velendarjournal

[velendarjournal]

Entry 2: Stormswake

Orion, 16th day of the Fourth Month, 758 AE

My hands are still shaking. I can’t get the image of Captain Haghar’s headless neck out of my mind. What was I thinking? The party probably thinks I’m a monster. I promised myself that I wouldn’t hurt anyone unless I absolutely had to. But, I had to, didn’t I? They were harming people.. I did the best possible option. I swear one of the bandits pissed his pants. It still kind of smells. 

We’ve arrived at this strange port city called Stormswake, and decided to bundle together as some ragtag misfit group for the time being. A very nice man named Solomon came with us from the ship. He provided me with a map, though I wish he would stop calling me ‘milady’. 

I’m currently writing this in a room at the Slaughtered Glass tavern. It’s quite homely for a tavern catered to drunken sailors. Though, it did smell a tad sour when I walked in. Turns out it was because a familiar smelly goat man was there. My childhood friend, Lokier the Satyr, stood playing the lute in the corner of the room. I didn’t realize that he would travel so far out of the Lowlands. It was really nice to see a friendly face in a strange place, and someone who I thought I’d never see again at that. He was apparently working as a bard at the tavern, apparently. I never thought someone like him could actually hold down a job.

The Goliath Brothers have decided to take the remaining bandits along as hostages (or possible allies, as Agate called them.) They say they’re named Garrent and Grent (who can’t say anything but his own name). I learned that they’re from a group of organized bandits called the Blue Marauders, and that they’re situated on an island south-east of here called Raider’s Wreck. Someone named Berric was the one who sent Haghar and his pirates after me. It turned out that one of the bandits also had a connection to the Goliath Brothers, something about a mammoth tusk. So, it wasn’t very hard to convince our little mess of a group to infiltrate the island for answers.

The sun is going to rise soon. Everyone is still fast asleep. I think I’ll look around town today, try to find ways to get there and prepare. My mind is still in a daze, but I’m sure a plan will come clear to me once I’ve had some breakfast. Might as well try to strike up more conversation with the others as well, since it seems like we’ll be sticking together for a while. Hopefully everything goes well. 

Oh, there was one good thing about today though. Owen apparently had a little friend in his pocket, and he helped guard our new bandit friends with me. He called it a 'tortoise', named Coco. To try and get that dastardly bloody image out of my head, I imagined Coco with a hat. Do seamstresses make hats that small? I wonder if I can get a pet of my own too.

[velendarjournal]

Entry 1: New Faces

Orion, 15th day of the Fourth Month, 758 AE

I recently just found this journal in the depths of my satchel, so I thought I’d put it to good use. I can’t believe what just happened today. You’d think after 10 years, I’d be used to scum hunting me down and trying to turn me in for quick money. Maybe I’m still too recognizable? I shouldn’t have lost that cape. Note to self: Get something to cover your face, and maybe dye your hair, if that's possible.

I really thought that today would be a good day. It had been a while since I was out at sea. I  found out at the Fayport that Oldshore could be a good place for me to start finding more about my bloodline. I didn’t know that ‘scarce’ meant nearly impossible to find. It’s ridiculous how people train and study for years to even do a spell I consider as natural as breathing. I thought that it would be a safer option to travel by sea, so I spent a little bit of coin to be allowed passage on the Seawise Anchor.

The journey, for the most part, went quite smoothly. I’ve rarely been on ships, even as a noble. That old hag always loved to keep me locked up, learning how to do stupid embroidery and walk with books on my head. The gentle rocking of the ship and the strong salty breeze was so refreshing. All of the crewmen were very nice and capable, and treated me like I was a normal person. I wonder if I should just become a sailor.. Hah, what a funny thought.

I met a very strange set of people today. I met two Goliaths (Goliaths! Can you believe that?), brothers I assume, Agate and Samson. Agate really isn’t knowledgeable, and Samson barely speaks. But the younger brother definitely seems to have a more knowing look in his eyes. I met a young deaf boy named Sinderin, and his caretaker Owen Heathenbug. They both seemed to be magically inclined, though more of a studious kind. There was a very quiet human girl who I sensed a similar vibe with. Her name was Esther, and she was sweet. She reminded me of Varleen back home for a moment, and I was so awkward I forgot my spells. I really hope I get to apologize to her about that later, or just.. Hope that she forgets it first. Then.. There was Rya. Rya the Velendarian Knight, a ranger working under my mother (or brother, regardless a knight from MY house). She suspected me almost immediately for being very similar to the lost daughter of House Velendar. I managed to fool her, but this really didn’t serve to be of any use.

I met another elf called  Mialee. She was nice, though very.. Avoidant of me. The barkeep was a charming man, a halfling named Stannor. He was very nice, and honestly quite endearing. I even helped the crew get the rope from below deck. Though, I did get distracted by a chest with the mark of the order of Magisters in the corner of the room. I opened it to find this strange mechanism. A box with four keys, but I can’t push it in. This was probably something dangerous, so I decided to take it. I asked for help to open this box, and when Owen, Esther and Rya held the other three keys, they each glowed.  Owen’s key glowed White, Esther’s glowed Yellow, Rya’s glowed Green and mine glowed Red. Could this be a pointer to my ancestry? I’ll have to keep note of that. Inside was a glowing sapphire gem. Owen told me that it contained a dangerous water elemental. I decided it was best to leave it alone, and pocketed it. There was no way any of these sailors could use it anyway. Best to bring it with me. 

I decided to give the party two rounds of Ale, just to get into their good graces. This worked, but I don't drink that much. I gave one of my drinks to a man named Adam Woods. This proved to be a mistake I would come to regret later on. Soon enough, I left to get some alone time on the top deck. Thank the Gods I did (not that it would be useful). “It’s fine,” the Captain said. “It's just how the people in Rainlands greet people,” he said. What a fool. 

It didn’t take very long until a band of pirates boarded the ship, stabbed him in the back, and killed two of his crewmen. It left only us, the band of passengers to actually fight them. However, these pirates were odd. To my surprise, they demanded me! Me! They said if I came with them, they wouldn’t hurt anyone on the ship. So, I did the right thing. I went right up to them.. 

..And sent a shocking grasp right to the corsair’s neck. 

The battle was difficult, but we survived. The deck was bloody when we were done. One of the bastards smashed my foot in with a mace. Sinderin healed me, but it still aches sometimes. But, victory wasn’t sweet at all. Adam Woods convinced all the crewmen and the Captain of the Seawise Anchor that I wasn’t who I seemed to be due to the bandits that came to get me. I was forced to reveal my identity. So much for anonymity.. Fuck that man..

The captain declared me and the other passengers a danger to his crew. He said he was going to drop us off in a city named Stormswake by dawn. We captured two of pirates and their Captain, named Haghar. As of writing this, they’re currently tied to the mast. It’s because of them that I had to reveal my identity. It’s because of them that my journey will take a detour. It’s because of them that two people are dead. It’s because of those fucking pirate scum.

Fine. If they want me as a noble, then I’ll show myself as a noble. They’re waiting for questioning upstairs. I wonder what this noble will do.