17 Days out of Bandar al-Sadat
The natives of the islands in these waters warned us of an island known as The Sea Anvil - a place of treacherous currents, Dark Water, and great evil. Your typical place from which no one has ever returned. While we have not yet encountered anything that could be considered evil, we have most definitely found the first two hazards. Our lookouts spied a rugged island off the port beam, and I ordered a course set to make landfall so that we could take on fresh water. That later turned out to be a nearly fatal decision. The closer we came to the island we found that the currents increased and started to pull us toward the land. Such a thing can only suggest a great maelstrom. However, that soon became the least of our worries. As we tacked against the currents to stay straight on course towards the island, we found that the seas became clogged with jagged rocks. We were unable to safely steer around both the rocks and the currents - our hull was holed and we began taking on water. After that, the effort to say afloat caused us to be swept up with the currents.

At the last, we were saved by being fortunate enough to be smashed against the rocky shores of what cannot be anything else but the Sea Anvil. I can now appreciate the correctness of the name. However, even though we are quite possibly stranded here until we die, we can at least fight against Fate and attempt to rescue ourselves. Had we tried to avoid the shores, we would most assuredly have been lost. For from these rocks, we can see what has to be The Hammer. There is indeed a vast maelstrom here - we can barely see the other side with our spyglasses! This whirlpool appears to be contained within a circle described by three rocky and jagged islands such as the one we are stranded on. After seeing the crew to the safety of land, I took the liberty to observe the actions of this Hammer. For all its vast size, it spins far too rapidly to be a natural danger - some dark sorcery must be at work here. This is confirmed by the overwhelming presence of Dark Water in the area. The Dark Water, along with anything else that is so unlucky as to venture close to this place, is swept in through the gaps between the ringing islands. However, it seems to appear that some the killing surf is actually be expelled FROM the maelstrom.

First day on the Sea Anvil
The damage to the ship is not as bad as we had originally feared. There are only a few holes in the hull; the keel and ribs were not damaged by the impact with the shore. If we can find some wood, we should be able to pull her around to the lee of the island, and then sail away from here. Now that we know about the currents and the rocks, our Sea Mage should be able to steer us around the hazards and we can reach open waters. I am sending out scouting parties now to see if there is any raw material to be had on this godless rock.

My earlier observations were correct. Dark Water is indeed coming out of the whirlpool. From the rocky heights of this place, it is possible to see down into the core of the whirlpool. I cannot see to tell, but this maelstrom must reach down to the bottom of the seas, if not deeper. Perhaps the tales are true and there is a Dark Dweller imprisoned in the core of Mer, and this place is the gate. But for the Dark Water to be coming from here, that tales of him getting free might also be true. For at the very least, he's bribed the warden…

Second day on the Sea Anvil
While there are no true trees to be found here, there are a large number of scrub plants. With some magic, we should be able to fashion at least a temporary patch or two so that we might leave here and find some real wood. Unfortunately, we will be many days gathering bushes before we can attempt the repairs. Before that, I will order the ship dragged around to the lee of this place so that we don't lose her the maelstrom before we've gathered enough wood to fix her.

Fourth day on the Anvil
Our navigator has made an interesting theory about this place. He has been studying the waters and rocks along the shores in order to try and get a feel for how to escape the island. He thinks that these three arcs of rock might have been ONE island in the distant past. He says that based on the rocks he's seen on the lee of the island, it looks as if they were thrown there by a volcanic eruption. If this was one island, it would have rivaled Octopon for size. However, based on the weathering, this destruction - if it happened - must have done very long ago.

Eighth day on the Anvil
The patches appear to be holding; we will finally be able to get off this godless rock. We'll try tomorrow at first light.

Ninth day on the Anvil
We are still here, but now because we choose to be. We did set sail and began to make our way out from the maze of rocks and flows. Then our lookout spied a light in the distance. It appeared to be further along the shore of the island we had just left. By Davron's Beard! I hate this quest at times. A mysterious light in a dangerous place? It might be one of the remaining Treasures. I ordered the lookout to fly that way to get a better view. In the meantime, we will change course and sail that way ourselves. Fortunately, that direction is with the currents.

The lookout returned and brought odd news indeed. The light was from a building which appeared to be built from mirrors! (It was the reflection of the morning sun that we had seen.) The only ones who would build with mirrors are genies. But we must investigate, for the genies might very well know of the Treasures we seek.

2 day's sail from the Sea Anvil
Damned genies! I lost ten men to that mirrored building. Still, I should document what happened in case anything happens to me and my ship. The building is set on a high cliff which overlooks the maelstrom. It looks much like a fortified lighthouse; very similar to the Great Lighthouse of Octopon. Every indication shows that it is built from mirrors. Damned, magical, accursed mirrors! It was finding this out that cost two men their lives. They, under my orders, attempted to break down the front doors to the place. (Well, since no one answered our hails, I decided to treat the place according the rules of salvage.) After that costly mistake, I resolved not to use physical contact to open the doors. A few shots with the mangonel shattered the door. (Although we did have a close call with one of the reflected missiles.)

The interior followed the same pattern as the outside - the walls are made from mirrors. Although, the ones in the entrance hall were flawed - possibly purposely. Fortunately, our distorted reflections did nothing more than make us nauseous. Once into the interior of the building, a search showed that this place might have been a library of some kind. Several rooms were filled with large, heavy tomes. However, like the building they were housed in, the books were written on mirrors rather than paper. Fortunately, we did not have to settle in to the impossible task of reading the blasted things. We found a room which provided some hope as well as proof of this being a library of genie construction. A room in the center of the building contained what appeared to be a large loom. However, rather than fabric, it wove words! Words flowed across the surface of the loom faster than the eye could read. Then, a book dropped out of the bottom of the loom. Before that surprise wore off, another struck. The book floated into the air and out of the room on its own! Following it, we saw it disappear through a hole in the floor of the adjoining chamber.

Desiring to figure out this mystery, we followed it. The hole led into the main library. The room below was a large chamber filled floor to ceiling with books. While these were obviously ancient, they were at least written on paper and in what looked like a dialect of Midani. Our mage used a spell to read one; she confirmed that the books were indeed written in ancient Midani - very ancient. The book she examined appeared to be a record of the ancient history of Mer, at least a part of the Age of Exploration or even the Age of Survival. (I am no sage, but based on the awe in her voice, that must be very far in the past indeed.) She suggested that we search the books extensively, for we might be able to find records of how the Treasures of Rul were lost, which might then allow Ren to find the rest of them. This is something that both my honor and our quest cannot allow to slip by unheeded.

We probably spent several days negotiating our way through the stacks of this place. Very odd. The "doors" to the other chambers of books are mirrors. Not only do they reflect the room you are in, but they also show what is in the room beyond. This is very disconcerting, particularly when there are people in the next room. Finally, we found the place which held books that wrote of the loss of the Treasures of Rul. By my reckoning, the chamber lay ten rooms to the right, and then fourteen rooms left of the entrance chamber. However, as soon as we took the books from the chamber, intending to bring them back to Ren in Octopon, the library attacked us.

There is no other way to describe it. Bookcases tried to fall and crush us. The lights extinguished in the chambers and the doors sealed against us. And, from within the darkness, chains of barbed metal lashed out and tore flesh from bone. I lost eight more men and most of the books trying to flee that place. We did manage to get out of there with one of the books. I only hope that it contains the information we need - I have no desire to go back to that accursed place.