The Amulet

The expedition was a success! 

The voyage to the isles met us with nothing but clear skies and a strong tailwind, putting us an entire day ahead of schedule. Because of our good fortune, I decided to let the crew take a much-needed break to explore what the tribes of Yongu’d had to offer. Though strangers seemed like a rarity in this part of the seas, the locals had greeted us with open arms. In hindsight, perhaps I should have taken this time to join my fellow brethren in celebration, but there was important research to be done! 

My entire day was spent trying to find anyone who knew anything about Cothun’s Amulet, and by dusk I was beginning to lose hope. While I’m certain that the locals weren’t intentionally lying, I still find it strange that no one seemed to have any inclination of the nature of my research. Months of investigation had led me to believe that the isles of Yongu’d were the final resting place of Cothun; how could the people of the isles not be rehearsed in one of the most incredible legends of the past century? Whether or not Cothun ascended to the heavens is still a mystery, however perhaps this Amulet may shed some light… 

The entire process of obtaining this artifact is still surreal. 

Shortly before boarding the ship, dissatisfied with the days results, I was approached by what I perceived to be an old, foolish, drunkard. Before I could reach into my bag to give him a loaf of bread and a six piece of gold, he had rather clumsily asked if I was the academic in search of Cothun’s Amulet. Naturally I gave him the honest answer, and upon hearing this the odd fellow let out a laugh that in most instances would have been warm but somehow struck me as eerie, before reaching out his hand indicating that I take something from him. I reached out my hand, expecting perhaps an amulet of some other deity or entity. He dropped something into my hand and there it was, the Amulet of Cothun! Just as it was described in the texts of the University. 

Naturally, I’ve always been far too trusting for my own good. Most academics typically air on the side of caution and prefer an air of skepticism in everything they do. And while there have been instances where this has gotten me into trouble, for once my trusting behavior finally payed off! 

In my excitement I must have passed out, as I awoke in my quarters of the ship. How embarrassing! Someone must have seen me laying on the ground near the ship and carried me to my quarters- I hope no one assumes that I had too much to drink… In any case, the Amulet is safely within my possession! I will inform the rest of the crew to set sail for a return trip home to Starguard, just as soon as I stop analyzing this curious artifact. 

As we return home, I can’t help but wonder how far the properties of the amulet reach. Older texts claim that the amulet allows wearers to enter the minds of others. Others say that it allows wearers to visually see the thoughts of those close to them. While I would love nothing more than to see the properties of the amulet firsthand, to do so would be a direct violation of University ethics. All experiments must first be approved by the head of research and must occur in a controlled environment to avoid any unnecessary complications. 

Everything in due time! For now, I suppose that I should just revel in my accomplishments and lock away the amulet before myself or others can succumb to its temptations... 

Perhaps the excitement of this discovery doesn’t end, as I haven’t been sleeping well since obtaining the amulet some five days ago. The amulet remains locked away in my personal drawer, though I suppose now would be a good a time as any to inspect it.

Strange runes cover both sides of the amulet, I imagine that some meaning can be derived with the appropriate resources. The shape of it resembles a sun, with 8 points evenly spaced in a circular manner. It is roughly the size of a two-piece coin, yet weighs three times as much. I will wear it tonight and document any oddities for the sake of research and transparency. 

I woke up feeling refreshed! 

It may be sheer coincidence that the one night I dawned the amulet is same night where I finally managed to rest, but such an event must still be documented. Given the alleged psychological properties of the amulet, it may not be beyond its abilities to act as a sleeping agent. I will test this theory by locking the amulet away for another seven days and observing my sleeping behaviors. Starguard is still a long ways away, and it would be blasphemy to have such a unique item unresearched for weeks on end. I will suffer the potential punishments given by the University, I can only hope that whatever comes out of this amulet will win their final judgements over. 

Today I overheard chatter from the crew that indicates they all had nightmares. I can only hope that this isn’t associated with the amulet… 

In my previous entry, I noted that I would lock the amulet away for seven days before attempting to verify its prperties properties as a sleeping agent. These past few days have seen me sleep for brief moments at a time, collapsing solely out of sheer exhstion exhaustion. Even then, the moments I sleep are restless, as I am greeted with the same recurring nightmare each time without fail. In these dreams, I see myself back in my quarters at Starguard with the amulet around my neck. Shortly after, darkness consumes all, except for the amulet. While I cannot see anything, maddening words and sounds rush through my head, and I fall into a panic. These sounds continue until it becomes so unbearable that my body has no choice but to wake up… 

Thankfully the crew hasn’t reported any instances of mass nightmares, allowing us to make great pace towards home. Tonight I will wear the amlet amulet before bed and log my results the instant I awaken, which hopefully won’t be until tomorrow. 

A fantastic night’s sleep! 

While there is certainly more research to be done, for now this confirms my suspicions that the amulet may in fact allow the wearer to sleep well. Though this isn’t as incredible as say, being given the ability to delve into someone’s mind, it is a great starting point to see what it may be capable of. 

Oddly enough, I’ve maintained the same recurring dream as before, but this time they are framed in such a way that causes me comfort as opposed to distress. I am in my quarters at the University with the amulet located on my person. But during this dream, I’m not alone! There is another figure there that I know but can’t make out who they are. The room doesn’t slip into darkness and the dream is spent simply talking with this other person and having a pleasant time in their company! 

For now, I will go out and see if there are any whispers of nightmares occurring in the dreams of some of the crew. If so, this may be another notable property of the amulet that should be approached with great caution… 

I slept for the entire day! 

Shortly after stepping out of my quarters, Nuppal gave a concerned expression to see me up and about. He said that I had locked myself in my quarters for an extensive period of time, but didn’t think anything of it since I’ve closed myself off to focus on work before. The poor fellow looked exhausted, and when I asked why he explained that for the past two nights almost no one on board was able to sleep without being rudely awakened by nightmares. 

It appears as though my good nights rest may come at the expense of my colleagues, something that I dreaded would be the case. Certain properties of the amulet aren’t limited to a confined area and may have far reaching effects. We are roughly three quarters of the way to Starguard. I suppose that during this time I can suffer through restless nights if it means the crew doesn’t have too. This may also allow them to operate at higher efficiency, hopefully allowing us to return home sooner. 

A fly is not without its wings, and it can be many things.

A nuisance, a pest, ANNOYING! Give it a rest.

Men are not but flies, buzzing around without aim.

They see a bright light and rush towards it without fright.

This fright does not come from a brave man but from an idiotic fool.

There is no reason to suffer my little fly, let me clip your wings so that you may finally die 

I did not write the above entry. While the penmanship bears a striking resemblance, I know that I did not do it! No one has access to my quarters and I always keep the key on my person. The journal is in plane sight but how would anyone have the means to mimic my handwriting and write such an odd poem. I have yet to decide if I should bring this to the attention of everyone else, given the current unstable state of our moral, such an announcement is sure to be unwelcome. 

For now, I will lock up my journal in the same place as the amulet, hidden from view and inaccessible to all except me 

To best serve you I will need three things: your mind, your heart, your soul,

not some of it oh no, I will require everything.