Qemuel Hope
Qemuel Hope
My name is Qemuel, just Qemuel. About four years ago, when the Crows invaded my home, I joined the Vargan military. I joined out of love for my country and with the hope that a military salary could help my family back home. I spent the next three years out on campaign with the Vargan Reconnaissance Battalion. I spent about three years creeping in and out of enemy territory. I spent three years with my head on a swivel; three years where the smallest mistake could be fatal. I never saw any actual large-scale combat but...
War changes you. It makes you learn fast, and grow up faster. We lost the war, but we fought them until the end. We fought them in the hills and the valleys; in the forests and the fields. We fought them from the mountains and the cities and the farms. We fought them with our words and with our souls. We lost the war, and they took part of our home from us. They were stronger than us. Their armies were more powerful than ours. And in the end, that's all that mattered.
I am done with war. I don't know if the war is done with me. The burned homes and the maimed veterans still fill me with sorrow. The defeat in the eyes of the refugees filled me with such shame that I couldn't bear it anymore. And so I left home after the war.
There's nothing good about war, but there is good in why we fight wars. I'd like to believe that we fought for the right reasons. But that still doesn't change what happened. That doesn't bring the dead back to their families.
I have no idea what the future holds, but I will face it bravely; putting one foot in front of the other.
Current Location
Species
Ethnicity
Year of Birth
1059 ACE
21 Years old
Children
Eyes
Purple
Hair
Black
Height
5'11"
Weight
145 lbs.
Qemuel's Theme
Entry #6
12th of Collexis, 1078
As we head out again the first snow this year begins to fall. I like the snow. For a few short hours snow dampens the noises of the world, and covers all of the ugliness in a sheet of white. The world is a canvas and our footsteps are the first brushstrokes in a new painting. We continue on towards A-. While on the road the Musician tries to make conversation with the Girl. He asks about her past and other information. He is not unfriendly but she makes it clear that she isn’t going to reveal anything. We came upon a group of four travelers stopped on the road. It was during this time that I noticed that forest seemed especially dark and menacing despite it being about midday. As I was surveying our surroundings I heard them mention “walking dead”. That must be what the Girl was talking about earlier. Then I heard them mention “ambush” and in a second I was back. I wasn’t afraid, I was numb. It all felt so familiar, the tensing of the muscles in my legs, my weight on the balls of my feet, each footstep silent in the snow, my hand gripped around my blade. There was no difference between the then and the now. How easily the real and past blurred worries me.
The Musician, the Girl and I headed south into the woods beside the road. The other party decided to head to forest north of the road. As we patrolled the south section of forest for possible undead presence we heard a loud noise.
I hadn’t heard a scream like that in a long time. I had hoped to never hear someone scream like that again.
As we had found nothing up to this point we turned and headed northward to investigate the source of the sound. Our search led us to the northern section of forest. We came upon a few figures standing over the bodies of the other traveling party. It was evident that these figures were the undead presence that we had been alerted to and that they had slain the other travelers. We engaged the enemy on sight. After a brief altercation all of the undead were neutralized. We burned the undead, and performed rudimentary funeral services for the traveling party. We continued towards A-.
I don’t remember much of the fight. The fighting was a lot faster than I remember it being. While my mind is all too ready for combat, the rest of me is not. I was too slow and out of practice. The husks landed a few solid blows on me, if I had been sharper, when I was sharper, I avoided those. Both my companions proved themselves very valuable. The Girl was remarkably proficient in swordcraft and seems to possess potent magical capabilities herself. If we had soldiers like her, so many would still be alive. The Musician’s magic proved itself more than suitable for combat. I wonder what his story is.
Entry #5
11th of Collexis, 1078
We head into K-. It is larger than I thought and mostly dwarvish. I am especially conspicuous here. The Musician directs me to a bar in town (B- F-). The patrons and owner are familiar with Errato, he must have played here on his way through previously. He wantonly uses his magic change his clothes, and makes a spectacle of himself in the process. I wish he wouldn’t do that, it only makes us a target. I head to the bar. While there a girl, who the barkeep calls K-, comes up to me. She is blond, sullen and wearing a cloak that seems to shift in the light; not unlike my coat but clearly more sophisticated. The Girl asks about any strange goings-on. I mention the elven woman the Musician was following but that isn’t the type of strange the Girl is asking for, it appears the Musician’s obsession with elf is misplaced. The Girl warns me about people who aren’t entirely people, she isn’t entirely clear. We continue to discuss things while the Musician plys his craft. He really is excellent and worth far more than the silver I gave him in N-. During the course of the night the Girl makes the decision to join us. She also took the key to the room that the bartender had given me. I shall have to get another. For his last song the Musician sings about the crossroads, and two people falling to wild beasts. It is clear that those people are the ones in the graves. It is also clear that he cared for them deeply. I shall have to tread carefully asking about them.
Entry #4
9th of Collexis, 1078
We take a pause on the road. The Musician stops by a pair of graves on road near V-. I notice whistles hanging from the rough hewn markers. They match the one around his neck in make and style. I let him take his time. It is good to remember the dead. M- says that remembering the dead makes us appreciate life more. But even in solemn moments like these there is information to be gained. The graves are different sizes, signifying different types of humanoid (one halfing/gnomish the other not). There are initials (YB & __). I should wait for a good time to learn the names of the corpses and their relation to the Musician. That could be good leverage. When I took a pause in my writing I noticed that when they caught the wind the whistles almost made a harmony, but they seemed to be missing a note. The rest of the day was uneventful.
Entry #3
8th of Collexis, 1078
A few days on the road with the Musician. He pulls a full cart of belongings behind him. I don’t think he needs everything he has. I offered to purchase a harness for the Horse, have her pull the load. He declined cheerily. It was an empty promise anyway, I don’t think I can afford a harness, and I certainly can’t afford one for a someone who may be gone in a week. His demeanor doesn’t seem to waver even after pulling that cart all day. We stop in D- T-. The Musician plays for the inn patrons and we are given room and board in return. He asks about the elven woman we had seen a few days prior. It seems that she had passed through one day prior. She was heading north.
Entry #2
6th of Collexis, 1078
When I came down this morning the main room was absolutely full of gnomes. I have never seen so many gnomes in my life. Apparently they’re all fleeing A-, which is very troubling. I am, like many others, heading towards A- to get away from all of the trouble. Apparently I’d be fine, but it’s not safe for the gnomes. Which is strange, considering that all of A- is gnomish. One of the gnomes came with me and the Musician, whose name is E- A-, to the stables to discuss further. While I tended to the Horse-I should really name her at some point-they discussed the troubles. Also confirmed that the Musician can cast spells. I had my suspicions last night, but they were confirmed this morning. He seems intriguing, maybe he’s worth keeping around. The gnome stated that the lighthouse had gone out in A-, and that everyone who had tried to go fix it hadn’t come back. Not only that but strange folk had been seen around A-, no further details given. Some of the more superstitious had left the city. Never understood being superstitious; there’s enough in the world to be frightened of already without adding anything extra to the mix. It also seems that people treat tieflings much the same everywhere I go.
After talking with the Musician it appears he wanted to go towards V- C- front, or rather, what’s left of it. Something about wanting to collect war stories. I tried to dissuade him, the wounds are still to fresh for someone like him to go rooting around in. There is still too much pain in the heart of V-. He asked about the war, I had played my hand too unsubtly and he picked up on it. I’ve been asked about the war before and I’ll be damned if I answer any questions about it yet. I have the feeling he’s going to keep asking questions until he’s satisfied. I might have to give just enough of the truth to satisfy him, I get the feeling I’m not going to be able to get a lie past him.
.Found a posting for jobs in A-. Investigator work. Sounds like something that I could handle, and I could use the money. Name on the posting is G- O-, dockmaster at the port. The price is negotiable, but I’ve never been good at negotiating. I have a feeling that the Musician is. THere’s something about his personality that is gravitating, I’m not sure what it is. The Musician is looking for a job too, and I guess many hands make light work. He’s coming with me to A-. My earlier prediction was right, he’s going to keep asking about the war. He was prattling on when he mentioned something interesting. He mentioned that he was on his second life. I don’t know if he’s serious, I’ve only heard of things like that in stories. Even in stories that sort of thing requires one or more very powerful mages. Things like that only happen in stories. Maybe he meant it in another way. I’ve often felt that the old Qemuel died at Paçan, that I should’ve died there. That everything after is borrowed time, a gift that could be snatched away at any moment. There is no fear anymore. I have nothing left to lose. I have already died.
It does not behoove me to dwell on thoughts like these.
Entry #1
5th of Collexis, 1078
On the road north-east from L- I stopped in at the port village of N-. Stopped at the only inn in town, a tavern named the L- S-. I assumed it was named after the staff that hung above the bar. I wonder if that was the real staff. If so, it was very bold to leave an item that powerful out in the open in a place like this. I’d be surprised if nobody ever tried to steal it. As I walked in a female elf with red hair came up to me. I thought for a second that I recognized her, but I’ve never seen her before in my life. She was asking about the condition of the roads up North and when I told her that I had come from V- in the South she lost interest. Now that I had a second I noticed that there was a Musician performing in the main room. A welcome surprise. He was playing a simple tune, but playing it well; he is clearly very skilled. He seemed at least partly elven, and judging by his accent he wasn’t a local. I think he was Southern, possibly Akivanian but I don’t have enough experience with those accents to make a more accurate guess. I tipped him a silver. My father would have approved, he always said that there isn’t enough beauty in the world and we should help it grow whenever we see it. There isn’t any music left in V- anymore, not after the war.
Later on, I noticed that the same elf who had talked to me earlier was heading upstairs to talk to a family of gnomes that had come from the North. Something about her had piqued my interest so I followed them up. I don’t think anyone noticed me. I overheard part of the conversation between them. It didn’t seem like they knew the information she was after either. I got out of there before they could notice me. The elf woman rode off North after speaking to the Musician, I believe his name is E-, at a rapid pace. I asked the Musician if he knew where she was going. He said she didn’t tell him. It was getting late so I got a room and went to bed only to find that apparently they just have communal lodgings. I don’t mind communal lodgings, even though I would have prefered my own room, but charging 5 silver is robbery. I may have gotten the special tourist pricing, but I didn’t follow up on that. Maybe I should’ve.
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