Log 79

I spoke to Sir Bernahl once again, after he'd returned from his journey, and told him of the strange encounter I had while he was away. He told me that the man I'd encountered was known as the "Bell-Bearing Hunter", a vile criminal who hunts down merchants and instructors, for reasons unknown. Sir Bernahl thanked me for dispatching of the assassin that was surely after him, but I'm positive he could've defeated the brute with an ease I could only dream of.

Still, at least now I know what my reward was for his defeat. Apparently this small bell can be given to those strange twin husks at the Roundtable Hold, allowing them to fashion more goods from runes. I should be sure to keep an eye out for these trinkets while I travel through these lands.

Log 80

As I was making my way south to cross that bridge, I decided to stop by and check on Varre again. It makes me skin crawl just thinking about that man, but I felt compelled to see if he was up to some mischief. Every time I turn my back on him I feel as if he is going to plunge a knife in it, and so I am compelled to keep looking at him, unpleasant as it may be.

He didn't have much of note to say to me, besides some brief congratulations on my newfound strength and encouragement that I seek the wisdom of the Two Fingers. It's odd, he strikes me as anything but a pious type, but he seems so intent on my following the path of the Tarnished and joining the Roundtable. Is this some sort of trick? But I cannot fathom what he would stand to gain from this. Perhaps he means to usurp Godrick's rule and is looking for a pawn to dispose of him? I'll have to ask Mistress Selen or Sir Bernahl if they know anything about this man. Perhaps Sir Gideon might know about him? What am I saying, of course the All-Knowing would know about this rat, the question is whether or not he'd deign to speak to me.

But I digress. When I stopped by the tomb from which I emerged at the start of this journey, I was reminded of that impenetrable wall of fog I saw on my way out. Now that I've found some more of these stone keys, perhaps I may be able to cross it? I sit at the Site of Grace now as I write this, so I suppose we shall soon find out.

Log 81

As is the norm in these lands, pain is curiosity's only reward. The first thing I was met with was a lake of poison, it seeped through my greaves and clung to my armor, the smell was so awful it nearly made me retch. Still, this was only a minor inconvenience compared to what awaited me right beyond it.

A giant chariot made of stone, seemingly moving of its own accord by some strange magic, came barreling towards me and crushed me underfoot. As soon as I awoke at the grace I rushed back to try again, certain that it wouldn't catch me by surprise twice. I was caught by surprise twice.

This went on for quite a while. I saw outcroppings against the wall where several coffins were stored within this mass grave, and thought I might use those to hide while I waited for the chariot to pass me by. Imagine my surprise when I was ambushed by a ghost! Several of them, in fact! I don't know if these are the spirits entombed in this place, some lost souls cursed to act as grave wardens, or some strange illusion, but whatever the case, they were all quite keen on repelling me from progressing further. I thought that once I turned the corner I would be safe, but the chariot just turned and followed me down, crushing me once again.

It seems this is going to be a long expedition.

Log 82

I was able to escape from that chariot, but now it seems I have a new host of problems to face. I fell to what I thought would be my doom only to wind up in a lower level of the catacombs. More importantly, I have no idea how to get back up without dying and letting the Grace do its work. So for the time being it seems I'll have to contend with more of these wretched imps and fire traps. It's fortunate that I already know how to disable them, or else this would be much more troublesome.

Log 83

Just when I thought I had found my prize, I was once again reminded of how quickly fortunes can change in this land. I came across what looked to be some sort of large ceremonial tomb, likely honoring some great hero. In the center I found a strange golden pendant which gave off an unusual glow, but as soon as I reached for it, another one of those damn grafted monstrosities pounced on me from the ceiling, nearly killing me on the spot. I tried to back away across the bridge to get some distance, but then a second one appeared behind me and finished me off. I have no idea what those blasted things are doing in this place, but I can already tell they're going to be troublesome.

Common sense dictates that I should leave well enough alone, but I think I've discarded such notions by now. If I give up so easily when faced with a challenge, I'll never reach the Erdtree. However, I do not believe I need to defeat them. Perhaps if I can just grab that trinket and flee, I can leave them behind and move on. However, I foresee many painful deaths in my future before I can find a road to victory.

Log 84

I don't know how long it's been, or how many lives I wasted sneaking past that chariot, facing off against those imps, or running across that bridge, but I've made it to the other side, with my prize in hand. I found that the drop from the bridge was not as lethal as I imagined, and led me to a different section of the tomb. There, I was met with a ghostly knight that nearly took my life, but in the end I prevailed. Even better, I was able to find a way to destroy that accursed stone chariot, and can now continue exploring the rest of this tomb at my leisure. Though perhaps leisure is a bit too kind a word for it.

Regardless, I will continue my explorations for the time being, and exhaust this place before I return above ground, lest I never want to set foot here again.

Log 85

I don't know how, but I've emerged victorious. I returned to the Roundtable after I cleared out that enormous tomb. It turned out to be much larger than I first expected, with many more twists and turns and levels to it that I would have thought possible. It was a relief not to have those wretched grafted spiders chasing after me, or that chariot turning me into a stain on the floor, but the ghostly guardians of this place didn't let me pass by in peace. Eventually, I made my way down to the deepest depths of this tomb, expecting another strange statue or perhaps a gladiator or undead monster.

I was not prepared for that… thing that awaited me. Even now I lack the words to describe it. It seemed almost like a living tree of some sort. But that strange bloody substance pouring out of it, the way it moved and that ungodly roar… I can't even imagine what it could be. Most worryingly, were the strange golden flames that poured out from it, almost like the light of the Erdtree itself, and that small golden seed that fell from its corpse. I dare not think too long on this, it is not my place.

I still don't know how I emerged victorious. I lost count of how many times I died trying to fight that thing. I relied on the spirits called by that bell the witch gave me for support, but even when fighting it as a team, it proved nearly impossible, especially when its gargantuan size meant that just moving from one end of the room to another was enough to crush me. And it moved with a speed and agility that should not have been possible for such an enormous creature. My sword and sorceries must have had some effect, but as I fought, I was certain that my blows were just bouncing off of it. Eventually, through trial and error, I found a strategy that seemed to work. While my spirit ashes distracted the beast, I kept my distance and used the gravity sorcery I learned from that hellhole to launch rocks at it. Aiming for its head seemed to affect it, and after enough blow it was seemingly knocked prone, giving me and my spirit companion a chance to strike.

Unfortunately, even with this cowardly strategy, I fell in battle many times before I finally emerged victorious. I don't know if I could call that monstrosity intelligent, but it certainly wasn't mindless. On more than one occasion, it seemed to figure out what I was planning, and turned away from my spirit summon to crush me. Even when it wasn't focused on me, just the sheer size of it was enough to sometimes get me killed in the crossfire, not to mention when those golden fires began to erupt not just from its maw but from its whole body. Still, the power of the Tarnished and their immortality has not abandoned me yet, and so I remain unbroken.

Still, I think the most valuable prize I took from this expedition was that pendant that the grafted spiders were guarding. I remember hearing stories of pendants bearing the blessing of the Erdtree itself, and holding this in my hand, I know it must be true. Just wearing this thing, I can feel its power flowing through me. If this is the only reward I gain from this journey, then it will have been worth it. Yet I also emerged with a bevy of runes, and precious battle experience. This has been a fruitful day, indeed.

-Accolon of Elis