The Journal of Grand Admiral Prawn
The journey across the Empty Ocean was an uneventful one. The sycophants and boot lickers of Ihira think that Domina Galla has exiled me to the colonies in an attempt to curtail my rise and ambitions. They believe that I have desires for the Ivory Throne. I have to admit, I once was as small-minded as they were. When I joined the Irony Fleet, being Dominar would have been a most satisfying station to inspire. However, from my research, my ambition has long since outgrown such a petty matter. I will let them think that Ilvortia is my prison when, in fact, it is where I want to be. I have traveled all over the Highborne nations, studying all that I could gather about the great lost civilization of Zonmond. Even with the scant information about the people, I could glean that a greater treasure is hidden in Ilvortia, far greater than the material resources that the other nations fight for. While the others squabble for slaves, gold, and artifacts, I seek something more. I will use everything the continent has to offer to achieve my goal, and when I reach it, they will know the true meaning of power.
Arriving in Goxim has already proven to be a disappointment. The city itself is a pale imitation of the grandness of the cities in Ihira, but it shall suffice as a base of operations as I go about my plans. The governess, Servina Baro, has quickly become a nuisance. She hounds my every move, wanting to account for my whereabouts and to also micromanage me. Much like the Domina, she believes I have designs for her position. Nothing could be further from the truth, but having the authority of the Dominion in Ilvortia could be a useful tool. If I cannot convenience her to join me, then I must seek another way to remove her as an obstacle. Killing her would draw too much attention to my activities, so I must be more creative if it comes to removal.
My first few months here have been beyond my wildest measure. Through my studies, I can find a path toward what I seek. It is unfathomable to me that the so-called scholars of this continent do not see how close they are to something remarkable. They fight over books and relics but are unable to see the full picture, to realize the power those trinkets hold. I found maps and clues to secrete places that hold treasures that may not be outwardly valuable but are priceless to me. Fools they all are! When they realize they have been squinted at baubles in the dirt, I will possess the one thing of actual value in all of Ilvortia.
Finding the ‘island’ was a far more elementary task than I had anticipated. Once one realized the natural migration of such creatures, understanding the location was a simple mathematical equation. Discovery of the ‘island’ itself took a considerable amount of research, having to negotiate with those pompous imbeciles at the Athenaeum and also listing to the magniloquence discourse of that old fool at Xajahr. But I would suffer through such banality again to reproduce such a success. The savages living there were welcoming and quite helpful. They seemed almost eager to show me to the Zonmondi ruins within their midsts and were completely nonplused about me retrieving the Skull key and the Trident’s head. If only my future expeditions could be so easy. It was nearly a shame that I had them disposed of, but given their honest and open nature, I could ill afford other finding information on what I sought.
Those ruins were a treasure trove of information. Not only was I able to find a Key of Fate and part of the Trident of Tilmahcoatl, but the glyphs and runes, once translated, led to the location of other relics. From my translations, the second piece of the trident lies in Winzen, and the final lies in a place called the Tower of Nahuacoatl.
The trident, although a powerful magical artifact in itself, is only a means to an end. I have found the head to be useful enough on its own, enslaving juvenile krakens. The so-called God Emperor Tilmahcoatl enslaved full-grown krakens, which was the backbone of the Zonmondi sea power. With the Iron Fleet, I need not go to such drastic measures to maintain superiority over the seas, however, having a juvenile kraken enthralled will be necessary to reach the Vieled Tower.
The Keys of Fate are the true goal. They will unlock the powers within the Veiled Tower and I can finish what Tilmahcoatl started. I already have the Skull Key. I will soon have the Kraken Key. The Eye Key will undoubtedly lie with the last piece of the Trident in the Tower of Nahuacoatl. The Storm Key and the Moon Key are together lying on the bottom of the ocean floor in the wreck of The Fall of Doom. The ship was sunk in the coup led by the Fishwife Lucius when she moved to take over the Black Rain Confederacy. If the rumors hold, the wreckage is haunted by the crew of the Fall of Doom and its captain Anthony ‘Devil’s Grin’ Morley.
The Stroulanders will not allow me to bring my fleet to their shores. They are too busy being the lapdogs of the Rustense. I will have to decide on another way to enter the Ziggurat. I have struck a deal with Hummir Magbalar. He will send a delegation of researchers to Winzen to study the ruins. I have little confidence they will do anything more than loot the ziggurat, but I find a way to use them to gather the trident and the key.
The Fishwife of course holds the last key, the Clock Key. The woman is ruthless as she is greedy, but just like the rest of those scum pirates, she is tight-lipped. I suppose I could bribe one of the Black Rain Confederacy to give up the location of Morely’s ship, though I might leave the actual retrieval up to someone more expendable. Getting the Clock Key from Lucius will require some effort. Attacking the Black Rain Confederacy with the full might of the Iron Fleet could provide results but might risk too much manpower and resources. I may, however, enter into an agreement with Lucius, gain her trust, and get both the location of the Fall of Doom and acquire the Clock Key all in one fell swoop.
However I choose to proceed from here, I still must return to Goxim and deal with Baro. She is too loyal to the Domina. She now thinks like the fools I left back in Ihira that I wish to usurp the Domina’s position and become Dominar. If Baro weren’t so short-sighted I could have utilized her talents in my plans, but I must rid myself of this nuisance. Tilmahcoatl, the fool that he was, had all the tools necessary to gain true power but not the foresight nor the skill. Where he failed, I will succeed and then those who stand against me will know the true meaning of fear.
