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==The Only Thing We Have To Fear==
{{Infobox expedition log
| title = The Only Thing We Have To Fear
| date = 10/24/25
| storyteller = Dag
| tier_of_play = Legendary
| player_characters = [[Zeal]], [[Illiam Elro]], [[Vara]], [[Sheeri of the Frozen Wastes]], [[Melfyra]]
| rewards = Bedroll of deep slumber (and formula), locket of sealed nightmares, restful sleep fulu (formula), blooming lotus seed pod
| result = Progress has been made.
| author = Zeal
| downtime_days = 4 so far
}}
Associates begin their hunt for a nightmare-causing creature that roams the Glass Desert.
== Log ==
Thanks to Illiam's magics, we assembled first and foremost in the dream realm to discuss our plans of action. Illiam and Vara had previously gone on a mission with other associates into the Glass Desert to investigate a beast causing nightmares over a massive range, and were now recruiting a team to formally hunt down the offending creature. At the dream witch's recommendation we also sought out the aid of Orion's harrowing. To his credit, the portents provided a modicum of assistance to everyone at different points. That aside, our hunt began the next day by teleporting to a camp near a ravine, one seemingly rife with wild magics. The bodies about told a tale of butchery by a very large, clawed creature. Our target of this hunt.

With Illiam and Vara tracking it through the dreamlands and Melfyra searching for physical tracks, that left Sheeri and I to watch the party's surroundings for threats. Vara determined it had descended into the ravine and exited some time after, then teleporting by translocation spell to around a mile away. As we followed the trail, we learned two important details. First, Illiam determined the magic around this creature was strongly associated with nightmares. Second, Melfyra realized the magical signature we're following, moving the same path as the beast, was of a shard of divinity. One attached to the Nightmares domain. There was a high likelihood our prey possessed a shard of divinity that it was using to amplify its nightmare-inducing powers, explaining why it only recently has been an issue for those near Onadbyr while still being in the Glass Desert. Needless to say, we hastened our movements to catch up to this problem.

The next day in our travels we came across a small camp of living people. 3 are unconscious, and as Sheeri later determined, they were afflicted with a disease known as "Nightmare Fever". Its symptoms were about as blatant as the name would suggest. Constant fear leading to eventually being trapped in an unconscious state, likely in an unending nightmare. Luckily our team was able to cure everyone of this affliction over the course of several hours, and for the safety of these people we elected to rest for a "night" (the eclipse is still ongoing, as of this writing,) to watch over them. Good that we did, as a Thanadaemon attempted to approach them in the night. I made swift work of it, but it did make me worried this was no coincidence.

Over the course of our stay with the people, we learned a great deal of the plight they face. They were being pursued by a creature they called "The Howl", a great beast with long horns, hooves, black claws, and the capacity to walk on two legs.They called it a fiend, understandably so, as the closest fiends I could surmise to its description were the Munagola (executioner devil), Brimorak (arson demon), or the category of fiends known as the Sakhil. The Sakhil are corrupted psychopomps that feed on the fear of mortals, lining up quite well with all the clues given so far. When they heard its howl, the mana well (a large pool of raw magic flowing underground) erupted, though this time it was naught but fear/nightmare magic. This implies some deep connection to fear magic, lining up with the shard connection previously recognized. Granted, the propensity for these people to set up their homes near mana wells seems ripe for all sorts of trouble to brew outside of this, but if fiends are involved it is my duty to sort it out regardless. 

Before we set out for the location of their old home, which the tracks we followed led in the direction of regardless, we were given some items as thanks. A bedroll that helps you rest more easily, instructions on how to make them, some fulus for protecting you while you sleep, seed pods, and a locket. This locket was supposed to protect your mind, but it seemingly did nothing for the person that possessed it. We later discovered it was an exceptionally powerful magic item known as the Locket of Sealed Nightmares, a protective tool that absorbs nightmares and even removes the need for sleep entirely. While useful in the hands of any strong enough to harness it, we had Sheeri hold onto it for the time being to protect her. We also discovered it was "cursed" in the sense that it was, well, overflowing with nightmares. After cleansing the item, we set out to continue the hunt.

With the aid of Melfyra's Migration spell, we swiftly arrived at the endangered settlement the refugees had fled from. We discovered an array of monstrosities lording over tied up people, animated dreams tormenting them all the while. As we near, a woman comes running toward us blabbering nonsense. Her form morphs into that of a soul slime, which I attempt to meet head-on. Upon figuring out what it is, I realize just how difficult this creature is for me to kill. Only bludgeoning weapons can harm it, spiritual impacts do nothing, and despite being able to consume spirits and take on the form of their previous owners, the creature is still entirely mindless. I still endure its attacks for a time, but ultimately my strengths are better used elsewhere. As the fight breaks out fully, this becomes clear with our other foes: An ibex-like, long-limbed bipedal creature hiding in the shadows possessing the ability to turn invisible. The lumpy, pale-white person of the sakhil of fearing magic, the Nenchuuj, and the Animated Dreams mentioned prior.

At the site of what was previously a massacre, our own bloody battle began. The soul slime, if struck, would disperse a cloud of soul fragments to make its already difficult-to-harm form that much harder to get a good hit on. It was a nuisance throughout the battle that took place across the body-strewn town square until its body fully gave out. Meanwhile, those ibex-like creatures, eventually identified as "Howling Spawn", lurked about and charged anyone they found an opening on. No matter how hard Vara hit them, they kept standing back up. Various damage types were used on them, but eventually it was discovered only cold could stop their healing. The Animated Dreams were nothing but bodies in the way, doing little but scratching us on occasion while we resisted their cursed touch. The Nenchuuj, vile and powerful fiends that they were, skulked about invisibly and repeatedly struck the minds of my allies when they were seen using magic. As expected, their melted flesh hardly stood up to my blows once I reached them, but the issue was how many foes we had to cut through just to reach them. Eventually we stuck down all our foes, but what stood left were many unconscious, tortured people, and a well visibly polluted with vile magics distilling the worst nightmares imaginable. We still had much work to do.

==Creeping Ever Closer==

{{Infobox expedition log
| title = Creeping Ever Closer
| date = 11/4/25
| storyteller = Dag
| tier_of_play = Legendary
| player_characters = [[Zeal]], [[Illiam Elro]], [[Vara]], [[Sheeri of the Frozen Wastes]], [[Melfyra]]
| rewards = 200 xp, Energy Robe of Fire, Dreamstone, Nightmare Vapor, Nightmare Salt
| result = We draw closer to our goal.
| author = Zeal
| downtime_days = 1 further day
}}
The associates do what they can for a town ravaged by supernatural forces.
== Log ==
At this leg our journey, my notes are mostly that of collected knowledge and book-keeping. Our team split up across the town center to get to work. Illiam, Vara and myself began studying the geyser of magic at the center of town, while Melfyra and Sheeri began untying and treating the villagers we were able to rescue. Vara's vision is keen, and he is capable of spotting illusions where most couldn't without the aid of magic or pre-established suspicious. Despite the previous well our dreamer duo encountered being plagued by an illusion that sparked its cascade of fear, this one did not seem to have one placed upon it. It is truly and thoroughly tainted by nightmares, fears, negative energies of all sorts. The best we could determine is that due to its plague stemming from a shard, something of equal power would likely be needed to undo this. This would take some thinking to discern a solution to.

Meanwhile, Melfyra is very capable of solving the issue of the torture injuries of the villagers. As is the way with torture, however, the physical wounds are rarely the important part. As with the refugees, Sheeri identifies the existence of Nightmare Fever within them. With later assistance from Illiam, the curse of the Animated Dreams was found as well. Unsurprising due to the direct contact we saw them making with the victims, but good to know for certain. Some were able to awaken when their wounds were healed, and chaos was certain. Many began fretting over their unconscious loved-ones, others ran for buildings to hide inside. Our inability to speak their language certainly did not help in these matters, but with the aid of Melfyra's magic we were able to round up the people (Apparently I was the best diplomat of the team, which is a role I do not often find myself in) and get them treated. 

We searched the town to make sure all the monsters are gone, finding several odd objects. An orange robe with fire motifs, a disk-shaped object with a carved star, as well as some substances and liquids of dubious intent. These were later identified as an Energy Robe of Fire, a Dreamstone, Nightmare Vapor, and Nightmare Salt. The nightmare items are disposed of, and the other items dispersed among us to be put to use in our hunt. We decide to set up in town for the night, making sure the people are safe while we monitor the situation around the well. Sure enough, more Thanadaemons arrive in the night. They were swiftly disposed of, but the implications of their arrival here as well is concerning. With no other options, we leave town and rejoin the trail to hunt The Howl. Illiam can see a hazy figure in the distance of their dream scouring, but it is gone as soon as it appears. I hope it is our quarry, and not something altogether more concerning.

==Fear Itself==

{{Infobox expedition log
| title = Fear Itself
| date = 11/19/25
| storyteller = Dag
| tier_of_play = Legendary
| player_characters = [[Zeal]], [[Illiam Elro]], [[Vara]], [[Sheeri of the Frozen Wastes]], [[Melfyra]]
| rewards = 450 xp, 4300 pp, +2 greater striking nightmare's lament, Ring of Recalcitrant Wishes, fate tempter ring, shard of lamashtu (corrupted by Charon), mythic weapon potency rune, wand of tormented slumber, previously lost volume from a legendary author, major painting by a legend
| result = Success, The Howl is dead and the shard is retrieved.
| author = Zeal
| downtime_days = 2 more days
}}
Associates take on the beast that haunts the Glass Desert.
== Log ==
Two more days span in our travels, even with Melfyra's Migration spells, before we arrive at our goal. During that time our nights are plagued by nightmares due to our proximity to our quarry, even with all the defenses provided to us by Illiam. Luckily our spellcasters have spells to quickly refresh us, and we are mostly prepared for the battle to come. We travel to seemingly nowhere, the lair of the beast no doubt, before we begin spotting fearsome foes about the area. Animated Dreams flit about overhead, Thanadaemons idle nearby, and an Olethrodaemon blocks our path to what Vara determines is an illusion-guarded lair entrance. The Olethrodaemon, also known as the Apocalypse Daemon, is the most fearsome of the lower forces of Abaddon. Merely being within a lengthy distance of the creature makes slipping the mortal coil easier, and its breath is is black smoke that drains the life from the living. And here one stands, a true living siege engine of the Horsemen. If one was here, then this was a much bigger issue than a singular hungering beast. 

Our battle began, and thankfully Illiam's spells sent most of the chaff into a fit of madness that led to them killing each other rather than inconveniencing us. I faced the Apocalypse daemon mostly alone while the others cleared out everything else, but soon a crack in the ground began to spew forth Phasmadaemons, scythe-handed serpents unsurprisingly known as "Terror Daemons". As the Olethrodaemon fell, Vara aided me in culling the tide until a second Olethrodaemon emerged. Thankfully the hole could be destroyed, stopping the flow entirely. Not long after, atop a cliff, Illiam is struck from behind by an invisible force. The Howl has arrived, a much larger version of the Howling Spawn previously encountered, and seems hell-bent on dodging fights with me to attack our most vulnerable. A hungering predator and nothing more, no matter how many times it disappeared in smoke to run, it couldn't bring itself to flee the fight. It kept going after anyone left alone, and though it was quite the trouble due to the Olethrodaemon additionally hassling us, it was a chase more than anything.

Outside of a risky situation with the Olethrodaemon swallowing Melfyra (Who had to navigate the near-endless stomachs of the daemon to escape) and The Howl's obsession with killing the most injured target, the fight ended rather directly. Everything but us was dead by the end, and I made sure to rip the shard from the beast's head. We then explored its lair and found many items of note. Not only is the shard a shard of Lamashtu, it is corrupted by Charon in some way. Inside the lair we found a ring that seems to empower you more doomed you feel, which I've decided to keep for the time being. Everything else found better use elsewhere. Notably a rune that empowers your weapon to a mythical degree, something I've never seen before. I've entrusted it to Vara, his blade will hopefully be all the more potent for it. We also found a ring capable of granting genuine wishes, though it is only capable of granting a selfless wish. Moreover, it can only be recharged through a truly selfless sacrifice by the wearer. I will not state who has this ring for safety reasons. In that same vein, at Illiam's request a wand of Tormented Slumber is being stowed away to make sure nobody gets their hands on it. We also found a rapier-pistol known as the "Nightmare's Lament", which has been sold to Rocco. Otherwise we found treasures such as a painting, a tome, and much platinum. These mortal possessions, as well as a few other hints within, make it seem as though the Howl was once a true person. This, and Charon's involvement, very concerning. There is still much work to be done, but let it be known this all but confirms all four horsemen are present in some way, at least in my opinion.