Leathertail's Log
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Entry 78
Stuck between the pages in the book by this entry is a piece of paper, with a bit of handwriting on it that is clearly different from Luke's, reading "Unfair winds…because fair is no fun." Underneath is a small, lurid sketch of a dark-haired girl and fair-haired boy getting quite intimate.
The Captain's returned. I find myself very glad…I missed her. I wanted her here with me. I don't think I've felt like this for anyone since a lifetime ago. Passing affections, yes. This is new though. The smiles, the secret looks she threw me even when on Pavel's arm. Seeing in her eyes the same look I know is in mine when I look at her.
And now Pavel finds he has a problem. He apologized to me, saying he had been arrogant. He's also told me he was originally planning on leaving the Captain on his trip, but his death screwed it up, as she accompanied him. Lastly, he's now told me to leave her alone, put her out of my mind, that now he won't be going.
I can't walk away from her. Nor do I find myself wanting to, anymore. Pavel seems unable to make up his mind about anything, and I won't throw the Captain away because of him. There's a softness about her I can see even more clearly now. I want to see it more. I want it to see it disappear when she claws at me and come back when I'm holding her at the end. To take her up to the Nest on a clear night.
It's new. But I want it.
Good day.
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Entry 71
The Captain and I have reached an agreement, setting terms. Things became tense for a short while. Well, tenser. Eventually she found me on the rooftop, and…cards were laid on the table. Still probably not our full hands, but why bother getting hung up on definitions anyhow? It will last as long as it's going to last. And we'll ride the waves until then. I should heed Jack, but I can't. This will have to be as it is.
She does. Not like for him. But she does.
Pavel's going off on a trip now, and the Captain's decided to go with him. I agree with John that it's a pretty piss poor time for either of them to go off, the Captain especially, but I'm not the one to decide such a thing. Too many things are starting to happen now...Jack said she could feel a storm coming. Something big.
I wonder if it's broken yet. And if it hasn't, whether we'll be able to ride it out when it does. Looking ahead's not for me, so whatever tomorrow may be, today (tonight) was a
Good day.
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Entry 67
Pavel died today.
We were out hunting ogres: him, myself, the Captain, Mercy, Ugor, and Seth. We'd gotten through the cave and out into the hills. After wandering through for a while, dispatching a good number of ogres, we saw something I'd never seen before on a hill ahead of us. It was humanoid, but froglike. Pavel said he'd try to chat with it. And it killed him.
We killed it soon after that, but the Captain was inconsolable. Near useless, just hugging Pavel's body. I told Ugor to grab the body, and Seth to grab his things, then dragged the Captain up myself to get us out of there as quickly as possible. Seth got us through the caves with a spell.
When we got back to Peltarch, Sabre returned to cradling Pavel's body, refusing to let Mercy raise him. Eventually I got her back to the warehouse in Oscura. She's sleeping in her bunk now behind me, and we'll be going to the healer's when she wakes up. She asked me to watch over her and Pavel's body, make sure Mercy didn't try anything funny.
Pavel lied to me.
He said it wasn't me that was causing the problem. The Captain said it was our relationship that hurt him, that he'd told her so. He said I was just like any other of her flings…she said I wasn't...that that was the problem. She also made it clear that I don't come in first. I wish I knew why I was still sitting here, then.
I'm beginning to remember why I was happy when my mother died.
Bad day.
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Entry 65
Elyane of Istishia isn't entirely gone, as I'd hoped. She's somehow gotten in with the higher ups of Peltarch, most notably the recently supposedly dead General Lavindo. The part of her plan we heard also sounded horribly similiar to what I read from a book salvaged from the kobold caves recently. She needs to be stopped, if I or the Sails can stop it. We need the Icelace.
But, that affair aside, the Captain. Still. She asked me how this need could get worse every time we heeded it, and I didn't have any answer for her aside from "it does". And gods, it does. She cares too, there's no doubt for me anymore; when I was feelin' down the other day, she started moping around, thinking it was all her fault. I told her it wasn't, of course, and it wasn't, not really. She asked me, all quiet, whether she was still my captain…I'm not sure exactly what was being asked underneath that, but I said yes. How she smiled.
She even set aside more than just a night together for us. I stayed in bed for a bit after she left, so I can't be sure, but I don't think I could have done much in the way of walking after. Pavel said he doesn't have a problem with us sleeping together, again. And I believe him. Just not sure if I believe he isn't troubled by us spending time together in general. He didn't give an explanation when I said he'd been spending more time on his own, instead just shrugging. That seems to be his favored response.
These entries are becoming much longer than they used to be. Life's not quite so simple as it once was, I suppose. The spiders from Norwick may be reaching the foothills through burrowing. War's closing in on the south. If I had any sense left, I'd catch the next boat out of here, maybe with Miss Jack like she said. But I don't think I can. Not yet.
Good day.
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Entry 62
Proof that from the very peak of optimism a day can quickly descend into one of the worst in a long while. Not as bad as dying, maybe, but it rates a close second.
Started off nice enough, ending up cuddled next to the Captain at a table in the Ferret, just getting ready for a good session together, when Pavel shows up. And of course, priorities were made immediately clear. I told her to go on with him, as she obviously wanted to. It stings, a bit, I think. I've never really felt jealous before.
I don't think I'm entirely alone in it though. She said that Pavel had been spending a lot of time on his own lately. Maybe he's not so calm as he acts. He asked me if I loved her, the other day…I said no...he told me not to lie to myself.
Did I?
Anyhow...I left them to it, the Captain saying she'd catch up to me later. So, went off to watch the stars, and end up seeing these men in black and red loading up crates by the water in the foothills. Talking about their ill-gotten cargo, and how a ship's coming in soon to pick it up. I dashed off to the Ferret, where I find Drelan, this other Sail, Taria (Idiot girl, plain, afraid of Mercy), and the Captain and Pavel. I tell them about the ship, saying we ought to go, how we can get the cargo and maybe the ship itself. At that point Taria tried to hit me, and Drelan saw fit to start blathering on. Meanwhile, the ship and the cargo slipped through our fingers. And Drelan pointed the blame at me, for not informing them in the correct manner.
Not feeling particularly charitable right now. Heading off to get drunk.
Bad day.
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Entry 60
Died. Not nearly died, not injured. Dead. Spirit has shuffled on out of the mortal body and realm dead. I'd never felt anything like that before.
I'd rather never have to again.
Luckily I was brought back, though that wasn't entirely pleasant either. But at least I'm alive. There's too much to stick around for yet for me to be dead.
The Captain, I'm trying not to think about too hard. She helped comfort me…defended me...I'm completely lost around her, and thinking about it too much will only get me in deeper. I provide her an escape. Comfort. Maybe more, I don't know. The way those blue-green eyes fix on me sometimes. On my eyes.
Stop thinking about it. Enjoy it while it lasts, and stop telling her so much in the meantime...it's those damn eyes of hers that get me. Not the arse, not the breasts. Maybe a little bit of that small smile she gives. Not that the rest of the body hurts...
Damn.
New subject. Upcoming treasure hunt and dragon hunt.
Bad day?
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Entry 54
The shipwreck was an interesting trip. Finally got to be out on a boat again, if only for a little while, and swim. There was plenty of treasure to be had, Tymora be praised, and only some troublesome ghosts who stood in the way of claiming it. That was a good time, but all the real interest in my life lately seems to be coming from the people in the Sails.
I've been drinking with Jack a few times lately. She was good company mostly: friendly, joking, and she got naked when she lost our drinking game, as agreed. That was a highlight. I can't remember all of it that clearly but I'm fairly certain she was straddling me (still clothed) at some point. We talked about a few things too. She got a bit deep, talking about sailing away together. Also, she seems to have this trick where her eyes flash al green and she's suddenly sober. Not sure how she does it. Interesting girl.
Mercy. Becoming rather fond of the filthy troglodyte, I think. Alluded to something about Sabre's previous lovers, so I asked her out for a drink to get more information. She seems downright friendly to me, in a threat-filled, crude way, once I've got her alone. Learned a bit more than I expected. She was born in Jiyyd, and she had two sisters. Also, she seems to like to ask deep questions too (Priestess thing?), wanting to know if I had any dreams. Didn't even make fun of me when I told her about the ones where I could fly. But once I finally asked about Sabre, and she seemed plenty smug I did, she replied quite cryptically, asking me what I thought about it. I said I figured I was the latest in a long line. To which she merely said "Is that what you think…". She said most people get driven off by the strangeness of the situation with Pavel, but then she fixed me with this appraising look, saying I'd just have to wait and see how it turned out.
Sabre. And Pavel. Think I might be causing some sort of unrest between them. They're talking about me, that much is obvious. Not only did Pavel tell Jack to "kiss my ear" to convince me of something, but I actually ran into the two discussing me. It's strange...Pavel has told me to "keep up the good work" with the captain numerous times, but yesterday he also said he wasn't encouraging us to sleep together, but he wouldn't stand in our way. I've got nothing against Pavel (I think), but I can't quite feel comfortable groping the captain around him.
As for the captain, who is now a captain in the Sails too, not just mine, I strongly feel I should get the hells away from her. She muddles me. Gets me to talk, still gives me these looks. I think there's more than just lust in those pretty eyes of hers during those glances, too. Beginning to wonder if I'm somehow different from all her other flings. I picked the wrong girl to mess with. Or maybe she picked me. I don't know.
She's not the most beautiful girl I've ever been with. But I'll be damned if she's not the most attractive. I can't leave it be, and don't really want to anyhow. Mercy, perhaps unsurprisingly from what I'm starting to learn of her, seems to have been right. I may just have to see this one through.
As for now, the Captain wore me out. I need to sleep some more. So despite the tension, at the moment I can't help but feel it was a
Good day.
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Entry 46
Exhausted. Good exhausted, but exhausted. I'm not entirely certain what I'm trying to get from Sabre anymore, but we give an awful lot to each other. It hurts sometimes, but I can't walk away from it. Maybe we are just lovers, but sometimes I catch her giving me these looks. I can't really read them. No idea. Sometimes I catch myself as unsure what my own face looks like around her for that matter.
At least our relationship's clear enough when Pavel's there. He's first in her affections, no question. Then once he's gone it's all about teasing me. Maybe I'm gaining on second…this is becoming a very odd experience for me all the way around. Things were altogether easier when I was just on a boat, never stopping for more than a few days.
Speaking of, I may be back on the water quite soon, as the Captain has gotten a boat to investigate a shipwreck, though John-o's apparently in charge once we're there. As for John, maybe I misread him, at least partially. Or maybe it's just his girl Sarah's influence. Either way, he seems softer. Ayndur also has a girl, he wasn't lying. I've no idea how he and Donnie (Beautiful, blond, elven of course since it's Ayndur) make it work, and apparently they do have their share of fights, one of which I think I was able to cause, but they still seem to be together.
Met another elven lass for that matter recently. Brynn (Not as willowy as her kin, especially where it counts, likes to stare, lots of piercings) is interesting enough, though she isn't exactly friendly. Stating quite clearly that she's probably going to kill her only friend paints an interesting impression of her. Cry for help, or maybe just cold.
Good day.
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Entry 41
Learned quite a few interesting things today. It turns out Mercy's downright chatty once she's in her cups, even a bit…friendly. Quite the font of information on the Black Sails, in between mild threats, crude jokes, and the padding around for details about myself and the Captain. Found out lots about Sabre, and Drelan, some about Pavel. She even admitted to feeling affection for the first and last of those three. I stopped actually drinking halfway through my second bottle of course, the better to gather information.
In the meanwhile, I've been given a new job. Selling some wares for commission for the Sails...need to find a few sturdy crew members to test them out first though. And then there's the Captain herself, who the last sentence is crossed out Sabre seems this is also crossed out.
More later.
Good day.
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_Giselle was, of course, rather unsure of the exact right way to raise a child, but she found a profound attachment to the small, oddly-proportioned being she had created. His fat little limbs fascinated her as they waved around, she was amused by the way his pale fluff of hair would stick up, and felt something melt in her when he would go quiet, and just stare at her with large, deep blue eyes. And though he squalled occasionally, she discovered he could almost always be calmed, if it were a clear night, by taking him outside. She did her best.
Luke grew slowly. Giselle didn’t mind it, really. The longer he stayed a child, the longer it would take him to turn into one of the men who frequented these islands. Giselle actually found herself thankful to the man who had been his father, for giving Luke the heritage of a longer childhood. Even though his elven blood slowed the process, however, he still grew. By inches, by pounds, he grew._
~18 years ago~
_By the time Luke was five, he looked three. He toddled around the small room Giselle now permanently rented, not being allowed outside on his own. His mother knew exactly the character of the men that were out there, and shuddered to think of what could be done to her son. Sometimes it was necessary for her to leave, and personally tend to affairs that let her maintain her tenuous grip on the measure of power she had attained. On these occasions Luke was locked into the windowless room, Giselle not trusting the word of a five year old over his curiosity. She was right, too; Luke would have scampered off as fast as his little legs would take him had he had the chance. As things went, however, he could not get out, and the only item of interest in the room was the chest.
The chest, which contained what few worldly possessions Giselle had, was large and wooden. The shape of it was rectangular, and actually contained much more empty space than items. Luke was sure of this. He had spent hour after hour looking at it, rapping on it, and dreaming of what was inside it. It was locked as tightly as the door, though Luke had tried his best to open it, wrenching and pushing at the lid with his small arms and hands until he collapsed on the floor, panting and exhausted. His mother knew to keep the key on herself.
One rainy day on which Giselle was off seeing to the hiring of some new muscle was different than the others Luke had spent in the room. This time, the inevitable happened. Giselle slipped up. She had been in a hurry, and not checked to make sure she still had the key to the chest stored within the usual hidden pocket sewed into her petticoats. By some mischief, it had slipped out, to fall forgotten underneath the bed. Almost attuned to the room by this time, Luke quickly located the one abnormality in his perambulation of the small cell, scooping up the key and immediately trying it on the door.
The door remained closed, and so he turned his attention to the chest. His hand reached out to the lock, key gripped tightly, and paused. His mother wouldn’t be pleased, and she could be back at any moment. Especially if she realized the key was gone. The second thought, after a moment’s consideration, spurred Luke’s hand on, pushing the key into the lock, which pushed the tumblers into place with a small, ominous, click.
Luke stared at the chest a moment longer, almost afraid of what could be inside. But he was not to be denied this discovery. His trembling hands reached out and, with a monumental effort, pushed on the lid. It went slowly up, creaking loudly, as Luke grunted and strained. But Luke was small, and the chest lid large. He went up on his tip toes, trying to push it the rest of the way, his tiny stomach, still pudgy with baby fat, pushing against the lower portion of the chest.
A moment’s unbalance was all it took. Luke went up too high, or perhaps leaned too far forward, but either way he tumbled head over heels into the trunk, which snapped shut immediately. Luke immediately panicked, jostling a few clinking items in the chest as he thumped at the lid. When that didn’t work, he screamed, and he cried until his body was wracked with great heaving sobs. He thought that maybe his mother wouldn’t know he was locked in, or hear him, and he would starve to death. Or worse, she would know he was in there, and leave him in as punishment. To Giselle’s credit she would never have done such a thing, nor was she entirely capable of punishing Luke much at all. The large tears leaking out of deep, dark blue eyes almost always did her in. Luke was not of an extremely rational age yet, though.
Trembling with fear now, he sank down to the chest’s hard, wooden floor; or would have, had there not been a barrier. With shaking hands, he reached out to feel this lining. It was smooth, slightly wrinkled in spots. It also seemed to cover the entire bottom of the chest. Probing, Luke found he could turn it over, and that there was an opening in it. Miserable, but mildly gladdened at having some tactile comfort in his new, he was sure, home, he crawled inside, drawing it around him. Its smell was musty, and tinged with what he knew to be one of the kinds of drinks served downstairs from his room. Unhappy, but momentarily comforted, Luke nestled in deeper, closing his eyes against the darkness of the chest’s inside.
Giselle experienced a bit of panic herself when she returned, an hour later, to find her son gone from the room. But, due to the benefit of a few years of wisdom on her side, and much experience with situations where one had to remain calm, she did exactly that. She realized that the door had still be locked upon her return, meaning no one could have entered. A quick glance also showed the key to the chest lying in front of the container, having fallen from it when it snapped shut. After a quick glance under the bed and the rumpled covers, Giselle leaned down and, picking up the key, opened the chest.
Luke lay there, a small lump curled up in his father’s jacket, asleep._
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Entry 35
Damn. Sabre's more than I expected. Not sure if I've ever been with a girl quite as, intense, let's say, as her. Still scratched and bruised from our last bout in the Mermaid, but if she asked me there again, or wherever else, don't think I'd be able to say no. It's getting worse. She's dangerous, gets me off guard afterwards once we're all muzzy. But hells, does it feel good.
And the whole Pavel giving me the proverbial pat on the shoulder still seems slightly unnerving for a person who's seen a wide range of reactions from the original lover, none of them congratulatory, whatever they say their relationship is like. Not sure what he meant by that comment on her ability to choose either. I don't think it was an offhand compliment though.
Mercy said I might be suited to selling something the Sails are keeping in their warehouse. We'll see. Might be good to find something else to focus on.
Good day.
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Entry 31
Sabre Seasaw. The woman knows how to wind me up, I'll give her that. Taught me all sort of reasons with her hands today why long jackets are a good idea for regular wear. I've had girls take the lead with me, but the good Captain is more dragging me along in her wake. And it turns out she's after exactly what I am: A bit of a romp, with nothing more or less expected from it. Why can't all women be like this?
I find myself feeling a bit affectionate for her even. I was glad she got her eye fixed, and not just because they're a very pretty shade of blue-green. I blame it on all the lead up to actually getting her alone, however.
Almost did, but Mercy interrupted…might make an exception to my rule on revenge, but the sea creature actually seems to like me a bit better for having discovered the Captain and I, so I may let it lie.Beginning to see the bits of her that are not fully evident at first as well. Her anger, like when Mercy farked up her eye, and sometimes even a smidge of tenderness. Hells, I think she might give a little bit of a damn about my person as well even.
That's fine, of course. Nothing wrong with liking the person you're sleeping with. Just not wise to love them, in particular when those people are two who've no interest in love. Though apparently she's already found it with Pavel (Nice fella, likes ripping the organs out of things with his bare fists). Takes me off the hook.
Good day.
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Entry 28
Writing this during first official stay in the lovely cells of Peltarch. Cheers, and let's hope I never end up here again. A tenday's light though, and I can't complain of lack of good company. Pity she didn't want to have a go, though.
Helped the Sails investigate an apparently very wealthy and very suspicious cargo on the Duskseeker. Sabre walked straight into the hold, having seduced the drunk sailor on watch. All was roses and daffodils until Jacky Boy showed up, having been slighted earlier because he preferred the threat of betrayal to just keeping his mouth shut. Thank you, Jacky Boy, you'll get yours eventually.
He alerted the Guard, and dragged some fellow I didn't know along to watch. I was hanging around outside the ship with John (new Sails recruit, solid, dark haired, sneaky, and scum), Mercy (also Sails, Umberlant priestess, most horrid dwarf I've ever met, makes Horbag look like a dreamboat), and Jack (Newest Sails recruit, short, very pretty, also an Umberlant priestess), when the guards showed up led by Gerard Fortesque.
Had seen him work before, and the results were messy, as they were this time. Tried to bluff him, then delay him, then alert Sabre, all of which ended in my face mashed to a pulp as I took an unepected nap on the pier. Shouldn't have bothered. But a captain in jail doesn't get to sail a boat with her crew. Jack got herself blackened too, though John was fairly quick to comfort her. I was forcefully healed by the sadistic wench after a much longer wait, then dragged off to the courthouse by Fortesque with Jack and Sabre.
Was offered to get off free for selling out Sabre, but figured there wasn't too much evidence against me, and that the Sails would reward me for my silence (which they have). Put on the good, military sailor act and got off light, along with Jack, which is why we're currently sharing a cell. She's nice. Which is odd for a servant of the Bitch Queen, but I don't mind.
Sabre got off free with a fine. Sabre. I look forward to the repaying of that favor. And to getting my jacket back. Couldn't trust the guards with it. This is the first time I've been without it since…damn, since I was five.
Only thing I miss as much as the coat's the stars. I'll be out soon enough though, and I'll have both again. Considered getting some revenge against John (who stole the credit for me getting Jack to Sabre) and Mercy (for savaging me while I was down), but like I told Jack (whose real name's Jacia, she says): vendettas empty coffers, not fill them.Not much to do here, which is why I've written so much this time. Suppose I'll chat up Miss Jack some more. And wait to get my coat and my sky back.
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Entry 26
Met another girl, Sabre (short, thin until just below the waist, dark haired). Maddening. Not sure how much of her attention is interest and how much is a love of torturing me. Don't trust her. Which is strangely alluring. Has refreshing views on fidelity and life. Refuse to beg for it though. Think there's some part she's keeping back.
She's also a captain in the Black Sails. Possible future employer.
Tower was empty. Unsure what to do with that bit now. Haven't seen Ayndur for a while. Or Goldie for that matter.
No sign of Paxy. Pity. No sign of her brothers either. Not sure how good that is. Wish I could talk to her more.
Damn Sabre.
Good day.
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Entry 21
More horrible spider things in Norwick.
Tried to get Paxy to realize she'd be hurt if she were in a relationship with me where she expected me to not fool around with other women. Didn't go over well. Hurt her. Feel rather bad. Would've preferred to get to stay around her, but suppose you can't be free and have people close to you. Feel rather worse thinking that I may be seeing an awful lot of my own blood soon once she tells her brothers.
Notes to self for future: 1. Bad idea sleeping with a girl more than once. 2. Trying to be nice has same results as lying, and lying's easier.
Bad day.
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Entry 18
Was going out for a kobold hunt with the gnomes and Ayndur, when we ran into this other gnome. She was odd, pale, blue-haired. Turns out she was trying to hunt down other gnomes, and kill them for some "Great Master". This didn't go over well with the other gnomes.
Things got worse as Jaxon and his brother, Kaxon (red hair, scarred, exists), showed up while Ayndur was questioning the one gnome. They then preceded to give me a hard time about Paxon. Violence was threatened. Then the gnome went off, and was apparently far more powerful than we gave her credit for. Spells were tossed, things were summoned, eventually she got away.
This left Jacky boy and Kaxon to give me the ninth degree, tell me to stay away from Paxon or stab goes my organs. Then Paxon actually showed up…and instead of letting things lie, and saying an internal fare thee well to Paxon, I shot off my bloody mouth and taunted them. Luckily I had a rather sick Ayndur and group of gnomes backing me.
Paxy tore into her brothers, had a big fight.
As things stand now, we're "involved" somehow. Her brothers probably aren't killing me. Maybe. And it turns out Paxy's friend, Kate, is somehow in charge of Paxon and her brothers. She's told them to leave Pax and me alone.
Think Paxy's after a bit more than I'm willing to give though. This doesn't look like a happy ending in the making to me.
Bad day.
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Entry 17
Keep running into this pack of gnomes. They're certainly good for a laugh. One of them, Gilda, (wears goldish armor, pretty) tosses out healing for free. Kissed her for a lark, her and her friend are easily flustered… Especially her friend (Caramella, big hat, glasses).
Saw Paxon again. Misused one of the beds in the healer's infirmary in Jiyyd. The fact that I'm still breathing means either Jaxon doesn't really care, or he's bluffing about knowing anything. Paxy gave me a run down on some of her previous beaus fates'. Probably the bluffing option considering how many times she seemed afraid that she'd heard something.
Jaxon told her to stay away from me too. Jacky boy, if you ever get your hands on this book, know that I had a grin at your expense.
Got under Ayndur's skin. Surprisingly sensitive about his "passions". After enough needling he said he had a girl (some way to use this?). Keep an eye on it.
Good day.
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~22 years ago~
_A young and very pretty woman stood in the back of the Leaping Lizard, another tavern of the very worst sort (though on the Pirate Isles, there wasn’t really any other sort but the worst sort). She kept her back against the wall, mindful of cutpurses. The woman’s name was Giselle. Actually, it was Mary, but she hadn’t been called that for years. Not since she’d taken up the profession.
Rouge, lipstick, and a low-cut dress were her uniform, though she was pretty even without all of that. Light brown hair fell softly around her light heart-shaped face, which was home to two calm blue eyes. Her figure was slim, not voluptuous, but there was something in the way she carried herself that set her apart from the other women working the bar. Times were hard after all, and there was plenty of business to be had on the islands that were home to the largest collection of seafaring thieves, murderers, and pillagers in all of Faerun.
Perhaps it was those eyes, or that face, or the way she comported herself. Perhaps it had nothing to do with any of that. But for whatever reason, it was undeniable that the thin elf sitting alone three tables over was eyeing her, and had been all evening. It wasn’t unusual. A lot of elves here seemed to like the idea of a human woman. Slumming, maybe. He was somewhat shorter than the average, if still taller than her, with blond hair cropped short, deeply tanned skin, and a lazy grin that flashed whenever she caught him looking at her. His lean frame was draped in a dark brown leather duster, showing slight signs of wear.
Giselle hoped he would approach her soon. It was not that she found him handsome, though a faint thought lingered in her head that he was. Nor was it that she had even the faintest hope that he would “take her away” from all this after falling in love with her after a single night together. She had been doing this too long for such dreams to remain alive in her imagination. It was that he appeared relatively clean, had been throwing coin around all night, and looked as if he would go down after one good sharp blow to the head. Times were hard. And the Pirate Isles were a rough place.
Guided perhaps by fate, or the gods’ will, or more likely by alcohol, the man soon pushed back his chair and zigzagged his way over the bar floor to her, somehow managing not to bump a single patron. And then they talked price.
He was undeniably classier than some of her clients had been. For one, he actually rented a room for them. For two, he paid upfront. And for three, he was too smart for the sap-to-the-head-and-empty-the-purse routine. Or maybe he wouldn’t have been if she hadn’t dozed, giving him the time to slip off, but she did. Giselle woke, and once she was aware of her situation, cursed loudly. She had missed her chance. The only upshot of it all was that he had been so stupid as to forget his coat. It lay draped over the foot of the bed. After checking the pockets and realizing they were empty she thought, with a sigh, perhaps she could get a few coin for it from someone who needed a fairly good coat at sea.Months passed. Giselle was rather put out when she realized she was going to have a child. Screaming, wailing, and cursing put out. No one would want her when her belly got big, how would she survive? There were a few friends among her fellow “ladies of the night”, certainly, but she couldn’t survive off of them for nine months. And what in the gods’ names was she to do with a brat? She had never really had the time or inclination before to think of the future. Now she had no choice.
Once the last of the angry, frustrated tears had finished coursing down her cheeks, Giselle took a deep breath. She was young. She was not stupid. She would get through this. She would.
The question, simply put, was how?
Fortunately for her, Giselle could be both remarkably clever and remarkably stubborn. The life she led had not yet taken that away from her.
More months passed. Giselle’s stomach bulged as if she had swallowed the moon itself. She had organized the women. For a share of their profits she provided them with protection in the form of hired muscle, shelter or a hiding place when they needed it, and perhaps a degree of security they hadn’t felt before. It hadn’t been easy, and blood had certainly been spilled before the general populace had learned to leave the women on the third Isle alone if they were looking for trouble. There were still incidents…but there were less of them. Giselle had clawed and scraped her way to the top, and if there were bodies left in her wake, who was to say?
So when Luke was born, he found himself in a room full of women of every shape and size in bright petticoats, high boots or barefoot, dark skinned or light, with varying degrees of makeup plastered on their faces, from pretty to plain. He did not understand that this was outside of the norm for most children but then, at the time, he did not understand much aside from the fact that he was hungry, cold, and that the world was far larger than he had previously thought._
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Entry 15
Went back out past Jiyyd, though our two tasks didn't intersect as I'd thought. Ended up smashing our way through some transformed breed of snow goblin tribe for the normal one. Guide kept babbling about how they had been changed.
Something or someone the same guide would only refer to as "Big Red" was apparently causing these transformations. Destroyed the rest of the tribe, and found a vat of gunk next to some voodoo, ritual-looking junk. Goldie found a knife with some writing on it, but again our goblin guide Wink interjected, saying it belonged to this Big Red, that it would bring its (his?) wrath down on us.
Goldie was for keeping the dagger. I was for avoiding wrath. My hands were quicker, so the dagger was disposed of. The results weren't quite what I would have liked, but nothing too bad.
Goldie went into a snit afterwards, harping on about how I couldn't be trusted. Can't say I blame her, but it got tiresome. Then she said she had only been joking. Maybe she was. The coin man payed us handsomely in any case (thanks to me) though Goldie said I wasn't going to the tower, talking again about how I couldn't be trusted then claimed she'd been joking. I don't mind a good con, but these little fakeouts do grow old.
Ayndur says I'm going to the tower whether I like it or not. I would like to see how this all turns out.
Good day.
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Entry 13
On a bit of downtime before we go back to that gods forsaken tower. Went out to the kobolds with Paxon and her friend Kate (Tormite priestess, rather touchy about her looks). Ended up finding some water elementals who got pissed when I whispered a prayer to Umberlee. Apparently they belonged to so-and-so of Istishia, some mage. She was there, cut out the sea hag's heart for a spell of hers, and is set on draining the Icelace.
That's bad. When I sail out of here, I need water to sail on.
Paxon was good about our little fun. Said I was free to chase some naked blond dancing knight…said I had no idea who that was (and I honestly couldn't remember). May have accidentally led her to believe I'm more seriously interested than I am. Got jealous when I remarked on the crazy water mage's looks so the mystic tart wouldn't blast me.
Her brother Jaxon is either extremely paranoid about men being with her or is on to me. A warning to stay away from her nether regions ensued, and death threats for if I break the aforementioned condition.
Probably should break it off with her. Which might in turn lead her to telling her brother out of spite. Which may also have him and his other brothers killing me. One brother has a ship though, privateering. Interesting. Still feel like sleeping with Paxon.
Very complicated.
Bad day.
