From Draven's Journal

For some reason, the lands around that cesspool of a town Zamorra seem filled with weapons and artifacts of the cursed, evil, and just plain foul variety! Is it merely my sheltered upbringing? Or is it the teachings of Moradin that cause me to take offense where many turn a blind eye? First the corrupt bastard swords - oh how appropriate that name now seems... then the life draining axe wielded by the goblin chief, and the pit of slime that changed him so. That a wretched goblin would turn to such foul magic to make up for his weakness and stupidity, is not so surprising, I suppose. But what madness came over the gnomes to craft those bastard swords, I may never know...

But as Moradin gives me strength, I will fix their mistake. Shadowfoot and Thokk must be released from the curse that has bound them, although as yet Thokk's blade has shown no need to drink the blood of the fallen. Instead, his peculiar obsession with breaking weapons instead of killing his enemies. Fair enough when fighting an honourable foe, perhaps, but I'd rather face an armed goblin than one that's trying to get up close and personal with me! His curse can wait, I think, as he has not turned to dark gods, but Shadowfoot must be persuaded to end this madness. Or forced.

I should have taken the blade from him as he lay passed out, after the first time I saw it feed on the blood of a fallen goblin. Instead I waited, and when my prayers revealed no evil I dropped my guard. Drinking blood is no more evil than spilling it, I suppose... but worshipping Malar... this must stop.

-starts fresh page-
Many a long year I've known you, and I call you friend. Because of that I cannot let you turn to evil ways. Making sacrifices to a god like Malar cannot lead to anything but evil, and I must make you see this. I regret forcibly confining you like this, but I feel I have no choice because of the magical compulsion that has been laid upon you. I also feel guilty that I stood by and let you take up that accursed blade in the first place, so I will do what I can to right that wrong.

There are many gods both good and evil, we all know this, and it is well to avoid offending any of them. But devoting any kind of ritual to any one of them is dangerous indeed, especially to one so wild and depraved as Malar. Not for nothing is this animal god known as the Ravener - it's favour is as likely to be fatal as it is helpful. And that's when you actually do worship it, rather than pretending to as you do now, or so I hope at least. If you have in fact decided to worship this foul god, then can only hope that this too is a result of the curse under which you labour, and that it shall pass when we have destroyed the blade.

For destroy it we must. Thokk's too, though he will no doubt be harder to wrestle into submission than you. On the other hand, I doubt he'll be picking the locks or wriggling free of any ropes we tie around him. But I ramble...

I'm sorry, my friend, but I do what I feel I must, as do we all. I can only hope that if a similar madness ever befalls me, you will act to prevent it.

-starts fresh page-
And now I must persuade the rest of my friends that we should ambush Shadowfoot, and take the cursed blade from him. I wonder how well that will go... If we confine him with the note I have just written, and manage to find a way to dispose of the sword, perhaps then he will be freed. If it works, then we try the same plan on Thokk, if not, I will have to ask the priests at Hammerhome for assistance.