3. Faera Fey - The Waterdeep Escapade (Journals)

Faera Fey - The Waterdeep Escapade (Journals)

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    OOC Note - Historical Context, the City of Shade no longer floats, and only has approximately 500 shadovar in 25000 citizens, Faera Fey is a Moon Elf.

    Faera Fey - Finding Waterdeep

    _The following are entries in Faera Fey's journal
    One - Small Island on the Icelace

    its coldd, the fire offers little in the waay of warmth but glad no icy water near. seem ta be abiiit naaa

    unreadable scribbles follow

    Two - Post Icelace

    The trip over the Icelace… was the coldest journey I've ever taken. Guess it's kinda lucky that the Fairy Prince that Red-Skinned Fellow was seeking to find had that necklace. Has served me well; paddling through icy water with your bare hands... I can tell you; I've never experienced anything quite so cold!

    To the moment that I ink my page now, I barely have feeling in my fingers. I travelled for five days in the water, and found a small island just three days in. It was inhabitable, really.. but good enough to get off the dinky boat and build a small fire. Without the fire I'm not sure I would have made it at all.

    I had the intention of staying longer, but ended up being chased back to my boat by giants!! They fired flaming arrows after me, but as luck would have it; they weren't as skilled archers as you'd expect with bows that size. Unprepared for the harrowing winds, I waded half-way to my neck into the lake before jumping back into the boat - this left me soaked and was then chilled to the bone.

    I don't remember anything after that, I was awoken by some folk in an inn. I was wrapped tight in blankets and by a warm fire, a glass of stout by my side. Awoken by some mage or other chanting incantations over me, and the locals cheering as my eyes opened.

    _"Where am I?" I'd asked shakily, to a round of cheers, as if they'd never heard an Elven girl speak the trade language.

    A raspy voice emitted from the man who'd been chanting over me in some strange dialect, "We foun' yers at tha Icelace when we wus on an 'unt fer wintawolf hide.. so Ah slung yer over me's shouldah and took ye back ta where Ah hails…"

    "And... where do you hail?" I was almost growing frustrated, but I knew he had helped me - saved my life infact. I stayed calm.

    "Ah hails fram Candlekeeps.. 'riginally... but now Ah calls this place 'ome.." his voice almost echoed in the small shack, he gripped the stout by my side and pulled it to his lips, drinking it in; before continuing, "Ye one ah them... Monkeys?"

    My eyes widened - could he not see the array of rapiers and bows I had strapped to my pack? "I'm no Monk, no..." I said it not coldly, but almost with a hint of sarcasm as I nodded to my bag.

    "Ah didna think so.. jest ye in ah town called Valls - an' down tha road is Monastary of Tha Yellah Rose." he pulled a grubby map out of his pocket, it had several swirly lines and a few crosses here and there.. "We dragged yer fram where we foun yers all tha way Wes' along tha Lon' Road, past Praka and inta tha heart o' Damara!"

    I offered a tongued smile up to him, slightly pleased, and took his hand in mine, "You're... very kind. I thank you!"

    The lot of them jeered at him, and he waved it off, "Calm down lads, tha missus'll be down won'rin' wha all tha racket is! Now, 'ow'd a fine lass like yerself en' up unconscious at tha bottom o' tha Icelace?" he almost seemed concerned, but then he just swigged more of his stout and carried on heckling with the lads as I prepared an answer.

    "I doan know.. I was living in a gypsy encampment, West of Jiyyd, if you've heard of it... in Narfell. An'.. well, was making a trip to Waterdeep." I spoke softly, and they all began laughing aloud. "What?" I seemed confused.

    "Goin' ta Watahdeeps?" he exclaimed, "An' yer wen over tha Icelace? DOPEY FARK!" I screwed up my face, with a look that could kill, but let him carry on, "Anyone know yer doan wanna go over tha Icelace! Shoulsa gahn South an' through Impultah! Much warmah down tha' way!" he looked to the others, before bursting into laughter, "FARKIN' ICELACE!"_

    The heckling carried on for a good few hours, as I got myself ready to leave. They bought me some drinks for the journey, and packed me with a good few backs of firewood and oil.

    …although they laughed at me, they saved my life, and I didn't even get their names.

    Three - The Road to Vaasa

    I ink this to you from what I can make out as the "Bloodstone Pass", it's a rickety horse-carriage track, in the valley of two giant mountains.

    The winds are heavy, there is little sunlight even in the middle of day. The air is humid, and there is a gushing river half a mile North - I think this is the epitome of bizarre, to say the least. I tread in the shadows at quite a slow pace, careful not to leave tracks, and careful not to be seen. There are many scary sounds coming from the coves and passageways that I pass, I just hope that this road ends soon.

    The folk back at that Inn told me to follow the track next to the river, going North of Valls until I reached Darmshall. When I get there, somebody can help me with the rest of my journey.

    Shite. I've allocated a few logs of wood for every day I travel and today's embers are nearly cold.

    Four - Shaken

    i doan know wher i am bt i doan like it. i writ this quik bfor they come back - was on the track, confrontd by bastrds.. very watery here… look like dwarfs mix with goblins. been dragd on back of ther hors cariage ova mountin. very scard.

    the next five pages document illegible scribbles, seemingly in some sort of Draconic language

    Five - Slipping Between Their Fingers

    Glister, is where they dragged me. Hulburg is where they wanted me.

    They were riding gallantly on their steeds, torches high in the air, chanting warchants - singing and killing any innocent animal or creature they came across. The spirits were high, they even had a trophy Elf to take to their King. They had found, in Glister, some sort of translator who could read my journal - and translated it into whichever language it is that they speak, and this translator also informed me that I was going to be a sacrifice. Elf was the most sought after race in their world and to penetrate an Elf is like the almighty gift of their God.

    As such, their King was going to have sex with me, and I had no choice in the matter. They had one of the trainee fighters sat holding my hand for the journey, and another one holding what seemed to be an enchanted dagger to my throat. A slight wrong move and I was due a visit to Kelemvor, for sure.

    As we made our way down a makeshift passageway, we made camp almost halfway there. The two trainees would take it in turns to sleep and watch over me, but as it turns out…

    A small herb I picked up in Valls, just outside of the Inn where I came-to, seemed to make their ale taste better. I had -accidentally- dropped it in the keg, as I went to tinkle in the stream. I'm unsure of what this herb does, exactly, or even what it is called. But they could barely move for an hour or two. Well, that's how long I stayed on the floor pretending I was affected by it too - I had not drank any of the ale, myself.

    And I was no horse-rider, either, so I retrieved my pack from one of their carriages, and took this enchanted dagger. And I ran. And I ran.

    Apparantly I ran fifty miles, or thereabouts. From where I was, near Hulburg, to the Port Town of Thentia.

    It is very pretty here, almost like Peltarch, but much more extravagant. The winds less hostile, the rain... well, what rain? It overlooked the Moonsea, they called it. Apparantly when the eve comes, there is no more a beautiful place than the Moonsea, as the glimmer of the Moon pads down against the rippling water. The room I rented for twenty gold was facing North, so I did not see it last night. I wasn't bothered. The locals are on watch for weird dwarf-goblin looking for an Elf. The whole of Thentia's Guard are protecting me, apparantly I am like a frail angel.

    They have shown me a map of the area, I am at least going in the right direction for Waterdeep, but I fear that my home is close... and I couldn't stomach going there again.

    _"Is there any way I can go West without going to the Desert?" I asked the Innkeeper's wife. She was by the fire, cooking meat of somesort. I was staying with the Innkeepers in the day, to make sure I was safe.

    "Well, love, of course there is… it just means taking a different route. I mean, Anauroch is not the nicest of places.. we can get you on a boat, to Hillsfar, probably." She spoke softly, caringly, as she handed me a chalice of warmed red wine, "That way, you can go through Cormanthor and the Dalelands. But, I've heard stories of that place, too, love."

    "Stories? What stories?" I asked, a face as if everywhere is full of torment.

    "Just South of Cormanthor is Cormyr; and Cormyr is bordered with the Dragon Coast. I don't know if the stories are true, love, but I don't think it's called the Dragon Coast for no reason..."

    I gulped._

    But, I knew that where I came from - the City of Shade - was at least in the middle of Anauroch. Maybe I could go across the corner of Anauroch and miss Cormyr…

    _"So long as you avoid the Stormhorn Mountains, and stay to the north of the Farsea Marshes…" she rambled, my mind began to wander. I'd fought giants. I wasn't scared. I'd escaped from an army of bizarre things. I'd be fine.

    "Thank you for being so kind," I stifled the sarcasm that I wanted to scream, "do you know when the next boat will go that way?"

    "Yes, love, let me go and ask the sailors..." she offered a motherly smile and waddled out to the main room of the inn. She returned not a moment later with a hurriedly look on her face, "Right! They're going now!!" she seemed overly excited, as she ushered me out of the door and along the pier.

    "Th-thank you all!!" I called back, as the inhabitance of the inn turned out to wave me off. I even cracked a smile._

    Six - South From the Moonsea

    When I arrived in Moonsea, it was almost as though I was expected. A warm face of a different sailor greeted me.

    _"Alreet, lass?" he chirped in his high-pitched warbly voice.

    "Fine, yes.." I was taken a little aback as you could imagine.

    "Ole Sailor here tells me ye might be needin' an' 'orse!" his red cheeks went a deeper shade, as I offered a cheeky grin.

    "Horse? I can't ride a horse!" and for what reason, I'm unaware, but I looked down at myself and cringed, "Could do with a bath, though."_

    Eh. Me and Nawen used to bathe together. the page looks to be spotted with dry wrinkles, suggesting tears may have fallen on the page

    _"Aye! Ye can 'as a barf. An'.. Oye'll tell ye whats.." he spoke with a grin, pushing his posture up to appear tall, "Oye'll gatha a few fellers 'bout, an' see if we can't get ye where yer goin'!"

    This took me aback even more, "Well, I want to go to Waterdeep… how far can you take me?" I quirked a brow, half-expecting him to fall into the water in shock.

    "Oye gots an 'elivery o' some goods in bleedin' Nevawinta tha' Oye bin meanin' to do... now Oye got motivation, eh?" It was a blatant lie, he was just dumbstruck at the idea of a woman who hadn't driven her knee straight between his legs at the sound of his ridiculous voice.

    "If you're sure..." I was in two minds. I didn't really want that voice the whole way there, but I could do with the direction, the company and mostly, his corpse as a shield if all went wrong, "..then we will go.."_

    We would wait in Hillsfar for a day, to get supplies onto the carriage, and to get a warrior to travel in the carriage for me, incase we came across anything untoward. I was an archer, and a scout. Wouldn't find me practicing swordplay with an ogre, that's for sure.

    The warrior was a scantily clad mountain of a man, just wore hide around his waist, and carried the biggest axe I ever did see. He made Grag's revolting mannerisms seem like the actions of a dainty lady, the thought of spending the next few weeks with him repulsed me, but at least with a stench like that, any foe would think twice before attacking.

    _I cringed, "So… you got a name?" I hesitated, he looked at me bizarrely, and jabbed the sailor in the back with the handle of his axe.

    "Oy! Oye'm called Feather.. and 'e's Axe. What's ye name?" seemingly we had forgotten to introduce ourselves, and we were going to be companions for the next weeks.

    With a nimble finger twirling with a strand of my hair, I hesitated, "...Red... Call me Red." I then looked to Feather, and then to Axe, and then back to Feather, "He not speak?"

    "Oh, 'e speaks. Only in 'is own tongue, tho. An' even then, nae much. Man o' many actions and few werds." he looked sincere.

    "Wish more were like that..." I mumbled, looking out of the window._

    So, we're in the carriage and we're goi- the last few letters seem juttered, as though the carriage had started moving and was very bumpy

    Seven - Campfire One

    We've travelled for half a day.

    BY THE GODS IS MY ARSE SORE!

    No wonder I've no desire to jump on a horse before now.

    We're travelling down a road called the Moonsea Ride, and we've just passed a small merchant villiage called Asharenford almost an hour ago. Axe is hungry, and Feather needs an ale, so we've made camp. It's much nicer being around people, when the wind whistles between the trees you don't feel the urge to jump under a rock and hide from these imaginary giants.

    My head was sore, still, from a trip to the Cold Caves a month ago, actually.

    They've returned! Time to get a sore arse again…

    Eight - The Long Stretch

    We were almost at the Black Road.

    Spent four days straight in that carriage. I've never been so uncomfortable. Only one minor altercation, that was as we went past the Scimitar Spires, a bunch of shadows, the sort I grew up learning from… jumped out and demanded all of our coins.

    _With a hiss, it bought the horse to a stop, "Moneys or lifes!!"

    Feather just laughed, "Oye thinks this ah job fer Axe, doan ye?" He looked reassuringly over his shoulder to me. Axe stood to his almost seven foot full-heightedness, and patted his axe, looking around at them.

    "Ugrush!" it almost became a wail. They scattered fast, I chuckled, appreciating him for the first time in the six days I'd known him._

    Nine - Rethinking, butchering my mind… what-ifs, and could-have-beens

    I know she can't come after me. I don't know what I seek from this suicide mission. Maybe to find myself, more than anything.

    tear drops crinkle the page

    It's undeniable. I love her.

    I have to go back.

    Just to be sure.

    I will tell them tomorrow.

    Ten - A Quick Visit Home…

    _"You're makin' tha roight choice, definitely.." Feather consoled me. I was in tears, a mixture of hurt, anger and rejection, all boiling up again.

    "Gsusha!" Axe chimed in something unintelligible in his bizarre tongue, I nodded tearily to him, pretending to understand._

    They were kind enough to travel to the place they feared the most, my home.. a City that by folklore had floated in the middle of the Anauroch desert. And apparantly it -HAD- floated, but had since travelled to the Plane of Shadows. And now all that was left in its wake was the City of Shades, a city of many many residents, and many shadowy creatures. It was from these creatures I studied the art of scouting.

    I grew up amongst Nomads, I guess this is the reason I felt so… the pages crinkle with some sort of salted water... at home in Romani's camp. As a young girl, I met a tailor who would enchant things. Clothing that she made, mostly. As I stood atop the Shar Hill, where the Shadovar Black Circle would often come to ritual, looking down on the City, I could make out the tailor's home.

    With a smile on my face, knowing I was near, I slid into the shadows - this was not a part of town that I would be welcome - and made my way toward her. I had something in mind.

    _Jastal spoke in a whispered tone, knowing that if any of the Shadovar magi heard my dialect, her house would be dust in moments, "And, miss Faera! You'd like it a blue colour.." I nodded, helping to plan out the design.

    "Anauroch, on the neck.." I spoke softly as she began to stitch into its' neck. I wanted no credit for the design, I just wanted those who ever found one, to be aware that they're Anauroch-made. "You're most kind, Jastal…"

    I placed a thumb and fore-finger on her forehead, and smiled._

    These were more beautiful than I had ever expected…

    I was glad I had gone home after wishing it away for so long. Hopefully the trip back to Narfell will be as rewarding.

    Feather has given me one of his horses, under the pretence that when I get to Narfell I will kill it for it's meat - and I must not stop until I get there.

    So, this will be my last entry...

    Here's to hoping, that this will be as... rewarding.. as I have dreamt it will...

    And... here's to hoping that life is good.

    a small heart is shaped underneath the entry, and is smudged down - dried tears

    OOC: There will be no IC replies to this, comments welcome._