Out Into the World

Day 1- I’ve decided to keep this journal while travelling out of the desert. Hopefully, I’ll have an exciting tale to share someday and this shall chronicle it every step of the way.

Day 2- Made it to Mancipium. Stayed the night in a tiny rented room over a noisy pub. Not the most glorious of accommodations, but it serves a purpose. I travelled to this town quite a bit in the past. My father actually grew up here, and I got to know a lot of the people in the neighborhood growing up. Coincidentally, more than a few of my childhood friends in Mancipium became mercenary contacts and informants for me in adulthood.

 At the pub, I stumbled into an old friend, a young half-orc  that goes by the handle Shurg. We used to get into a lot of trouble back in the day, and we still get into the same hired work every now and then. In fact, on my first job stealing from the Legion, we were working alongside each other. Two man mission, no planning beforehand. It just happened that way. We really cleaned house that night, and Shurg said he had a little surprise for me afterwards. He brandished this magnificent looking scimitar (I try not to think where he was hiding that) and presented it to me with honor. I returned the favor by giving him a massive dragon pistol. He stared at it for a good long while before he looked me in the eyes and called me “brother” and pulled me into a big bear hug. It’s not often a half-orc gets touchy feely on you. But when he does, it’s because you gave him something big that kills. True to his word, he’s been there for me like no one else ever has since that day. We got to talking and reminiscing about the old days. How cool we were. How lucky we were. How dumb we were. He asked how my father was doing… that stopped me from smiling. I told him dad died, his funeral was just yesterday. Shurg gave me the sorriest look I’ve ever seen and ordered another round. 

We drank in awkward silence for some time. Shurg broke the ice asking why I came all the way out to Mancipium. I let him in on my plan to venture out into the rest of the world, and I could use some advice- or even better, a  place to start- before I headed out. He raised his great bushy eyebrows at this statement and thought it over. Fastigum would be the obvious choice, and there was quite a bit of dirty business to be found there. He thought it more than likely that I could get quite a few mercenary contracts in that metropolis. It’s only a few days away, and I could certainly use the coin regardless of wherever else I would go. We had a final round of drinks and bid farewell. I’ll get a few more supplies while I’m in town and head out tomorrow morning.

Day 3- Got a deal on a wicked looking dagger. One side is a keen edge while the other is serrated, like a saw. Came with a nifty wrist sheath, bought another one just for fun. Maybe I’ll fill it with arrows or something. Use magic to project them out, if need be. My other supplies are in order, so I won’t waste any more time here.

Day 5- I hate all this forest and foliage in the way. If it wasn’t so easy to burn through, I would turn back to Arkhosia in a heartbeat. The roads were crowded, so I thought cutting through the more difficult terrain would save me time. It works in the desert, why not in this place? That mindset leaves me here, huddled in a clearing, wiping away mud and plucking out thorns.

                -Note to self, stay on the safer path. It’s worth the time you might lose-

Day 6- Made it to a little town a few miles from Fastigium. Corona, I believe it’s called. I like it here, very quiet with a nice looking inn and tavern. I might stay here for a couple days. Rest up before I start finding work.

 I heard a scream in the night. Looking out the window, I couldn’t see anything amiss. Dismissed it as locals having a bit of fun.

Day 7- Got to know the inn keeper a bit better. When I asked about the shout last night, he reluctantly told me about a curse on the town. Creatures coming in the night and taking away children, no one knows where or why. I was intrigued. Before I could press on about it, he rushed to the door and tried to keep some furry humanoid from entering the building. Gnoll perhaps? It has the hyena face of one, but its somehow…different. Smaller, smarter, its words easier to understand than the common gnoll. Whatever it was, it didn’t seem like a threat. It merely wanted a drink after travelling for so long. But the inn keeper still refused. Fortunately for him, this absolutely stunning woman came to his aid, convincing the proprietor to allow the little gnoll access. With a smile like hers, I imagine she could have whatever she wanted. Though I get the feeling she knows this and tries not to abuse her power. Shortly after, an unexpected duo of vishkanya and dragonborn try to enter. This is a welcome surprise to me, seeing desert races this far away from home. The inn keeper started to turn them away as well, but the woman from earlier again convinced him to let the non-humans come inside. This brought up the question of why the tavern master was so intent on keeping “unusual” customers away. He told the same storyof the kinder catches that I had just heard, and this was followed by the group offering to investigate the creatures. The inn keeper seemed flustered at the concept of a few random outsiders taking care of the Corona Curse, but said that if they could, we would receive a reward from the town and free rent at the inn for as long as we needed it. It was at this point that I volunteered to accompany them, and they were so rallied and ready to go that they gladly accepted my help. We devised a plan to lure them towards us with the lights of the inn and follow them to their lair. So now we wait…