The Fall of Morninglight

The Changelings grow bolder – bold enough to even attack me openly and just out of sight of Astur’s walls. Granted, I was alone and without my personal guard – but it was merely a walk to town and well within the boundaries of what I assumed to be safe.

Imperious will most certainly frown furiously at me for being so careless.

They, the Changelings, numbered six that I could see, and they set upon me from the forested hills on either side of the Great Road. They looked, to me, the same as any other Changeling – so I do not know if this was an incursion from the north, or a group from within our midst.

Hopefully this can be discovered by way of the Guard’s investigations of the scene of the attack.

As for the Changelings themselves, their ability to drain emotion – to syphon the very will to carry on – is very powerful. I have never encountered such a thing; it was as if all of the happiness and love in the world seemed to vanish from me, spinning away into a void of despair and loneliness… I can see now why they are so feared by those who have faced them.

And if they had not been so quick to attack I may very well not be here now…

I feel I must try to describe the effect while the event is still fresh; at first I merely felt as if I were a bit under the weather, an achy tiredness that crept upon me as I strolled. Very quickly I began to feel sleepy, but this was not a desire to simply rest – it was a desire to simply give up. To stop moving and just be still until the end came for me…

I understand now this was the beginning of their assault; an insidious weakening of the will of the prey before they physically attack... Fortunately, as their malaise came over me I caught a hoof on a loose stone, and stumbled – and I can only guess they felt I was done for, for the next thing I knew there was loud hissing and bared fangs all around me.

Instantly I raised a barrier to thwart their attack, but my wards against various magics had no effect on their power, and I continued to slide down that slope of crushing despair towards a welcome oblivion.

I can remember lowering my head, and feeling my knees start to buckle as the world was growing dim around me. But Imperious was ringing in my ears, louder and louder; the hours of his endless practicing and drilling for just such circumstances forced a final spell from me, throwing the creatures back into the forest.

The next thing I remember is the Canis Celestialis’ roar that seemed to shake the very heavens, and a flurry of movement and sound as he routed the creatures. I can only assume their powers do not work upon him, and so they were simply no match for Starswirl’s ancient creation.

I do not recall much after this. I did see the resultant damage I did to the road and the nearby trees as I was led back to castle Astur… I fear in my desperation I may have overextended a bit, and the repairs will take some time…

I now recover in my chambers – slowly but certainly. I have bid my aides to alert the Guard by way of Diomades, what happens from here is in his capable hooves.