Excerpts from the Diary of Gustavo Corvinho

This book details the life of a prominent citizen of the village of Aldeia de Espiga, and patriarch of the Família do Corvinho - Gustavo Corvinho. From his humble origins to his dark future, the tome reads like a confessional of his many triumphs and sins. The artifact itself seems to carry a weight and exudes a dark aura.

First Entries: Ages 13 - 17

The earliest pages in the tome speak of a child born into the family of a humble farmer, but details a passion that seeks to overcome this caste using any means necessary. His hunger for wealth and power seems to grow exponentially with every year.

"Curse the fates that sought fit to shackle my soul to this life of inescapable poverty! Would these hands not serve to build the very future of the realm, had they been given a scepter to hold, rather than a shovel?"

"Every day that I wake in this disgusting village is an afront to my very spirit. If I only had the means and the power, I would rend this entire valley to ruin and build my palace of unassailable wealth over the ashes. Though I lack the means now, I promise I will orchestrate the end of this wretched pit of despair we call Espiga."

"I have had the opportunity to speak with a tradesman from neighboring Raiz. He exemplifies the wealth and dignity that I wish to possess. Never have I been so envious of another - for there are none in this pitiful village who I would call me equal. I would never shame myself to beg, but perhaps this merchant saw in me the potential I was born with; for, he has informed me that wealth and power can be grasped if one only reaches for the hand that has such things to offer. Though he couldn't say more, he told me that he would work on arranging such a meeting. I wait, now, with a renewed vigor."

Rise of Gustavo: Ages 18 - 25

Having encountered a mysterious man from a neighboring town, Gustavo chronicles his ascent to power by employing the help of a sinister cult and it's mysterious leader.

"The Mother has heard my plea and saw the truth of my spirit - for she has offered me absolute rule of Espiga in return for my unquestioned loyalty. A fair trade, if I say so myself. She claims this reward will be delivered through a network called "The Mycelial Thread", which I am to be inducted into in but three days. I eagerly await this ceremony, as it will serve as my first step into true power.

"My blood pact has been signed, and I have sworn my allegiance to The Mother. I paid my dues; a price that others would be horrified to pay was something I eagerly offered - the lifeblood of my very parents. Happily I sacrificed those passionless louts that thought to trap my soul in this life of servitude. And just like that, their blood was transformed into gold - not quite a fortune, but more than this pathetic village has ever seen. Mother has a plan for me, and I will follow her lead. I will invest this gold into the old windmill where I will transmute the grain of the locals into infinite wealth."

"With a steady flow of money coming in through the granary, I have been given orders to construct an inn on the edge of The Outlands. The villagers call it a folly - those simple swine! Will they still be laughing when they spend their last coin on cheap liquor? Let them gossip while they can, for this tavern will serve not only as the engine of their oppression, but as the temple in which the Thread will spread. I am sparing no expense to bring Mother's vision to life, though I am vexed at the room with no doors - she claims all will become clear after my ascension. I will eagerly await this new position in her flock."

Ascension: Ages 26 - 29

This period in Gustavo's life is defined by his rise within the Cult of the Mycelial Thread and, as such, a mirrored rise in prominence in his community. With a steady flow of wealth coming in, he instead sets his sights on acquiring power.

"Having proven my worth to Mother, she has judged me as worthy to lead. I am to take my vows in the sacred spring in the Outlands. She instructed me to follow the path out of town, south to the crossroads. The southeast path leads to a creek which is fed by the Naiad Piedá to the north. She is the guardian of the sacred grounds where I am to become an Emissary.

I do this knowing the great weight that comes with the vow - the fungus consumed to take the advancement will slowly consume the body, leaving nothing but a being of mycelial flesh, much like Shadrach and the others. The only way to prevent this fate is to advance to a higher position, which I intend to do as soon as possible."

"I did not expect such a test of might to become an Emissary, but I suppose I should have expected nothing less - within the Thread there is very little room for failure and our ranks hold nothing for the weak. Piedá would make a formidable ally, if only she cared one iota for the affairs of mortals. Whatever Mother has done to encourage her involvement in our rites must be quite a powerful charm. Considering she is the weaker of the two elementals in The Outlands, I would hate to find myself opposing her counterpart."

"Day by day I am earning more trust within the Thread. The High Priest of Aldeia de Raiz is pleased with my progress in Espiga and has put my name forward to Mother to lead the branch of The Thread based in my village. The thirst I had for wealth has been quenched by Her will, and I feel my hunger for power is soon to be sated as well."

"It is done: I have attained the most coveted position in the thread - that of High Priest. And as above, so below - no sooner did I step into this role than I was able to secure an audience with the Lord of the Land himself. Perhaps Mother had pulled some strings behind the scenes, or it could be that Lord Glumbo sees in me a man of his equal, but my negotiations were extremely fruitful, as I was able to convince him to release Espiga from it's feudal burdens and entrusted it into my care. Praise be to the Thread, I have nearly everything I have ever wished for, and that which I lack will come in time."

Dynasty: Ages 30 - 50

This chapter in Gustavo's life primarily revolves around family life. Curiously, most of the pages from this period have been haphazardly torn from the binding. What remains is primarily from the start and end of this period.

"Only a man who thinks about his death concerns himself with thoughts of an heir, but Mother insists that I start planting the seeds of a dynasty now. When I survey the people of this village, though, all I see is scum. The thought of taking one of these unwashed heathens into my bed fills me with the utmost disgust - however, if one must be chosen, should she not be the best among the worst? As such, there is only one who would serve as a fitting consort here; the only daughter of the merchant Pedro Moutinha, who, even without the aid of the Thread, has been able to etch out a modest fortune. Perhaps she carries within her that same tenacity. I will ask Mother to make the arrangements."

"I have been informed that I am to bring an auspicious child into this world, though it must be carried out through ritual, not random animal passion. Mother has entrusted me with a vial of liquid she ensures me will make Claudia unable to object to our ways, and that, after she consumes it, I am to bring her to the temple where she will ensure the seed planted carries the will of the Thread."

"That Anbrosio boy proved more tenacious than I assumed. Though he came to me broken and desperate, I never expected he would carry out my demands without the slightest hesitation - but within a day he returned with the dagger wet with the blood of his father, the man marked for death. His willingness to serve has furthered our cause considerably, and, as such, I have made arrangements with High Priest Ataroth to place him in a place of power within Raiz where he may best serve the Thread."

Countless pages here are missing, torn carelessly from the book with no attempts to mask their removal.

"It matters not to me what that whore does with her body, nor who the boy's father is. However, her insubordination deserves punishment - so she will watch me dote on the boy as if he were the light of my life, and I will shape him to serve the will of the Thread just as I did. If she did this out of spite for me, then watch her boy become the very thing she hates."

The End: Age 63

"I lied when I wrote previously that the Thread had granted my every wish - for there is still one thing I desire more than all the wealth in my coffers - and I may yet sacrifice all this and more to attain what I so desire: the utter decimation of this disgusting hellhole. However, Mother has heard my cries for destruction, though she claims that my desires conflict with the greater goals of the Thread."

"If there were any misgivings about what is to come, that time has now passed. Luckily, I have no regrets about the suffering I am yet to bring to the village - I only wish I could be there to see it firsthand. However, another is to be used for this purpose - my own daughter, Graça, who carries within her all the spite and hate that I planted in her mother's womb 33 years ago. Now, like a noxious weed, I will let her usher in the decimation of this wretched town, and, once all that is left is but ash, I will come forward to rebuild in my own vision."

"Preparations have been made; all that remains is to disappear. I will wait in the unreachable chamber and emerge not as a cultist, but as a king. In the meantime, Graça shall act as the harbinger of doom, and my trusted Emissaries shall ensure that all the pieces fall into place. When I next step foot in this disgusting valley, I will walk across the bones of the scum that were undeserving of even my scorn. So it shall be, Not even the Mother shall deny me this. So says I, Nebuchadrezzar of The Thread."

The book ends abruptly after this final entry.