witkus's hut, but I was able to kill them with the help of Indigo, Luna, and Brune. Brune had discovered a blood-spattered scroll on the ground earlier, and showed it to me. Here is what the scroll said:

They have been watching us closely. Regardless, things go according to our plans. All preparations have been made and we will achieve victory at long last! Continue to guard the pentagram with the greater undine. Only fools will venture in that far. If the Nox witches come, let them writhe in pain from the torments of the liches. We will show the exiles the wrath of the Theocracy! The spies collect much needed information about their defenses. They are like sheep for the slaughter.

Long live the Theocracy!

Indigo had mentioned something unusual at the Dark Temple on Ash Island, which has a pentagram, so we decided to go investigate. We had some difficulty fighting our way past a crowed of wailing spirits on the second level of the temple, and at one point I was fallen for some time with only an undine for company. Fortunately a group of other exiles happened along, and with their added strength we were able to reach the pentagram easily. What we saw there was quite disturbing.

We found burnt bones in the center of the pentagram, and blood spattered here and there--the small size of the skeleton in the sketch shoes that it must have been a child. Blood was flowing from the skull at the north point into the rest of the pentagram. It's unclear what the Darshak are up to here, but whatever it is must be stopped.

On the way back to Puddleby, we passed two ponds with an abnormally low water level. Perhaps the water in the temple is somehow coming from those two ponds. It seems a bit suspicious that their level should fall at the same time as the temple flooding.

As I headed to the library, there were reports of several Darshak spys at the River Tunnel campsite. The continued Darshak espionage activity suggests that big is about to happen.