Leathertail's Log
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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.
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Entry 11
Visited cryptic old man and Coin Man both. Apparently Ayndur and I are part of the vision (the two swords?). After giving him some robes from one of the bodies we found which were also in his vision, or so he said, he gave his staff to the unnamed blond woman (told me to call her Goldie). Said she could use it to "fight the darkness" or "cure the darkness". Which is in that damn tower.
Saw Coin Man, got payed. With a little smooth talking by me despite Ayndur's objections, I got us another paying job doing what we were doing anyhow for 750 coins apiece. Maybe we have to deal with goblins again, but golden boy can suck it up. Undead creating menaces are bad for business it seems.
Haven't seen Paxon yet. Maybe it'll solve itself? Prefer not to have her mad at me, especially with the way she uses that axe. Girl's good company.
Good day.
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Entry 10
Bodies had to be prepared for travel, have to wait an extra tenday. Ended up getting drunk at the inn in Jiyyd. Can't remember much of the night before but woke up naked next to Paxon in the Mermaid. Apparently she's not entirely coy.
Snuck out of room as quick as possible. Have currently taken refuge in Norwick to think up plan that doesn't involve her brothers or their organization ripping my arms off. Tymora smile upon me.
Good night. Bad day.
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Entry 9
That crusading fool Ayndur has gotten me into trouble. I was walking south for a short journey out of the city when I was pincushioned by some damn white breed of goblin. Ayndur rode in on a horse like some knight out of a bard's tale and, yes, saved me. Or at least greatly helped my chances of survival.
He dragged me through the Nars, having me fill more of these white goblins with my knives as we headed towards the Gyspy camp for cover and to find out what was happening. Guard there told us a girl had been running through the Nars to Norwick, fleeing the goblins. He had heard no more.
Ended up in Norwick, found the girl with Ayndur who felt he had to run there to see she was all right. She was. Went on about some vision she had had by the Camp.
Soon myself, Ayndur, the girl (pretty, blond, but not pretty enough for what's happened), A green-haired loony named "Flying Tree", and an elf girl who's handy with a bow were heading back to the camp.
Vision was something about two white stags, a man with green-haired showing the way, and facing the dark. Felt stupid when we arrived and actually considered the madman's appearance. He ended up leading us to some underground city and a man who offered us a job.
We've been past Jiyyd, retrieved the man's (Coin Man, kept flipping a coin) missing men and empty containers as asked from undead that lurched out of a strange mist. Thank Tymora we're getting paid for this. (500 gold apiece upon completion!) One of those white goblins approached us too. Said he worked for Coin Man. Find out more.
Strange mist led into a tower, couldn't get in (thanks again, Lady). Convinced our knight in shining armor to still go back to Coin Man for payment (and not being killed for neglecting duty), despite his distrust. Also going to see the man who told the blond girl about the vision. Resting in Jiyyd, will see the two men soon.
Ayndur may be more troublesome than he is useful.
Bad day.
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Entry 4
Met some new people. Ayndur, some elven noble's son. Golden armor's a dead giveaway to his wealth, believes I care about the woods as he does. Will prove useful at some point, surely.
Jaxon and Paxon, brother and sister. Paxon's cute, but seems to take a lot of gold without giving anything back aside from coy looks. Jaxon's involved in some sort of business. Must investigate further, possible business opportunity.
Starting to miss the sea.
Interesting days.
