[At this point, in a new volume, the hand-writing changes somewhat,
though it has a certain similarity.]

Sadly, a number of volumes of Joseph [953 PD etc, Journal] are
considered lost, or rather 'unavailable', as explained in Lucius [1094
PD, 'Mists of Time']. We can only thank God (and more directly, Margaret
of New Jathiere) that more volumes were not lost.

Fortunately, we not only have the standard historical texts, but indeed
our own records of the events which came to pass after the death of
Ahlana. Lucius [1092 PD, 'The War'] explains much of what occured, in a
letter to Archemus of Trajir, more for the benefit of the professor's
students than for the learned sage himself. I have included a section
from that, recalling the time just after Ahlana's assassination.

	I hope this is of some use to my dear reader,
	Maria Goodwell

[The author uses a slightly different ink for this section.]

Soon, though, the Elves had a replacement for their former High Mage:
Draeb. His first appearance was characteristic of his general behavior:
he sent a blast of pure death towards the city walls, striking dead over
200 men in an instant.

While the Queen recovered, another Elf made an appearance, but this one
was all the more surprising for its pleasant nature: Malladorn, or
Ellatorn as he was once called (the same one who defeated S.T. I
speculate), defected, arriving one cold and windy night at the Morpeth
home of the great Lady Isolde, accompanied by his wife, Arell, who had
been held hostage by the Taemark for over 50 years. I am sure you are
well aware of the significance of such an defection!

The dread mage Draeb attempted a direct assault on the Lady's home, only
to be fought of by the Lord, Sir Joseph, and their party. I daresay it
must have been quite a sight, but sadly I am unsure of the details. John
Goodwell (Sir Joseph's brother) [956 PD, (No title)] mentions that Sir
Joseph was glad of the tricks and twists taught to him by the legendary
assassin Isabella of Andou; apparently the weapons of the assailants
were terrible to face.

Malladron revealed that the Brechtalians were attacking the Elves in the
North, and winning. Oh, how the people of that time failed to see the
meaning of it all!

Malladorn apparently told of ancient lore, the likes of which I would
trade a Galleon full of Andoulaise wine to have heard first hand.
Taemark and Knutt once worked side by side, and imprisoned Amactorn and
Saer Talsius! It seems that they, and one 'Andrew the Brave' (of whom we
know nothing, alas), journeyed together, only to fall upon each other
for unknown reasons.

Now at this point, Sir Joseph faced his hardest trial yet: to defeat the
released Saer, Talsius. You know, sadly, of the fate which he knew
awaited him: his death, his days at last having all been counted. He
wore his grandfather (my namesake) Lusius' armor, of red-brown studded
leather, and long-knives forged with the magic of Lord Isolde, and the
craftwork of the great smith Din. One knife was to pierce magic
protections, the other to absorb magical assault. Truly they were a
wonder, if John's brief accounts are to be believed.

We are unsure of the details of the battle, but it seems that Sir Joseph
faced Talsius, having evaded the Krillath thanks to the curse (as he had
seen it) of soul-invisibility granted by a spirit-being named 'Seraphim'
or 'Seraphine'. (Our texts give several spellings - our knowledge of
this being is limited.) She appeared before Sir Joseph each night,
though how they acted towards each other and what was spoken between
them, we do not know.

Sir Joseph engaged Talsius in combat, and the Krillath were freed from
their boundaries, so that they ran towards the two with blood-filled
eagerness. Nathaniel, the legendary mage, and Lord Isolde and party
arrived, and saved Sir Joseph, Nathaniel giving his life for Joseph's.

The Queen and her Council were grateful, but the heros took nothing in
return save praise, knowing that that was all the Kingdom could afford.

For your more obtuse students, let me remind you of the companions:
Surefoot Ironhand of the Sea-monks, Caed Hones (cast out any of your
students who don't know who that is!), the Banner of Knutt (Devon), and
Sir Lee Gosling. (The poet Mackery MacEviter of Auchenross later claimed
his uncle had been one of Lord Isolde's companions, but this is presumed
to be an artistic invention, although Sir Joseph did refer to a
barbarian named 'Evan' who lived in that part of the Free States.)

Malladorn became ill, and an etherial attacker was traced back to the
Taemark.

A letter from Akila, "The Hand", arrived. (Is she one of the ancient
wizards? Maybe you could ask your associates to research the matter for
me?) Elves were searching for a part of the terrible 'Elemental Clock',
in Trasignigs in Andou.

And then, God's will be thanked, the Elves fled North, abandoning the
northern Free States, though they laid waste as they fled.

The party went to the "tar pits" (?) and recovered Daarf's library in
part, but also released both Herca and Halla, the sage's daughters - the
first, a vampire, the second, a human who had magically slept through
the centuries!

Far worse, they released the two elder monsters, Enna and Stern, of whom
I shall speak further.

In the mean-time, Malladorn had left, and the Forest Dwarves had been
refound. Arver Finn (see Jonathan [945 PD, 'Brief Commentary on the
Outriders']) led his Outriders north. I am sure you know the details of
all of these events. Sir Joseph's role in the discussions about the
creation of a reformed Free States Army is also well documented, as is
the role of Adam Cresner of the White Bear.

Lord Isolde freed the Sesukre monks from their imprisonment, and
received their loyalty in return. 250 pairs had set out to defeat an
evil mage; those that lived through many trials were imprisoned by magic
as pseudo-ants, until Lord Isolde arrived.

[The original ink is used, still in Maria's handwriting.]

I am glad to say that the later volumes have been recovered. I would
encourage the interested reader looking for further details of the
'lost' part of Sir Joseph's Journey to seek out the annotated writings
of Lord Isolde. (I can not easily direct you to this, as I am afraid the
Goodwell reference system does not apply to such material!)

I return you now to your true narrator, Sir Joseph himself.

	M G