Feastday, the 12th of Stargazing 3725

I suppose the path of the fury is best described as living life inside a constant whirlwind of events. There seems to be a slow lull from time to time as the storm begins to gather more strength than they had before, quickly being swept up into the raging winds once more.

The unnerving sensations caused by administering care to the bardess lessened, though the dreams still do rage with a whole new level of frightening clarity, and many times I have awakened expecting to find a charred halfling in my hands. Sleep is mostly avoided, which I suppose has made me a bit more nervous than usual.

A few days ago, I encountered Phenix again - he was being sent out to retrieve a few things from the broken citadel known as Stormhold; I myself was trying to retreive a few things for a halfling heirophant from the crypt of Storms as well, and with the assistance of a few more individuals, we ventured into the hellish tomb of the fallen Knights of the Storm.

We were well defended by the oddest of families...an Ayr`Dal named Jerath Stoneblade and his 'sister', an Iksar named Inkishral; they'd both been raised within the walls of a Dwarven home, and both were valiant fighters.

During our adventures within the crypt, we found a chest containing a beautiful white robe - it was made of fine spun ruckas fiber, and was held shut by a beautiful silver belt. As my own tunic was becoming quite threadbare, and I require little protection physically most of the time, Phenix was delighted to present me with the robe after the party had agreed that it would suit me well.

As soon as we found a relatively safe spot free of undead, I quickly arranged the robe over my current dressings, and felt quite a stirring power from the fabric as it touched my skin. Phenix stared at me for a moment after I turned around to everyone again, a slow smirk coming over his lips; he later told me that I looked quite stunning in the robe, which was very surprising to me.

Eventually the party found it's way back up to the strange life size chessboard in one of the large halls. It was there the whirlwind spun into a full sized storm that continues to rage still.

You see, we were stopped by a fairly powerful knight - Sir Latharos D`Narin was who he introduced himself as. He...knew Phenix, though the rogue emphatically claimed to have never met the man in his life; Sir D`Narin called him Phenix Stormryder, brother of Raenewae and protector of Areanna Imshee`Cro and claimed to have known Phenix long ago.

It was quite confusing to try and follow, however Phenix quickly removed us from the situation, as most of our fellows had left the halls of the damned for Qeynos once more. He insisted we Call back to Qeynos, and meet back at his place in Irontoes East.

He arrived there as I did, inviting me into his rather lavish home. I was quite surprised by the sheer size of his room, and the somewhat elaborate arrangements of fine furniture within; I suppose he's a better pirate than I first thought, if he can afford such luxuries.

After preparing me a glass of wine and himself a glass of ale, and again complimenting me upon how I looked with the new robe, I asked him what exactly had happened. He asked what I had been doing recently, and after I told him merely studying Nature, he pressed to know what my last name was.

It was then that I reminded him I had asked for his surname when the knight had stated it was Stormryder and he denied it. With a sigh, he told me he had none, and we sat down at the bar - he has his own bar in his home, the scoundrel! - and talked over our liquor.

We spoke for quite some time about the things this Sir D`Narin had brought up. Phenix had been so unsettled by the conversation because he could almost recall what the knight had been speaking about, as if it were familiar to him.

The first thing we talked about was the name - Stormryder. He had heard the name about the city - in reference to the Lady Knight of Karana, Marca Stormrider - and stated he highly doubted that it was his surname, as he was not a bit like those associated with that name; I noted to him that the pronouncation was slightly different, and that they may be two entirely different families.

Apparently that was a calming enough thought, as we moved away from the subject and onto the rest of the things Sir D`Narin had said to us. The next topic was that of this brother, and Phenix said he could almost see him - someone just a bit taller, with a cocky manner and arrogant smirk. The image he described almost reminded me of the first time I'd met him in the Rat's Eye Pub, but he's not quite as arrogant as he made this supposed brother out to be.

He quickly moved on, saying he could also recall this Areanna that had been mentioned, though it seems that he had a less distinct visual image of her - he described her as if she was veiled in shadow and still somewhat indistinct, however he could recall her scent and how it felt to be near her. But he was unsure of how he knew her, if he truly knew her at all.

I watched him as he paced about the area near the bar, continuing to speak of how frustrating it was to have these things seem familiar and real to him. I believe he thinks he's loosing his mind and that he doesn't really know anything about these things, and I did my best to calm him.

Perhaps foolishly, I offered to try and find out more information about all of these things from Sir D`Narin. This caused a different sort of anxiety in him, and he made it clear that I must be extremely careful in my dealings with the knight, and never reveal where he was or what he he was to them.

To easy the tension, I promised that not even the most terrifying of tortures would tear what I knew of him from my lips...noting that I doubted paladins knew much of torture to begin with, so his secrets were definately safe.

Satisfied with the arrangement, I prepared to leave, smirking all the while as I had gotten out of revealing too much about myself to him by avoiding his question. I suppose my manner made him realize what had happened, and as I reached the door he again asked for my entire name; rather than give him that, I smirked and dashed out of the door and down the hallway as fast as I could. I faintly heard him laughing at the gesture, but at least he wasn't wrapped within the dark cloud the events had brought over him.

Yesterday, I was able to find Sir D`Narin's home, and stopped by for a visit. He was relaxing with a very pretty woman and their child, and they invited me inside; I stood in the doorway, trying to appear as nervous and curious as possible, and stated I had come to ask him about Phenix.

His poor wife was stunned, and he had to quickly explain that he had met "someone that he believed was Phenix" down in Stormhold a few days prior. The lady was quite unsettled by this news, and said something about thinking others long dead, that she shouldn't be surprised by this news.

Though I believe that at least once during the course of our conversatation the lady Diera wished to call down the flames of heaven and destroy me, I've pieced together quite a bit from the information I could get from them; I said I would not tell Phenix more than why the name Stormryder differs from the Lady Knight's, and little more...but I did not truly promise that. I intend to tell Phenix nearly everything I've learned.

At first they spoke of the Phenix they knew, who he was back in their time, of how noble and honourable the man was - which I cannot even fathom from the Phenix I know, as he's a rogue, a pirate and a scoundrel - and stated he'd been taken long ago by a demon.

When I recited back the possible course of events, the lady Diera was emphatic about not mentioning the demon, as he may lurk in the shadows. Something...unlocked in my mind, and suddenly I was washed over with so many facts and rituals and pure information about demons; I knew how most of them thought, what type of motives they had, how they were created long ago, how to call them up in rituals...I informed her that I knew the nature of these beasts well enough, and that I would not bring up the being to Phenix.

And I don't intend to.

However, I did ask if I should even bother searching the tomes in the libraries about Qeynos for more information on this demon, and the lady Diera said she doubted there were any books about him while Sir D`Narin stated much of the information would be false anyways.

Once I'd left their company, I again went over the potential series of events I was given, piecing together the life of this Phenix Stormryder as best I could.

He has a brother named Raenewae who seems to have possibly had two wives in his lifetime, one being Marca Stormrider and the other being a woman named Sugan.

Phenix had definately been something known as a Rider, as Sir D`Narin and I suppose his lady Diera had been, until he left them to protect this Areanna woman. From what I can gather, he was quite close to this Areanna, as they have a daughter named Telian, whom Diera insists I be introduced to - I believe I will refrain from letting Phenix know any children live now, as I believe that may create quite an...uncomfortable situation. I know that if I were told I have children, being so young and only recalling the past twenty some years of the world, I'd not be too sane after meeting them. Perhaps once he's a bit more...adjusted to the things I tell him...

Some time long ago, a demon known as Brodis took him away from these people. Sir D`Narin and Diera do not know exactly what happened or how Brodis accomplished such, but they do suspect that at some point the demon took their Phenix away...perhaps bringing him to this time, though I do not see what the motivation for such was.

Why would a demon, a vile being of horrible power, take a man from the Age of Turmoil and place him here, as a young man barely out of his teenage years? What was so special about Phenix that he'd even catch the demon's attention anyways...to the extent of being kidnapped, brainwashed and left in a time not his own?

I'm not going to get answers from my own deductions, so I intend to do the next best thing...I shall summon this Brodis, with the rituals that have flooded my mind, and I shall ask him directly. Half the battle of controlling a demon is using the proper runes and incantations in your ritual...the other half is knowing at least one of their names; having both should make this extremely easy.

Perhaps I will be lucky enough to get the entire story of Phenix Stormryder from Brodis.

For now, I have supplies to gather and studying to do. I shall have little time until after the ritual to write down any sort of linear thoughts, and despite swearing to myself I'll write more in this little book, I am doubtful that I will.

Whirlwinds and storms...such is the life of this Fury.