The Grave of Chaos

Primary Data

Collected manuscript fragments of Minauros Expedition #4317786, as collated by Hennyk Zssolas A'hxchinra, Interrogator 1st class to Minister Corin, Adjutant Senior to His Excellency Duke Phongor. Words have been interpolated as best as possible; elisions shall be marked as appropriate; fragments that are currently unintelligible shall be omitted. All sensitive data (in accordance with BJC 4981-16-38, paras 4a-c) has been redacted, here represented by “****”; likewise holy or otherwise sanctified words.

Fragment #1:

I can write!

Fragment #2:

I [missing] Hope. [missing] Freedom. Life. I may be dead but I can still [missing]

Fragment #3:

When I was alive I had a name. Now they just call me ****. But I'm alive again.

Fragment #5:

The poor sod never knew what hit him. I think his name was Galbas. I shivved him with a spinagon tail when Assakas wasn't looking. **** was right: the tail held the blood quite well. Well enough to write. I'll need to replenish it soon but [missing]

Moragz and Assakas are their names. If I survive this – if I'm ever free – they'll pay.

Fragment #7:

so cold

Fragment #12:

It's another cheery morning here in the swamps. Assakas threatened Lucia and Timeon if they didn't buck up. Our mission is to provide the City with more stone. It's pretty damn stupid but no-one asked me. Moragz said that all the rock has been mined out for thousands of miles so we have to go out real deep. When asked where, he beat Shara until she screamed.

Fragment #14:

Lucia caught me writing today. The [missing] rat me out. Guess I'll get some more ink after all.

Fragment #15:

That was easy. The abishai may be our masters but they're bleeding stupid. All I had to do was tell Moragz that Lucia was plotting to escape into the muck and he stripped her to the core right there. He's got her essence in a bottle on his belt. Better that than trying to chase her through this [missing]

Best part is I didn't even have to lie. Now Moragz owes me one, he can turn a blind eye to my writing. Sack-cloth makes lousy paper and [missing] it's not good but it will do for now. Maybe Moragz will look after me when we get back?

Fat chance. But out here in the swamps a berk needs all the help he can get. Even if one's a devil and the other's a deader.

Fragment #24:A squall come out of the east last night, washed away my recent diary entries. **** be damned. On the plus side, a number of small lizardy things came with it. We ate most of them cold and I gutted a few to use as ink so I can keep writing. Assakas may be on to me, but Moragz will keep him in line.

Timeon has been complaining of a headache the past few days. He's the one who insists the squall came from the east; no way for us to tell. We lost Ulara in the squall but the abishai just wrote her off. “Acts of Asmodeus are covered”, they said.

Fragment #25:

I gave myself a name but I should name the others too. This may be the only chance they get. Timeon's a brawny lad, probably about 25 when he died. Shara is a slip of a girl, maybe 16. Ennia seems your average elvish princess type, **** knows how old she was. Thurgen doesn't speak much; maybe a mute? And Lydick's old, maybe 200 or so, a bent old dwarfish bureaucrat.

Lucia was stripped down to her essence and shoved in a bottle. Ulara's lost in the swamps of Minauros somewhere. Galbas helped me write. Then there's Moragz and Assakas but you've seen one abishai, you've seen them all.

These are my fellow prisoners.

Moragz and Assakas are as much prisoners as we. It's supposedly a great honor for them to supervise petitioners in the Great Project of Minauros, at least that's what that osyluth **** said, but they'd clearly rather be anywhere but here. I think I heard Assakas say that he once served with Lieutenant **** on Chamada, and Timeon's certain he heard Moragz talking about a demotion. Not sure about [missing]

[missing] heard Timeon complaining more. Lad's not the complaining type, though he screams right enough at Moragz's whip. I've tried talking to Thurgen about him but no dice.

Fragment #27:

Shara woke us all with screaming today.

Can't really make a day or night cycle out of the dank here, so we sleep whenever Moragz and Assakas let us. They seem as out of sorts as we. If we mutinied we could probably take them. But then what? We're a long way out.

We're in this together.

[missing]

Tried talking to Shara about her dreams. She didn't say much, something about “crawling”. Must've been some of the omnipresent vermin slithering [missing] **** knows I shrieked myself when that happened to me.

Overheard Assakas talking to Timeon. Sounded almost kindly. Probably just doesn't want to lug his essence back to the City. Lazy sod. Didn't sleep myself, kept awake by some background noise. Not clear what it is, sounds like tides, probably just mudslides.

Ennia and Thurgen seem to be getting cozy. Think they might try sex if they think they can get away with it. I'd warn them but the thought of that prissy elven bitch getting swampwater up inside her is too damn funny. Moragz seems to think so too.

Fragment #28:

water everywhere

must save

drowning

Fragment #29:

We nearly lost Lydick today. Old duffer thought he was on safe ground. Might've even held if that swampwave hadn't come through. He's terrified now, though. Says he saw or heard something when he was under, won't say what. Lots of vermin in the wave, though, so at least we'll have food (and ink!) for a few more days.

That's the good news. The bad news is that we're pretty much lost. Minauros isn't navigable at the best of times, and these ain't it. It's bad enough that Assakas caught me writing this journal and let me off with nothing but a beating. Should've gutted me for that. I think he wants a testimonial in case we don't make it back.

Fragment #31:

[missing] vermin everywhere [missing] those **** little [missing]

On the plus side, Ennia and Thurgen went at it. We all watched. They didn't care. Berks thought it would be warming. Truth was, it just made them colder. Plus, Ennia's pissing oil now; if she were alive, she'd likely be rotting from the inside. Probably is anyway. Serves her right.

Thurgen made a strange sound when he climaxed. Never heard its like, but I'd never met a mul before. He seems pale now. “Not tonight, dear, I have a headache!” Serves him right too, the lucky sod.

Fragment #32:

Timeon collapsed today. Thurgen offered to carry him. Assakas said no. Moragz gutted him like a fish, stuffed his essence into another bottle. Is it cannibalism when you're all already dead? Shara threw up rather than eat. Ennia scarfed him down like she did Thurgen, just goes to show.

The waves are growing louder, by the way. It's harder and harder to sleep, not that we'd want. Fortunately, the smell is getting... cleaner. It's like getting close to the sea: sure, it's powerful, but it's also clean in a way that dungheaps aren't. This sea smells like blek, sure, but it's still better than Minauros' natural funk.

Assakas is looking pale. If he gets any greener, he'll promote of his own accord. Heard him talking to Moragz, said his stomach felt sick. Moragz said his claws were crawling. I looked to Shara while they said this. She's not bad. If I were still alive I'd consider her great sport. As it is, she'd still make great sport.

[missing]

Lydick is babbling constantly now. Says the voices are louder. Made myself available as Shara shrinked away from him. Ennia is bleeding between her legs now. Probably some swamp vermin nesting up in there; she's not long for this body. I think of all the high-up bints I ravished in my time and smile. Thurgen seems distracted, not all there. Might be going barmy, it happens. Strange that he and Lydick should lose it at the same time, but maybe the cove is big enough to addle both of them.

Fragment #34:

Shivved Ennia today. The sodding abishai wouldn't do anything about it. She'll be safer in that bottle than out here.

Fragment #35:

We're hopelessly lost now. Moragz all but admitted it. Assakas is furious. I think he threw up last night. Can't blame him: the waves aren't even waves now, they're more like pulsing. It's sodding annoying, gets under your eardrums. Must've driven away all the vermin, too, 'cause we haven't been attacked in almost a week. Now we're starving.

Lydick and Thurgen seem to be talking more and more. Don't know how, the dwarf just babbles and the mul never says a word, but they're talking about something all right. Godbothering, too, I recognize the look. There's a glint in a body's eyes when he talks about The Divine and they both have it.

Shara is indeed a comfortable body to lie with. They watched us too, we didn't care. It felt good. Felt human. The abishai should have stopped us but they're looking like Orcus bent them over and used his rod on them, so we only had to contend with the barmies. Pike'em. She didn't like it when I used her exit but I told her it was the only way to prevent infestation. Might even be true.

[missing]

The rain is stopping a little, I can see for miles. Nothing to see. The water's stiller, more trembling than [missing]

The smell is back now. It's carrion. Can't live in Minauros without knowing that stench. But it's not good carrion. The abishai are getting more and more repulsed. They'd run if they could, but there's nowhere to run to. So we go on, deeper and deeper. We're well out of the known now, there hasn't been anyone here in eons. Literal eons.

[missing]

Will have to stop writing soon unless I can talk Shara into giving me her blood. She's a slip of a thing so there's not much there but we'll see what we can do. She's better on my page than in my arms.

Fragment #36:

Heard Thurgen speak for the first time. He said “It is the Voice Of God.” Told him that that was all very well and could God please shut up. He smiled and I realize he'd ripped out his tongue. Barmies do the strangest sodding things. Good thing he's a mindhacker.

Fragment #37:

The pulsing's getting louder. It's subtly arrythmic. Moragz vomited right in front of us. You'd be amazed at what's in an abishai's stomach. Assakas is making funny noises. He and Lydick are starting to sound like twins. Thurgen is grinning like a maniac now. He's going to crack soon, I know it; I just need to be far enough away. Good thing we're completely lost. Any direction will do as long as it's not here.

Sweet little Shara is covered in welts. She thinks she loves me. I love that she gives me a voice. She'll be for the bottle soon.

Fragment #38:

Haven't been able to write for a few days. Nearly got swamped by another tidal wave. Lydick had high ground this time so he's ok, but Thurgen swallowed a bucketful of mirk before we got him up. The great thing about this adventure is how it's brought together petitioners and tormenters as one big happy family. Moragz had to carry Ashakas for a bit before I helped. Ashakas seems fine in the body but his bonebox is cracking. He keeps muttering something about “disorder” which could mean anything coming from a devil. I quizzed Moragz but he was too busy vomiting to answer.

The stench is worse now. It's almost physical. Literally. Wave your hand through the air and you can see the tracks. Worse, it's spiritual. It's whispering to me too now. It's a thinner voice than the one under the waters but I know it's the same. We all hear it. It's calling to us. It wants us to come to it. It wants us to die for it. It wants us to die in it. We're not lost any more. We have a purpose.

Fragment #39:

I'm appalled at what I just wrote. The others can go there to die. I have a different purpose. I'm going to write. Someone has to tell the others what we've done. We'll be immortal at last!

Fragment #40:

I can write. I have a name. The voices cannot take this from me.

Fragment #41:

This is the last entry I write with Shara. Be at peace, my sweet.

Fragment #42:

Running out of ink. Thurgen didn't have much in him. Surprising. Lydick is leading the way now. He hears it most clearly. We all do. Moragz bit Assakas' throat last night. The voices told him. They hate him most of all.

Fragment #45:

Horrible storms. Stench awful. Moragz pissed himself with fear, ruptured something in the process. Says he's never seen anything like it in all Baator. Lost track of Lydick. Little hezrou disappeared into the muck. Just me and the abishai now. We're carrying each other on. I never had a friend like this when I was alive. Using my own blood now, and his.

Fragment #46:

Moragz told me everything. I know what's up ahead. He wasn't worthy. I'm coming. I'm going to see it at last. Dead history, dead and buried, but you can't keep a good man down. Or a bad fiend.

I'll rest here one more day before I enter the madness. I can just make it out through the storm. To think, this is where the swamp began. Bet all those greybeards back at home never knew such a thing! Makes sense, though; any solid ground would've been churned into muck eons ago. Those damn baatezu never learn. Nothing's ever gone.

I have a little blood left so I'll make notes as best I can. I've bound these ones with Moragz' sinews. It's what he would have wanted. My ears are bleeding. I think he was trying to tell me something else when I shivved him but I can't hear anything any more. I don't need to hear. I can see. I can write. Even if I die the True Death, I'll live forever.

Report

Note that the following is a summary. For the full report, please see volumes 2134-14 and 2134-15, pp 613-1218.

The account of the discovery and dissemination of the fragments is not germane to the present report; what matters, rather, is its meaning and import upon the greater Baatific community. Upon its arrival into the present investigator's hands, a number of questions suggested themselves: Was it real? Who were the various persons mentioned therein? To what strange manifestation did the fragments refer, and could that manifestation be located? Most importantly, how could this information be used to aid us in our efforts?

Inquisitions were carried out by my staff, and the identities of the persons referred to were discovered almost immediately. A few names have been redacted for security reasons, but most of the rest have been left in for the simple reason that they were bodies of absolutely no consequence. Indeed, were it not for our famed attention to detail, it's quite likely that no-one would have ever noticed they were missing!

One figure stands out in the narrative, though: the red abishai Moragz. His demotion is on the record (see attached documents), a lamentable fall for a baatezu who had once attained the lofty rank of osyluth, the same rank the present author is proud to enjoy. Rumors from various sources – some obtained through usual protocols (a full list of those interrogated is available upon request) and some obtained through alternative means (see full report) – indicate that Moragz had come into some understanding of ancient history, particularly of the early Blood War and its relation to the third layer of unholy Baator. It was very likely awareness of these rumors that led to his “honor”, along with the abishai Assakas (about whom there is no pertinent information), of being sent to Minauros to supervise rock-gathering crews therein.

While a full disclosure of the history that Moragz was rumored to possess lies beyond the clearance of this humble document, a quick overview of the relevant parameters seems appropriate. During the first tanar'ri attack and occupation of Baator – yes, we are talking ancient history here – the demons had a particularly large stronghold, possibly numbering in the tens of millions, on the third layer of Baator. Upon rallying our forces and driving out the invaders, the stronghold was overrun and all those who dwelled therein were slain. The numbers of the dead were so great that their bodies were simply dumped into a ditch – legend has it that it took a thousand petitioners some ten years to dig, though that's likely screed – and left to rot.

Nature, however, did not take her usual course. The concentration of Chaos in the tanar'ric corpses was so strong that Baator himself rejected the bodies: every time they were buried, the ground would vomit them back up. This cycle of descent and eruption was so potent that, according to legend, it single-handedly ruptured both the surface and the atmosphere of the layer, turning it into the stinking hellswamp we know and love.

In short: Moragz may have believed he had uncovered the location of the Grave of Chaos.

This is speculation, of course, of the rankest kind. We do have a standing order (Malsheem Priority) to interrogate any of the work crew should they return, but absent that very remote possibility we will never know the truth of it. The author would like to remark, however, that while it is possible that Moragz may have indeed known the exact location of the Grave, it is far more likely that he was simply susceptible to its lures and led his work crew into uncharted territory based on a subconscious whim rather than any active desire to pursue the forbidden.

It is for this reason that the present author is convinced that the true location of the Grave of Chaos will not be discerned from this incident, nor will it be of any use in triangulating it. The author of the fragments notes several times that they are lost and the various doodles on the sack-cloth are so confused as to be worthless. And all this is assuming that the author did indeed wend his way to the Grave; the probability of a hoax, though not high, must not be discounted!

Thus, while the fragments have certainly been imbued by a measure of Chaos, great enough to stymie all further attempts at discovery, it is the considered opinion of the present author that the story of this adventure, such as it is, ends with this report.

Recommendations

The last question raised previously was how the fragments could be used to aid us in our great quest. The short answer is that they can't: there's nothing useful in them. Even if the fragments were complete and legible, which they clearly aren't, the author remains unconvinced that they would attain any utility. There is no profit in their release, no advantage in their rumor, no threat that need be contained, and while this may change at a later date – hence the usual secure archival procedures are recommended – they need not concern either the Minister or His Excellency for the time being.

On a personal note, I know that it is usual Baatific protocol to critique the performance of our subordinates but I must say that I have nothing but good things to say about their actions. Information like this could have been an explosive assault on morale had it fallen into the wrong hands; instead, the matter was handled quickly and discreetly with the result that a near-perfect veil was maintained around the offending knowledge. They will need to be eliminated as a security measure, of course, but I whole-heartedly recommend almost everyone involved for posthumous commendations.

In conclusion, a potentially dangerous situation has been contained and the author believes it safe to say that we now have a tabula rasa with which to work. Should the need become pressing we can put out our own version of the journal that will, of course, contain details more appropriate to a general audience without fear of discovery or reprisal; one suspects, however, that Baator's interests will be better served by simply letting matter die. The past is the past, and let it there remain.

I thank the Minister for his time,

- Hennyk Zssolas A'hxchinra, Interrogator 1st class

Errata

The following was mistakenly identified as Fragment #47 of Minauros Expedition #4317786:

dear god its alive