3. A Squires Journal

A Squires Journal


  • Found in the backpack of Mathias Xilverlight, a soft leather tome is inside enscribed with twin dragons around a Longsword

    I have been told before it is a good thing to keep a journal. Something that when in doubt you can reflect upon and remember the decisions you made in the past to help your future. So here I start this journal in hopes that some good will come of it during my life, or perhaps after. Well here goes nothing.

    My name is Mathias Xilverlight, born of extreme poverty to Mark and Diane Xilverlight, and into servitude to House Ashald of Waterdeep. I was fortunate enough to be born four years after their son Salin and soon became listed as his servant as soon as I could be useful to carry around things, though me and Salin never looked at one another that way. We were always friends and some would even say brothers. So much so that in secret we started calling one another Brother. Salin was born a Sorcerer with a great gift for magic, and I think his father partly was jealous or just outright hated it. The better part of my youth was spent beside Salin protecting him, mainly from his own father. I could not count the lashing's I took for him, but I chose to take them. Salin was always very sensitive and I believed and still do that the lashings would have done him far more damage then good. The one time that Salin was punished by his dad, he used Scare on him which scarred him for as long as I can remember him, and I still smile when I remember the look of horror and shock on him when I punched him for doing it. It was totally worth the fifty lashes.

    I don't believe Salin knows how connected I am to him, nor do I believe it was ever explained to him how heavy my indenture is to him and his family. Or why. Salin right now seems to be struggling with who he is and trying to deny the part of his noble heritage, something I cannot permit in any form. With both of his parents dead he is the soul heir to the Ashald estate and he must never forget that part of himself. Stopping to reread what I have written I only now realize how much I write of Salin and so little of myself other then my name. I find it rather humorous that he takes so much of my mind that I even write about him. So getting to me finally.

    Sir Elyl has taken me on as his Squire, a member of the Order of the Shining Phoenix. I was very fortunate to find him and be accepted, he is a Priest of Torm which makes these things even better. Lady Victoria has lent me a Brass Full Plate and Steel Tower shield which I have only now finished gathering the gold for, 5712, then I have to look at Steel Full plate armor which will easily cost me another eight to nine thousand. Completely worth it mind you. Its taken me days of consistently hunting Kobolds, Lizards and Orcs to finally make the gold, but I have it sitting in my bank waiting for her when I see her. For now though its time to rest.


  • New writing fills the journal, a note of sadness and frustration

    We have been here two months now searching and yet I don't even really know I want to find my birth parents. Is that really that sad? I search every day for any sign of them yet there hasn't been a trace of them noted in years. Salin needs to realize that his parents were more like parents to me then my own. I still can't get myself to stay in the manor, its still giving me nightmares to even think about it. I can't tell Salin that of course, he's stressed enough as it is, especially with Mr Wand hassling him constantly to have a welcome home party that really isn't suiting, so all I can do is flash him a smile that makes him believe I am fine as I claim to be. He doesn't need the added stress about me not sleeping much, so I keep to myself on these hunts since I look a wreck most days.

    I found his parents grave yesterday, I will take him there soon but yesterday I just sat there talking to the dead, telling them how much Salin has grown, that he has once again accepted magic, and how much he loves them. I can't be sure how Salin will take seeing the grave, but I need to be ready to be stronger for him. I have asked the temple to provide me with some sleep medicine to knock me out for the night, they have warned me that while it does so I will still dream. Either way, I must have sleep before Salin sees how exhausted I really am and starts demanding answers, or I pass out. Well, time to take the medicine. Good night.


  • The writing picks up near where it left off

    The lessons are going well, I think Yana loves it that I hate being late, I have once even been there waiting for her which I think caught her off guard for a brief moment. The lessons are starting to have their effect, I have begun to make note of people being around me simply by their breathing, the shifting of their weight or slight movements. I get hit far less commonly and as we progress we move faster and faster through the paces. Recently I met Sir Elyl's son outside the Norwick gate on his horse, I sensed him there before he realized I was there. It was a great feeling to know that I am advancing so well and that my hard work is paying off. I have been playing catch with Salin in free time with a rock wrapped in paper as Yana suggested, I am surprised how much that helps me to get to know the sounds. Salin also makes a point of taking me random places and questioning where we are based on the sounds around us and the directions we went. It has been very interesting to learn all this.


  • The writing is sloppy and the pages stained with sweat, evidence of a hard days training and a lack of cognitive hand movements commonly caused by lack of sight

    So I have been very busy recently. I am prepping to go to Waterdeep with Salin as I met up with Lady Yana, a guard in Peltarch. I told her about a recent bounty contract I had found and she actually scolded me for training the way I was. She said if I was truly bored she could train me to use my other senses. Since I love training I was ecstatic to learn from her. I accepted immediately and we made our way east towards the Residential district. She stopped me on route asking me where we were, having listened to Salin step in a puddle and making a guess at the general direction I answered that I thought we had just passed the temple of Sune. She seemed happy that I had guessed it. She then told me there was a lamp nearby and asked how would I know, then told me to stay quiet and listen. When I did I could hear faint buzzing, the buzzing of insects around the lamp. Again she seemed proud of my accomplishments. We proceeded on wound up in the residential district which I again was asked to define and managed to do so before we headed into the small arena where she asked for my staff. The first whack on the shoulder was painful…and I am sure I have nasty bruising for it. She then promised not to hit me again...though she did once later but began teaching me how to note the sounds of my staff swinging infront of me, from the sides, and from behind, then how to listen to the footsteps of an opponent, then jabbed me in the side when she knew I was prepped for a swing. That hurt! She ended the lesson by tossing me my staff which I did manage to catch, if only just.

    The next day I was right on time for my lessons, I hate being late and that's something that has always bothered me. She seemed pleased with that and moved into the lesson. It was much like the first one, very focused on paying attention to my surroundings. Every movement, every step, every breath. It was a bit frustrating to be bopped in the nose twice before realizing the sound and dodging it, if only barely. When she suddenly swung at my head actually made me very nervous. Yet I could do little more then smile when she laughed and she seemed very encouraging. A great teacher indeed is one that encourages yet keeps it challenging, something she does rather well. Her lessons are tough, but I love them. I can't wait to see what more she brings to the table as we continue the training. I managed to hear the guards coming for their training session with her, possibly even before she did, though I don't know that she would ever admit it, but this isn't a competition, I am here to learn and am very grateful for the chance and the experience. At least the snacks are good, Salin was right, I am starving after such a workout. I know I will sleep good tonight!


  • * the writing shows signs of some excitement as the writing is not nearly as neat as usual*

    Met with a half orc named Bon today! He's a tattoo artist who commonly works on the sailors. He asked alot of personal questions about what my tattoo's mean to me, and I answered them as honestly as possible. Not questions I am generally comfortable with, but ones I have learned to accept. He is gonna practice a bit on pig skin then show me what he has. I think Salin will like the second one that I have ordered. All I can do now is wait for them to be finished. Perhaps if his work is good enough, I will have him touch up the Holy Symbol of Tyr on my arm….who knows!!


  • The entry is written in a shaky hand, minor drops of blood dot the page

    Met death for the first time ever. Not a pleasant experience. I had spotted a good number of powerful and dangerous gnolls close to the Temple of Tempus and retreated to get help, a shaman, two warriors then younglings, I found Lady Alisa who healed the minor wounds I still had and we set out to cull them. It started out so well too, killed off the shaman and turned to deal with the warriors and next thing I knew, an axe was deeply imbedded to the left lung, I cant remember if I dealt a killing blow to the other warrior or not but all I remember is hearing Lady Alisa call for me to get back then her eyes widening and her running to me…then darkness. I awoke again with Lady Alisa standing over me, we were in the upstairs of the Mermaid with me in one of the beds well bandaged, I remember feeling deathly cold and could still feel where the axe had been buried.

    I have no idea how im gonna explain this to Salin, I feel a good bit weaker and drained from the experience and it surely is not one I would wish to experience again. Thank the gods Lady Alisa had been with me when it happened and I had not fallen alone. That would have been a far worse fate I believe....

    The page trails off as if the writer had fallen asleep while writing


  • A new entry is placed in fine cursive

    A new dawn approaches in my training, to date I have single handedly taken on nine Gnoll Younglings and one Gnoll Shaman, and I have cleared the first level of the Kuo Tua alone. I won't deny the Kuo Tua were the better challange as the youngling's can hardly hit me, the Shaman's spells on the other hand are nasty. I look forward to telling Salin and Sir Elyl of these accomplishments. Before now I dared not even try the younglings and could only take 3 of the Kuo Tua on my own without having to flee. I am progressing well. I believe Salin has accidently uncovered more then he wanted when he learned the other day that I do have some paranoia of magics when Maki, Salin and some woman named Em all started casting around me. It drove my paranoia through the roof and I fled causing them to chase me which led to me jumping in the pond and near drowning then a long lecture from Salin which ended fairly well. That Em girl creeps me out though, came and sat right on my lap with no clue who she was.

    Salin tried to reassure me I am safe around his magic and such, yet no part of me wants anything to do with Magic except for minor wards and that of a cleric. I can't really expect him to understand being a sorcerer and all. All I can do for now is try and relax since I know he means no harm.


  • A new entry can be found inside in calm yet formal cursive writing

    So I told Salin about our true connection, he didn't seem truly thrilled with it but I think he generally understands. I don't mind a life long servitude of guarding him as much as possible, I would do it anyways, and Salin is not the type of person to try and take advantage of me anyways. Sir Elyl on the other hand did not seem pleased at all, I can't blame him for that but he needs to understand it as I do. I would protect Salin anyways and the fact stands that I am bound to him and happily so. We are brothers in all things and I am proud to see Salin growing so strong on his own. He is very independent from the boy I had last seen.

    How can I get both sides to understand that while this is like slavery, its not? I know a lifetime of servitude seems a very long time, but at the same time, I would do it anyways so I am not overly troubled by it. Time will tell how this turns out, for now Sir Elyl is exhausted, and in truth, so am I.