6 August.
Once again I have not visited this tome in a long time, though that seems to be a habit. Perhaps I forget about it, or perhaps I just prefer to let things sink in for some time. I do not know.
Going back through it, it is incredible how things have changed over the centuries. Four centuries now, slightly more, though to be honest singular years mean so little to me. I believe I have started counting more by decade.
The past decades have been actually rather delightful. Science. Science and discovery. Studying the stars and planets in the sky. They discovered a concept, gravitas. I could go on and on, but I am sure that many of these things will become fairly well situated in many books and many minds over the next decades. It would take far too long to get into everything, though I am sure I will end up discussing some of it.
Things were dark for awhile still, until these discoveries started happening. I have not taken part as much as I have enjoyed studying the outcome. I have acquired a rather delightful abode, the tower of a large library. I should explain how I have came of this.
The huge library was running into problems with thieves and other saboteurs. I had manage to catch and scare off two of them one night. No, I did not kill these two, as I could tell they acted more out of misguidance than maliciousness, but I did put quite the terror into them.
This seemed to please the overseers, and while I could sense their slight uncomfortable nature, I acquired a sort of role as the guardian of the place. In return, I get to reside in a tall tower off to the side, up high where I like where I can gaze over the land as there is a very pleasant view. As per usual, the ravens come to reside, though I must keep the books safe. They luckily did not notice my more inhuman strength, which I fear may have frightened them.
I also get access to any books I wish to read, and this is the reason why I took on this role. I travel out of boredom, and these massive rows of books, rows that go up so high above they need enormous ladders to reach them, are more than enough to keep me busy, and the library is in a nice enough area that I can go explore other places when I wish.
I have learned much, and I hope I remember and retain it for however long I remain alive, which I am starting to think is going to be forever, but at this point I find it better to not dwell on such things.
I come up here during the day, either enjoying a bit of sleep when I feel like it, or spending time with the books by the large and airy window. I have explored a bit of the forest on my spare time.
I will not lie, from time to time I had taken it upon myself to do a little bit of...deliverance to certain unsavory individuals. We still live in tumultuous times, and there is that side of me that seems to have that thirst for pain and violence that needs to be slaked occasionally. I saw what happens to myself if I never engage. It does not get pretty when I do. I suppose it never does, but it has been worse.
Leaving off for now, I will go to the inn a ways away and take a meal there, I think. They use heavy spices in their stew, which I can taste. They have a good strawberry tart, as well, if they have not sold them all for the day. They also have this delightful drink there called coffee, which had started to move to these lands via trading from rather far away. It is dark and bitter, but drinking it boiling hot gives me a nice feeling, and I have grown quite accustomed to it. I sometimes take a decanter with me back to the library.
10 August.
It is exceptionally hot today. Even I feel it. I removed my cloak and tunic to enjoy the air.
I have been reading about the world of astronomy, the study of the stars and planets. There was a wonderful object invented called a telescope. This magnifies things, making them larger, and with it, we can use it to see the stars and planets closer. They are still small, of course, being so distant, but it is fascinating to think what may be on them. We have no idea. There are so many concepts around, so many ideas that turned everything we know upside down, it seems.
It is a tube with specially made glass on either end, curved, that causes the objects to be seen larger. One can actually see the colors of some of the planets at night, when it is clear. It is looking to be clear tonight by the look, so I plan on trying to observe things. My mind wanders, just wondering what else is up there. Are there more people, I wonder? What exists on these other places? One could go mad thinking about it.
The hour is growing later, and I am going to take an evening meal soon and begin my rounds in the library. Mostly I am inside and do a few passes on the large grounds. The library is housed in a place that is basically a castle, or close to it. I also wonder which books I will take tonight to read. I have also taken a liking to advances in the human body. So many more things to learn there, as well.
I hope I get a night soon to go to an observatory again.
15 August.
Still hot. I must unfortunately report that we actually lost a few people in the town due to it. I believe their bodies are going to the academy to be studied. I am curious to join in. While I have seen the insides of a person forcibly, from my own hands, one does not learn much from that. I am curious to actually see the workings from a scientific point of view.
To think centuries before many thought illnesses were spread through miasma.
21 August.
I managed, after talking to a few people, get into the scientific academy to witness the examination of one of the unfortunate individuals.
It was a middle aged man, seemingly healthy on the outside. Upon examining him, his lungs seemed darker than normal. It turned out the man worked making charcoal, which required him to burn large amounts of wood constantly, day in and day out, until it smoldered. Perhaps his weaker lungs coupled with the intense heat being in the sun did for him? We do not know, but it is rather interesting to see how various occupations may affect one's health.
I admit I got a bit jealous. I'd be willing to give up my body for examinations, but I need to hide my little condition, so to speak, from people. The most they have seen me do is lift and carry a frightening amount of books around the library, but I keep it reigned in enough so that perhaps they just think I have done a lot of work lifting heavy object or the like. No one had said anything to me about it.
Still, I imagine this may give me some of the pain I crave still, though since too much of it starts to turn me murderous, I think it is good if I refrain from it even if they knew what I was and were not terrified of it.
I took many notes today in a large tome. I will bring this to the library, as the scholars there love to get new things to place into their collections. I feel honored that I could contribute to such knowledge, even if it is not my findings, but simply me recording what other great minds do.
23 August.
The heat continues. I have set up a place for the ravens to fly inside of my tower, where they will not harm the books. It is much nicer inside, given the cold stone that makes up my room, and the wind adds extra comfort.
I must hide the tarts I bring back, though.
30 August.
I got some time to sit outside with a telescope finally one clear night, two days ago. I was glad, because today the sky became thick with dark storm clouds, and I hear the rumbling from afar. I think we will be getting a large amount of rain and thunder soon, and it may last for some time. This is probably for the best, as it will probably cool things down quite a bit.
What I saw was astounding, almost surreal. I was able to see our moon so close and so clearly. I could see details in it that one could only barely see with the naked eye. It felt almost comforting to look. I must have gazed through the device for an hour or so, trying to examine markings, landmarks, and imagine what might be up there. Are there beings? There does not seem to be much but various shades of gray, but I do not know what else might be lurking there. I wonder if we will ever be able to travel there? Maybe magick, if it exists? Likely impossible, as we cannot even fly, but nice to imagine. I almost felt a connection with this object, so far away. I do not know why.
31 August.
The massive storms have hit. The sky is so dark that it almost resembles the later hours, even in the daytime. I was up very early this morning, and I thought it was still nighttime. I had to shutter my window and bar it heavily so the rain does not blow in. I do hope the ravens are okay. They are wild beasts, and go through a wide variety of storms and rain, so I imagine that they are.
I was awoken by some of the loudest thunder that I have heard, and I made it to my window with only short time to spare before the sky seemingly opened up. There was a large slab of heavy oak that I attached to the shutters to hold them shut. I am lucky I was able to heft the oak alone, as many books may have been damaged. Just in case my quick work would not hold, I have placed the books in a safer spot.
I write now from one of the abandoned large rooms even higher up. Used to store a few old objects, it has a window that I have opened, since I wanted to enjoy the flashes of lightning and the feel of the wind, in so much that I can still enjoy it. There is nothing to be harmed up here. Seeing the almost demonic looking black clouds is actually rather exciting.
I brought a decanter of coffee with me from the inn, as I stopped in to break my fast after another night. Boiling it again in the small fireplace in the room and I am quite content right now.
I may go outside later, despite the bad weather. Right now I am enjoying watching it blow in.
31 August.
I return in the evening after having gone outside. It was rather exhilarating to watch the massive storm as it grew. It still blows on outside, and I suspect we will be under its wrath for several days.
I walked a ways away from the town, the air clearly cooler, though it was still rather warm out. I went without my cloak or tunic, as I felt there was no point. Perhaps a few of the townspeople, who were busily bolting themselves deep underground in their various dwellings thought me mad, but I am sure I leave a bit of an odd impression on them anyway.
Traveling to the edge of the woods, I watched as the trees blew around; the rain was going strong, the droplets almost large enough to visibly see. I half wished for a bolt of lightning to hit me, but alas, I had no easy way to attract it. Perhaps someday.
I cannot remember a time I was out in a storm this bad. Rain, countless times, as it is no bother. But never anything this bad.
And then, I had a moment of joy. Or what I count as joy. The wind blew a branch that was particularly sharp into my shoulder. The pain hit me suddenly and very surprisingly, and for a moment I was in ecstasy. I quickly tried to regain control of myself as I pulled the branch from my shoulder, as I did not want the pain to lead me to one of my more murderous moments, particularly with no questionable people around. But as the rain washed the blood from my shoulder, I was certainly more awake than I was before.
After catching my breath and calming, I continued, the wound in my shoulder beginning to heal as I walked. I almost wanted to be hit with something else, but after remembering the red haze that would start to hit, I thought perhaps it would be better if I didn't.
I enjoyed my time and head back. I had a feeling the ravens residing in my tower may have been getting a touch agitated from the storm, and two of them are still somewhat young.
Now I must get ready to go around the grounds. Especially on a night like tonight. If anyone were to try anything, I suppose it would be on a night where no one would expect anything, especially with some of the particularly more forbidden texts we have gotten. I don't think I want to say too much of them even in my tome here, just for safekeeping.
2 September.
The heavy rains have not let up. Some parts of the town are somewhat flooded, though it is not too serious. I did a favor today and went to get some supplies the inn needed. They seemed odd that I would want to go out in such weather, and on foot, but it did not bother me.
The supplies allowed them to make more strawberry tarts, which I did, of course, indulge in several of.
4 September.
Strange whisperings were heard today. There were a few people in the library whom I do not trust. I will be keeping my eye on them. I thought they were simply coming in out of the rain, which while strong has calmed slightly, but I believe they have more nefarious purposes in mind.
28 September.
It has been awhile.
I am in the process of moving on from my old position. I did so in secret, particularly after what happened.
My last entry, as I see, described how I saw some men whom I did not trust, and I was correct on my feelings. They had found out about some of the forbidden texts, and I knew, if they had brought them to the church, it would have been spelled doom for the people at the library, and possibly for the library itself. They needed the proof, though, so they broke in at night.
I caught them and made quick work of them. I lured them to the basement, so that I did not end up getting blood on the more valuable items. It took awhile to clean up and dispose of the remains. There were three, and after getting a sword through my stomach, I had grown excited again and mangled them all rather horribly. While me killing intruders, especially armed ones which they were, was in my power if necessary, I had left them in such conditions that it may have brought up questions, particularly since I was unarmed at the time. My wounds were hard to hide, as well, as I took a few more during the fight.
Working through the night, I eventually packed my few belongings and grabbed the two forbidden texts, which spoke of spirits, daemonology, and magick. I left behind a large tome from about three centuries ago. I hope in my heart they consider this a reasonable trade, as I did not want to leave the texts behind just in case they had anymore unwanted visitors looking for them. If they books are not there, they have no evidence. But they had been very kind to a stray traveler whom they felt perhaps a bit strange, letting me stay there in return for defending the place, so I did not want to seem like I was stealing.
I left early, before the rest could wake up and arrive, and have made it quite far, due to the speed in which I am able to move. The weather stayed grim for awhile, but thanks to treated leathers which I wrapped my more valuable belongings in, they have stayed dry. The same cannot be said for me or my ravens, who have been rather irritable as of late.
Funny that I call them my ravens now. I do not own them, but they seem to enjoy my company every so often.
Also I find it funny that I have written more over the centuries. I suppose I find more to say since I have seen so much, though part of it may be me starting to feel alone from time to time. I occasionally attempt physical pleasures with people in particular establishments, but I find that nothing really works for me these days. A pity.
Hopefully I will be back to this tome in some time. I am sure that I may end up letting this go for another century again, but only time shall tell, I suppose.
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