Stranger in Danger

The ship is currently heading towards the storm that, according to one eyewitness account, shelters the pirates that emir Tahef of Harasan has issued a bounty for. Details are scarce; it is likely a warship (by TE standards), crewed by irregulars, chiefly by humans. Active fighting strength is unknown, likely to be numerically superior to our own. I would feel more confident in our prospects of success if we had a solid corps of properly outfitted people with tactical mindsets and a knack for adaptability. As it stands, there are three of those onboard, and one of them was recruited just yesterday at the Spring of Peace. Hailing from IK, the troubled far west, Conn Dhuine approached me and Nakor, inquiring about "our" vessel. By his subsequent statements, this half-elf is a native of the occupied province of Kilbarrow, and he claims to be a ranking member of one wing of a broader resistance movement. This movement is apparently structured into "cells" and they answer to the "central cell;" likewise, whilst they are somewhat organised, Dhuine rejected the label of being a soldier, instead preferring "freedom fighter." A term so abundant and conceptually meaningless that it has destroyed the meaning of both its constituent nouns. At this stage, I have been informed about what this movement is fighting against, which is the state of Osnary, the occupying power. The organisation he represents does not appear to have a code of conduct, and despite having a leadership role, Dhuine did not affirm the existence of a clear chain of command, even within the cells. This could be explained within the context of organisational recency; however, the movement is apparently a century old. If an active paramilitary organisation needs several generations to establish even basic frameworks for responsibility amongst its soldiers, something is abhorrently wrong. Entrusting governance of a nation to those who are unable to govern their own behaviour is a dangerous business and a gateway to continued tyranny. However, Dhuine made it clear that his cause was one of his people's very survival: and this I can only commend.
 
I operate on the presumption that he is truthful. This is subject to future change; still, repeated initial attempts to discern holes and inconsistencies in his story have not yielded anything. He seems to be a legitimate fugitive, fearing for his well-being, and despite Nakor and I providing a disfavourable history of the recent events of the Swift Mermaid, Conn Dhuine still wanted to board it and serve as a temporary crewman. This indicates desperation. It is within the realm of possibility that this is all a very elaborate legend that he has crafted for some ulterior motive, and for now, there is no way to verify his claims. Assuming that he has been forthcoming about the movement and his own activities (killed a dozen men, burned down the Osnarian navy (which was an embarrassment to the term per Dhuine's account)), he has willfully compromised the movement's operational security. Again, this suggests desperation in the face of untenable circumstances. All in all, the list of unusual personalities on the Swift Mermaid's roster grows ever longer.
 
Due to his unclear background, uncertain personal motivations, and apparent prowess, I will assign him the codename ZAGREUS in formal correspondence.

P.S. The owner of the Spring of Peace also made the insolent assumption that I was the spouse of Nakor, and did not even address me directly when I was going to order. Should this ever happen again I might consider causing a diplomatic incident. With extreme prejudice.