Diary found in a locked drawer of a writing desk on the top floor of the old guard tower.

Judging by certain turns of phrase, orthography, etc., the anonymous author of this diary had a religious education (as a priest, or a monk, etc.). The diary covers the period from 228 R.C. (when the author arrives at this posting) to 248 R.C. (when the tower is abandoned).

The somewhat laconic entries describe a time of increasing desolation, as caravan traffic through the territory patrolled by the warriors garrisoned here dwindles to nothing, communications from settlements and outposts elsewhere in the region drop off and then cease entirely, and (in the author’s judgment) the tower’s purpose becomes, in essence, nonexistent (there being nothing to guard anymore, and no reason to guard it). A feeling of despondency and loneliness pervades the entries. (Although the diary’s author is not much given to ruminations or commentary, one gets the sense that none of these developments are particularly novel.)

One notable entry, early in the diary (specifically, 231 R.C.) concerns the death (from natural causes, as the entry implies) of a certain Sir Berengar. This was evidently a paladin, stationed here, whom the anonymous chronicler greatly respected and admired. The entry notes that Sir Berengar has been buried with honors in the tower’s crypt.

The author expresses trepidation about the future now that Sir Berengar is gone, in particular noting a concern about possible attacks by the region’s savage humanoids, who might once again try to take the tower by storm now that the paladin is gone. (However, as shown by the rest of the diary, these concerns were mostly unwarranted; minor attacks did occur from time to time, but were easily repelled.)

Finally, in 248 R.C., word arrives that “the castle” (the author evidently sees no need to specify what castle this is) is being vacated, and so this guard tower is also abandoned. (The entry describing this event evinces no surprise at this development.)

(It is not known why the diary’s author chose to leave it behind; the diary itself offers no hints on this point.)

The diary also has markings and margin notes, of a sort; these are obviously much newer than the entries themselves, and made in a different hand (although, judging from the confident and practiced handwriting, the annotator was also possessed of a formal education).

The notes and markings are, essentially, highlights of specific words, phrases, or sections in certain entries; these are accompanied by brief, cryptic notes like “!!!” or “Aha!” or “Hmm”. It is entirely unclear what theme or topic unites the highlighted bits, or whether there even is any kind of unifying theme.