Yellowed diary

Associated quest

 * Contract: Devil by the Well

Journal entry

 * 27 III 1250
 * It's happened. Volker sent a petition of our grievances against the lord to the court at Vizima. Listed all the harm he's done us. How he killed Johann for not taking off his cap quick enough. How he trampled our fields when drunk with nary a thought of repayment. How he barged in during Pieter's wedding and demanded his right of the first night. Now we've finally got what we begged Melitele for in our prayers for so long – the judge recognized our grievances and waived all our bonds and duties to the lord. We can finally strike out on our own. At last, we can live as free men!


 * 12 IV 1250
 * The first day of our freedom. Hovel's not much of a village yet, but to my mind it's better than the most fantastic palace. Volker fumed our home with hazel wood smoke to drive out evil, buried a marten under the gate, to make sure no thieves cross our threshold. And then he gave me a bracelet – loveliest I've ever seen. Mother said it's foolish to spend so much on a bauble when we haven't ploughs nor hoes and that we ought return it to the merchant. Over my dead body! I'll never take it off. It's always be there to remind me of Volker – of how happy we were that day.


 * 23 IV 1250
 * They say the lord is coming to see us. That he wants to make a deal, to beg us to return to the village. They say he's calmed since his son died, that he's not as quick to anger about small slights. Well, we'll see. One way or another, I've no intention to move one inch from here.