Sloane's Journal (sloʊnz ˈʤɜrnəl)

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Property of Sloane

Entry #1:

I’ve found a new place to settle. It’s small, and dingy in comparison to where I started. But it’s far enough away that I should be safe. I am so tired from this trek, I don’t know if I could carry myself further even if I wanted to. It’s called Oakhurst. It could be worse. I’ve seen worse, certainly. The notable family here seems to be the Hucrele’s, from what I gather. That’s my entry point. It should be easy enough to work my way in, the people here are friendly. They all look the same to me, but to them a stranger will stick out. If I mess this up, I’ll have to find somewhere new. Best not to think of that scenario. I have a few rations left, enough to cover a bit more reconnaissance before I make my move. I doubt with a town like this I will need it, but at this point I can’t afford to make any more mistakes.

Entry #2:

I’ve secured a temporary stay at the Hucrele’s. The matriarch is Lydia, and even the simplest story about a distant cousin on the Elfish side (how exotic! Her face seemed to say) had her excitedly offering up room and board for “as long as you're gracing our Oakhurst with a visit.” Simple indeed. The family has two progeny: Sharwyn and Talgen. The combination of war stories from afar and small town living has made a dangerous mix in their head. They seem excitable for trouble and ill-informed of danger. Not quite the ruling type, but they are still young. I imagine getting on their good side will be easy, I’ve plenty of stories to tell that they’ll lap up. Besides, being the new shiny thing in town will enamor most of these country-folk. My quarters are small, but fairly adorned. It’s much better than sleeping outside, but a well dressed hay bed is still a hay bed. If I could take one thing from Calepeak with me, surely it would have been the bed.

Entry #3:

Life goes slow here. The news from the bigger cities trickles in only occasionally, on the tongue’s of passing merchants. A few rumors about goblin encampments is the closest thing to news here. Imagine that, as if rats in the walls were news. There is not much social drama or intrigue here. There are farmer’s quarrels and local gossip, and little else. I find this town completely understimulating, like solving a puzzle for children. I’ve started helping out at the Hucrele’s shop. It provides more opportunities for information, but more importantly, for coin. I hit the bag-end long before I got here, it will take some time to build enough to move on again. And I do intend to move on again.

Entry #4:

I have visited and gossiped with every member of this little township. I have read every book in the Hucrele house. I have thoroughly run out of information to find. This is an utter waste of my talents. How did I let my own ego get me here? If I hadn’t been so careless, I wouldn’t be in this backwater town. I could’ve been anywhere by now if only I had kept myself in line. Surely I am not in His good graces anymore, on the side of the failures. I find myself ashamed of being this low. Demoted. Consequences for my own actions. Last night I broke--only after the entire house had fallen silent, and only after covering myself completely-- did I become myself, curled up, pathetic. I tried to will myself out of this existence, but I can't go back.

Entry #5:

Sharwyn and Talgn have gone after the encroaching goblin camp with a small troupe of local “warriors”. I have grown fond of them, I do hope they don't end up with their heads chopped off. I have increased my coin stash enough that the end is in sight. Not soon enough, but soon. I still have to find a connection from the Hucrele’s to somewhere else, somewhere better. It’ll have to be a strong one, this family is so minor I am not sure if their favor will carry me far at all. Just a little longer, just a few more days in this town and I will have what I need to move on. I can hold out for a few more days.

Entry #6:

I met someone new today. A half-Orc, his name is Keln. He came into the store for supplies, babbling about some shaman vision, right when Lydia was convincing herself to start a search party. The younger Hucrele’s have been missing for days now, and if they aren't trapped, surely they're goblin food. Despite this he was willing to help. Maybe it’s because of the boredom of this town rotting my brain, but I decided to go too. Anything to get out of here. Hopefully I dont get myself killed. It seems like this Keln is trustworthy enough, or at least enough to not warrant much suspicion. Still, I’ll keep my eyes open. This castle seems infected with something otherworldly. There are species here I can't name, and they do not seem native to the environment. It seems like this may be more complicated than I thought. If this isn't some coincidence, something else is going on here.

Entry #7:

It’s gotten much more complicated than I thought. There are several factions vying for space down here. Kobold, Goblins, and the plant life itself. Algae and coral have reanimated some bodies, and sealife drifts by on the air. Something extraplanar has happened here, I can sense it. We’ve made slow progress into these depths. A Kobold was kind enough to guide us, though he isn’t much in a fight. Keln is thus far easy to work with, if not a little accident prone. He seems to have bad luck with doors. I feel uncomfortable sharing a sleeping space with other people. There isn't much other option down here, we need each other for safety. Still, I find it hard to relax.

Entry #8:

We’ve made a good acquaintance with the goblins. After taking care of a mutual enemy, they opened their home to us. It’s small, but jovial. They certainly know how to have a good time. We’re one step closer to finishing this. The Outcast is who we’re looking for, and it shouldn’t be long before we find him. It is upsetting to find more evidence that the Hucrele’s are most likely dead. They couldn’t have known how much trouble they were getting into when they found this place. I pity them. I feel Keln is genuine. He doesn’t seem to have any ulterior motives, and I certainly wouldn't want to be on the other end of his axes. He would make a great bodyguard, if I ever ended up in a station to need one again.

Entry #8:

We are finally above ground again. The Hucrele’s are no more, but I did make another new friend. Kizzh reminds me of the bats back home. He’s comforting to have around. We located the extraplanar intrusion and took care of it. It seems like the Deep-Dark was leaking into this plane. I suspect the Outcast was behind it. Regardless, he is taken care of. Giving Lydia the news was not enjoyable. The whole town came together for the wake; that is the upside of small town living. Everybody grieves you. It’s admirable. I did get too far ahead of myself last night. Even if I trust Keln, inviting him to my room was idiotic. I can’t handle spirits as well as I think, and it completely muddled my judgment. I’m lucky I didn’t slip up. I have to be more careful in the future. It seems like it’s time to move on. I’m satisfied to travel with Keln longer, he’s proved a good asset and I’d be grateful to have someone cover my back. Broadwell seems like our next bet, and I hope it’ll be a step in the right direction.

Entry #9:

Broadwell is quite the place. The Church is central to the city, clearly in more ways than one. Keln & I paid the main attraction a visit-- a mobile reliquary containing the skull of one “Saint” Mordu. Seeing it even from afar had a strange effect that we both seemed to notice. I didn’t ask Keln quite what he felt from it, but he seemed disturbed in any case. It’s clear it needs to be out of ECHO’s hands, and preferably in no-one else’s (except maybe our own.) We were previously approached by a dwarf named Phillip Fauxhammer with an offer to retrieve it for him. I preferred to destroy it of course, but being paid for the mission would be a nice touch. Seems we were right to trust our first instinct that the man was shady- not one hour into our mission I found evidence he plans to betray us for it. A note from someone named B.B., presumably whoever is paying him to steal it. As troubling as this news is, at least we have a lead on who else is vying for this relic. In any case I am not looking forward to our plan of a sewer-based entrance. Kizzh might be, though.

Entry #10:

The mission did not go as planned. We were first stopped by The Order of the Chosen Path, who also want control of the relic. (How many people are after this thing?) Once in the church, we went through their self-indulgent catholic trials without too much difficulty. Though my blood did have an interesting effect on their holy water, hopefully Keln won’t dwell on that too much. The downfall of the plan was completely my fault; the damn skull got in my head again, much stronger at such a close range. It made me feel like I could do anything. I wasn’t afraid of being wounded, of dying, not even of being discovered. It was intoxicating, I would’ve jumped off the building happily if Keln didn’t stop me. In fact I might’ve died if it wasn’t for him. I was already impaled twice and didn’t even think of slowing down. I don’t know if I trust this relic with anyone else, but I’ll admit I’m intrigued by Zizz’s info. If this isn’t ECHO-based, whatever it is is definitely powerful. In fact, it will make dealing with Fauxhammer that much easier.

Entry #11:

The Black Broker was our final contact point. It led to an unfortunate fight with blood spilt on both sides (though thankfully neither of ours.) Interestingly enough, he claimed Mordu was an Angel. I’ve never had an encounter with one, but the effect of the skull was otherworldly in a way that does make sense if he was telling the truth. The most striking part was the drow’s story. He claimed Mordu was his lover, and he held his skull with such reverence I believed him. Is it possible that a mortal from this plane can fall in love with a celestial, and vice versa? The Broker knew what he was, and still fell in love with him anyways. Put up a bounty even, just to have the last piece of him back-- even if it was only bones. Very…surprising. I’m not sure what to make of it, but it makes my heart ache. Though I'm not sure if it's for them, or for me. In any case, we let him go with the skull. Persephone seems to have made an ally there, though I’m not sure what her plans are with her fallen comrade’s head. Too much bone magic for me for one day. Let’s hope we don’t cross paths with them again too soon, the Broker or the Chosen Path. I feel reassured that we have the same goals, but their methods seem questionable at best. In any case, we got a hefty payout for our troubles. It’s a great relief to be in a soft bed again, and finally clean. I think I’d be happy to never go in another sewer again; Certainly Keln would too. Hearing him talk about his family and home with such love is admirable. I wonder what it feels like to have such strong connections, to have a family and a home. It seems like a burden and a comfort all at once. His stories of Korkosa are quite varied, it’s unfortunate I don’t have more to give him in return from my own past. But I doubt it would make good storytelling anyways.

Entry #12:

So our plan now is to find a Godspeed Trading Vessel, get passage aboard as employees, purposefully get hijacked by the most wanted pirate in the area, and then be taken to a cursed island whose name is literally “Do Not Go Here” to rescue an exiled man who can read a language made by beings that might nor exist. What have I gotten myself into? As overwrought and needlessly dangerous as it all sounds, Keln nearly convinced me of it all too. If this guy truly can translate githyanki (which, for the record, I do believe exist. Astral plane dwellers are hard to pin down, but not more impossible to exist than I am) then he’s the next best hope for any leads on this Dead Gods apocalypse vision from Korkosa. And if this vision is to come true, it would be a planar invasion that could wreck untold havoc on the material plane. So it’s my fight now as much as it is Keln’s. Speaking of Keln, interesting to find out that he’s part of the Corvennos family. Not what I expected ,but does explain his tenacity for fighting. Hopefully the loyalty and infighting issues aren't passed down as well. The whole Corvennos saga happened a while before my arrival in Calepeak, but it’s a commonly told story I’ve heard before. I’ll have to ask him later which parts are true and which are hearsay later. Drehnibo Isle is shrouded in mystery and legend, I’ve heard many rumors about it. Those who never come back, and those who do, but refuse to speak of it (or no longer can.) Something powerful must be residing there, whether it’s magic, cursed, or something otherworldly. Keln can certainly handle himself in a fight, but something like this… I don’t know if he could withstand it alone. Even if the journey there is dangerous and uncertain, it’s safer for us to face it together. He doesn't have experience with this type of danger like I do. Whatever madness-inducing thing is thriving there, we’ll have less of a chance of succumbing to it if we stick together. Hopefully.

Entry #13:

First time on the ocean. It's an interesting experience to say the least. It’s been too bright out to let Kizzh out much, but thankfully down here in the ship's hold he can be comfortable. Might even catch a ship rat or two. Our shipmates seem friendly enough here on the Speedy Slug (what a name.) At least they were open to our plan to intercept the Godspeed vessel and lure out Torva. It's smooth sailing so far, but this plan could fall apart at any minute. Speaking of Torva, Keln sure had a lot to say about her. Mostly warnings that she may take too keen an interest in me. Strange family dynamics going on in the Corvennos family (though from what I've heard of them, I'm not surprised by anything with this family.) I'd rather her be too enamored by me than suspicious of me, at any rate. Keln didn't take the news of my lie too well. I didn't want to withhold the truth from him, but I guess I'm already doing that and then some. Made a big stink about tying me to the mast to keep me from sinking. It's good to know that he doesn't want me dying on him. Strange to think it's been so long since someone thought that way of me. He was definitely suspicious of my "condition" though. I don't want to explain more than I have to at the moment, but I hope it's not diminishing his trust in me to be so vague about my secrets. I'm a difficult creature to explain. I can only keep using the excuse of it being an "elf" thing for so long. I either have to reveal less, or trust him with all of it. And even though I do trust Keln, revealing everything isn’t something I want to do again anytime soon. I’ve learned my lesson before about trusting people, it will always go worse than I think it will.

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