General Summary
Entry 24?
Cassius has reminded me that it’s hard for him to keep track of my journal entries if I don’t date them… I told him to just read it like a book, but apparently that’s not working well for him? Why is he sneaking my journal anyway? It’s not like I’m not noticing… I tend to not say anything when he does since he’s at least writing stuff down like I asked him, so I’ll let him have his little wins.
Anyway, after the events at the carnival, we all decided that it would be a good idea to take a few days and rest, clear our heads and just spend some time wandering around Corvolas. Not a bad idea, I do need to get some things repaired and I might stop by the Red Fez and see how their trainees are doing. I was asked to hold a sparring session to test their mettle, as well as my own.
Getting my armor and weapons repaired took barely any time at all, these blacksmiths really do have an eye for good steel, and they work it well. I don’t think my gear has looked this well in ages, one of the smiths even offered to enhance my shield a little bit… Told me it’d make it tougher and withstand more blows, I couldn’t say no, especially with how much I’ve been abusing it lately. It’s already feeling a bit more sturdy, and the arm straps tighter… I’m impressed.
I spent most of the second day training the Red Fez Guards, and honestly, I didn’t think I’d have as much fun as I did. There was this one young recruit who kept dropping his sword and grabbing his shield with both hands every time I swung… Not much of a fight in him, but we ironed that out quickly by the end of it. He’ll be a fine soldier one day. Beni eventually came out to see how everything was doing, and even gave me a few silver for my trouble. He didn’t have to pay me for my time, I was enjoying it nonetheless, but he insisted.
After I said my goodbyes I headed back to our lounge to meet back up with everyone and see how things were going, and to my surprise Bruun ended up being gone… That’s not quite like him, but I’m sure he’s probably out somewhere beating something up or enjoying a nice sandwich where he can write some of that poetry of his.
And not five seconds after we started talking, one of the guardsmen told us of his whereabouts… He apparently got into a fight with some drunkards at one of the taverns and landed himself in a nice ‘vacation’ at some place called the Brig… That doesn’t sound very good, but I’m sure he’s perfectly fine. Some locked up drunks couldn’t even touch that man even if it was an accident, I’m more worried about them than Bruun.
Looks like I was right… First thing we saw when we headed to the Brig was just a circle around Bruun, well outside of swinging distance, and that man was just in the middle munching on a sandwich… How did I know that’s what he was doing? I don’t blame him though, that sandwich looked incredible.
Oh Cassius, why did you have to open your big mouth and suggest going to the Four Galleons. That’s the last place I’d like to be, sitting with a bunch of drunkards in a rowdy room. I’m sure most of them are fine, but just the sheer amount of people inside makes my skin crawl…
He was insistent we try the Four Galleons Challenge, some bar crawl type nonsense, apparently it’s renowned in Corvolas and barely anyone completed the whole thing? Fine Cassius, we’ll give it a shot while we’re here, but if I sense trouble, I’m pulling out immediately.
Once we made it to the Four Galleons, we walked into the Elvish Maid first… From what I’ve been hearing you go to each bar and they have a special drink for the challenge? I’m not one that drinks often, or at all to be honest, so I might give it a little go and then stop and just let Cassius have his fun, but… something came over me, like I was being struck by some divine power holding me in place.
A beautiful white catfolk came to greet us, and for some reason my body froze. The way she handled herself, how she greeted us. There was something mesmerizing about it… and Cassius, it’s not the booze, I haven’t had any yet! >:(
She said her name was Melyuu, what a fine name that is… one that keeps ringing through my head like a bell… Is this what the youngin’s call love? Or perhaps a crush? Cassius must have seen some sort of reaction out of me, because he just started playing me up like I was this world renowned Hero! Though, I’m sure parts of the region know of me now, but I wouldn’t go around announcing it like this! Oh, how embarrassing! What if Melyuu doesn’t like that type of person? Wait, what am I thinking? She’s just here to do a job and greet the patrons of her bar, not get with a smelly adventurer like me!
There’s a part of me that should think about this kind of stuff, but maybe it’s just the old me wanting to stay out of the spotlight where I can… but I’m a Champion now, I got to stop thinking like that. Cassius, how do you do so well in these situations?(Side note above this line: Well, at least when you’re not getting smacked) You’ve always been so charismatic and able to talk your way through stuff, but I can barely manage a sentence…Though that’s never stopped you from trying to get me with people in the past.
The more he speaks, the more horrified I get! How many titles can this one man spit out about me? Fearless? Brave? Hero of Oaksholde, slayer of the musk creeper and Leader of the Tempest hunters? You’re far too kind to spit out titles like that about me… Though, there is always a slight truth to those, but I wouldn’t consider them to be from my own doing, give the rest of our party some credit too Cassius!
**There appears to be a darker splotch of ink at the beginning of the next line, Tocu must have been having trouble getting his thoughts out onto the page.
It seems that I’ve been pressured into partaking in this challenge as well… and mostly to impress Melyuu according to Cassius, it’s sad to say but I’ll just have to play along with him on this. I don’t wanna shoot something like this down, and honestly I think it’ll be fun. I could use it, especially after the days we’ve had lately. Melyuu brought out a drink called the Moonbow’s Crest and another called the Elven Retreat… The smell coming off the two burned my nostrils something fierce, but I still raised the glass up to my lips and downed it… My eyes began to water slightly but to my surprise it was rather pleasant. Same for the second, maybe they’ve watered this down to some degree for me? Does Melyuu know I’m a lightweight? Apparently me downing both impressed her, though I doubt I’ll make it much farther than this, because now we’ve got another bar to head into for the next set of challenges… To the Hairy Dolphin it is then!
By the gods! What foul thing that was, The Hair of the Dolphin they called it? I swear, there was actual hair in that drink, and it was about as foul as it sounds… I could hear Bruun chewing the damned thing right next to me. If that doesn’t make your fur stand on end, I don’t know what will! Apparently, that wasn’t enough for them though… The captain himself.. Blackstone I believe his name was, sat down and just glared a hole through me the entire time, saying something about making an impression.
Cassius, if I wasn’t partially distracted by the lovely maiden at the Elven Maid, I would have slapped you, and what the hell? Why did you even offer to make a deal with this guy? And with that blasted bottle of Captains Bounty no less? Isn’t that the stuff that kicked Bruun on his ass? I fear that I might be in danger. He even made a wager that if I were to win, we’d get 25 Gold and I’d get a date with Melyuu, which apparently Blackstone was trying to court as well? Smooth Cassius… Real smooth.
Captain Blackstone continued to stare at me, even while we were drinking, glass after glass… It must be his presence and the constant cheering of my friends that kept me going because I downed each glass like it was nothing. Wilby even showed me a card and cheered me on further… Do they think I can do this?
I did it!! I actually did it! The last glass was rough, but it seems Captain Blackstone hit the limit before I did because all that Captains Bounty came right back up… Well, as well as my own, but that apparently got me his respect, as well as completing this part of the challenge…
**Why do I feel so warm? Is this the alcohol running through my veins? It’s rather pleasant I guess… no wonder Cassius indulges in it so much… though I’m sure he does it for other reasons.
I must have made a lasting impression as well, because as we were leaving, one of the staff ran up to me, holding out this intricate sword… Said it was Blackstone’s personal weapon he used back in his fighting days, said I could have it. It’s a wonderfully crafted Silver Sword, inscribed with some language I’m unsure of… as well as the Hairy Dolphin engraved on the pommel. Note to self: Get it translated…
This next establishment must be the centerpiece… the intricacies of the layout, the designs and statues all about… How can they afford all this stuff? Do they do enough business to perform these kind of upgrades? Or is there something nefarious going on that they aren’t telling?
Update: I guess some relative of Indiana likes the place well enough to help them out with the upgrades…
It wasn’t long however that we sat down again, handed drinks and expected to down them once more… though Captain Sloan suggested we start with the one called The Siren’s Song first… It smelled rather nice, a little citrusy for my taste but it went down much easier than the last place. The second however, the Anchor Drop, really lived up to its name… Even knocked Cassius back onto his ass, in the literal sense… Poor guy, wished he could continue with us, but they locked him up in this cage in the corner of the room as some sort of punishment. Got a few chuckles out of me.
With Cassius out of the mix, I felt a bit.. I don’t know, uneasy? He must have been secretly helping me through all this with his charming ways… Of course being locked in a cage doesn’t stop him from shouting at me in encouragement. Thanks, I owe you one.
We headed over to the Medusa next, to partake in what they call the Stone Water… Gah! It was just as foul as the one from the Hairy Dolphin, but much… much thicker? Felt like I was drinking some sort of paste. Even now as I write this, I can feel it clinging to every wall of my stomach. Definitely steering clear of that one in the future, if I even partake in drinking at all after this!
**A couple of scribbles of Tocu trying to write are here, but they are crossed out as he collects his thoughts.
I thought we were done at 4? Apparently there’s some secret 5th bar located above the establishment called the Crows Nest? Rather fitting I guess, but they require us to climb all the way up there? After having all these drinks, are they mad? Bruun, Indiana, Wilby and I all rushed towards the ladder, climbing our way up, though I was stumbling a bit behind…
Bruun must have made a friend or something because he was just blabbing away about some sandwiches or something to this dwarven fellow… I couldn’t stand any of that so I rushed my way all the way to the top. This is it, the final drink… I watch one by one as Bruun, Wilby and Indiana all take the plunge, failing the challenge and falling back down from the Crows Nest… It’s up to me now, I made it this far, I’ve got to succeed! I grab the glass and walk to the edge of the plank, staring down at the patrons below…
*inhale* I throw the glass back, drinking the appropriately named drink… It stings something fierce but something in the back of my mind tells me, I’ve had worse… and I have. Something something, captain's bounty comes to mind as it slides into my stomach. I take the glass and hold it out in front of me, and I drop it, letting it fall down from the Crow’s Nest into the crowd below in place of me, had I failed. Alas, I did the opposite! I heard cheering, as an uproar of patrons down below erupts into applause! The Four Galleons Challenge was complete, and one cheer was standing out from the rest… Melyuu bolted from where she was standing, climbing swiftly up towards the top of the Crows Nest and toward me… Was she watching the whole time?
Cassius has reminded me that it’s hard for him to keep track of my journal entries if I don’t date them… I told him to just read it like a book, but apparently that’s not working well for him? Why is he sneaking my journal anyway? It’s not like I’m not noticing… I tend to not say anything when he does since he’s at least writing stuff down like I asked him, so I’ll let him have his little wins.
Anyway, after the events at the carnival, we all decided that it would be a good idea to take a few days and rest, clear our heads and just spend some time wandering around Corvolas. Not a bad idea, I do need to get some things repaired and I might stop by the Red Fez and see how their trainees are doing. I was asked to hold a sparring session to test their mettle, as well as my own.
Getting my armor and weapons repaired took barely any time at all, these blacksmiths really do have an eye for good steel, and they work it well. I don’t think my gear has looked this well in ages, one of the smiths even offered to enhance my shield a little bit… Told me it’d make it tougher and withstand more blows, I couldn’t say no, especially with how much I’ve been abusing it lately. It’s already feeling a bit more sturdy, and the arm straps tighter… I’m impressed.
I spent most of the second day training the Red Fez Guards, and honestly, I didn’t think I’d have as much fun as I did. There was this one young recruit who kept dropping his sword and grabbing his shield with both hands every time I swung… Not much of a fight in him, but we ironed that out quickly by the end of it. He’ll be a fine soldier one day. Beni eventually came out to see how everything was doing, and even gave me a few silver for my trouble. He didn’t have to pay me for my time, I was enjoying it nonetheless, but he insisted.
After I said my goodbyes I headed back to our lounge to meet back up with everyone and see how things were going, and to my surprise Bruun ended up being gone… That’s not quite like him, but I’m sure he’s probably out somewhere beating something up or enjoying a nice sandwich where he can write some of that poetry of his.
And not five seconds after we started talking, one of the guardsmen told us of his whereabouts… He apparently got into a fight with some drunkards at one of the taverns and landed himself in a nice ‘vacation’ at some place called the Brig… That doesn’t sound very good, but I’m sure he’s perfectly fine. Some locked up drunks couldn’t even touch that man even if it was an accident, I’m more worried about them than Bruun.
Looks like I was right… First thing we saw when we headed to the Brig was just a circle around Bruun, well outside of swinging distance, and that man was just in the middle munching on a sandwich… How did I know that’s what he was doing? I don’t blame him though, that sandwich looked incredible.
Oh Cassius, why did you have to open your big mouth and suggest going to the Four Galleons. That’s the last place I’d like to be, sitting with a bunch of drunkards in a rowdy room. I’m sure most of them are fine, but just the sheer amount of people inside makes my skin crawl…
He was insistent we try the Four Galleons Challenge, some bar crawl type nonsense, apparently it’s renowned in Corvolas and barely anyone completed the whole thing? Fine Cassius, we’ll give it a shot while we’re here, but if I sense trouble, I’m pulling out immediately.
Once we made it to the Four Galleons, we walked into the Elvish Maid first… From what I’ve been hearing you go to each bar and they have a special drink for the challenge? I’m not one that drinks often, or at all to be honest, so I might give it a little go and then stop and just let Cassius have his fun, but… something came over me, like I was being struck by some divine power holding me in place.
A beautiful white catfolk came to greet us, and for some reason my body froze. The way she handled herself, how she greeted us. There was something mesmerizing about it… and Cassius, it’s not the booze, I haven’t had any yet! >:(
She said her name was Melyuu, what a fine name that is… one that keeps ringing through my head like a bell… Is this what the youngin’s call love? Or perhaps a crush? Cassius must have seen some sort of reaction out of me, because he just started playing me up like I was this world renowned Hero! Though, I’m sure parts of the region know of me now, but I wouldn’t go around announcing it like this! Oh, how embarrassing! What if Melyuu doesn’t like that type of person? Wait, what am I thinking? She’s just here to do a job and greet the patrons of her bar, not get with a smelly adventurer like me!
There’s a part of me that should think about this kind of stuff, but maybe it’s just the old me wanting to stay out of the spotlight where I can… but I’m a Champion now, I got to stop thinking like that. Cassius, how do you do so well in these situations?(Side note above this line: Well, at least when you’re not getting smacked) You’ve always been so charismatic and able to talk your way through stuff, but I can barely manage a sentence…Though that’s never stopped you from trying to get me with people in the past.
The more he speaks, the more horrified I get! How many titles can this one man spit out about me? Fearless? Brave? Hero of Oaksholde, slayer of the musk creeper and Leader of the Tempest hunters? You’re far too kind to spit out titles like that about me… Though, there is always a slight truth to those, but I wouldn’t consider them to be from my own doing, give the rest of our party some credit too Cassius!
**There appears to be a darker splotch of ink at the beginning of the next line, Tocu must have been having trouble getting his thoughts out onto the page.
It seems that I’ve been pressured into partaking in this challenge as well… and mostly to impress Melyuu according to Cassius, it’s sad to say but I’ll just have to play along with him on this. I don’t wanna shoot something like this down, and honestly I think it’ll be fun. I could use it, especially after the days we’ve had lately. Melyuu brought out a drink called the Moonbow’s Crest and another called the Elven Retreat… The smell coming off the two burned my nostrils something fierce, but I still raised the glass up to my lips and downed it… My eyes began to water slightly but to my surprise it was rather pleasant. Same for the second, maybe they’ve watered this down to some degree for me? Does Melyuu know I’m a lightweight? Apparently me downing both impressed her, though I doubt I’ll make it much farther than this, because now we’ve got another bar to head into for the next set of challenges… To the Hairy Dolphin it is then!
By the gods! What foul thing that was, The Hair of the Dolphin they called it? I swear, there was actual hair in that drink, and it was about as foul as it sounds… I could hear Bruun chewing the damned thing right next to me. If that doesn’t make your fur stand on end, I don’t know what will! Apparently, that wasn’t enough for them though… The captain himself.. Blackstone I believe his name was, sat down and just glared a hole through me the entire time, saying something about making an impression.
Cassius, if I wasn’t partially distracted by the lovely maiden at the Elven Maid, I would have slapped you, and what the hell? Why did you even offer to make a deal with this guy? And with that blasted bottle of Captains Bounty no less? Isn’t that the stuff that kicked Bruun on his ass? I fear that I might be in danger. He even made a wager that if I were to win, we’d get 25 Gold and I’d get a date with Melyuu, which apparently Blackstone was trying to court as well? Smooth Cassius… Real smooth.
Captain Blackstone continued to stare at me, even while we were drinking, glass after glass… It must be his presence and the constant cheering of my friends that kept me going because I downed each glass like it was nothing. Wilby even showed me a card and cheered me on further… Do they think I can do this?
I did it!! I actually did it! The last glass was rough, but it seems Captain Blackstone hit the limit before I did because all that Captains Bounty came right back up… Well, as well as my own, but that apparently got me his respect, as well as completing this part of the challenge…
**Why do I feel so warm? Is this the alcohol running through my veins? It’s rather pleasant I guess… no wonder Cassius indulges in it so much… though I’m sure he does it for other reasons.
I must have made a lasting impression as well, because as we were leaving, one of the staff ran up to me, holding out this intricate sword… Said it was Blackstone’s personal weapon he used back in his fighting days, said I could have it. It’s a wonderfully crafted Silver Sword, inscribed with some language I’m unsure of… as well as the Hairy Dolphin engraved on the pommel. Note to self: Get it translated…
This next establishment must be the centerpiece… the intricacies of the layout, the designs and statues all about… How can they afford all this stuff? Do they do enough business to perform these kind of upgrades? Or is there something nefarious going on that they aren’t telling?
Update: I guess some relative of Indiana likes the place well enough to help them out with the upgrades…
It wasn’t long however that we sat down again, handed drinks and expected to down them once more… though Captain Sloan suggested we start with the one called The Siren’s Song first… It smelled rather nice, a little citrusy for my taste but it went down much easier than the last place. The second however, the Anchor Drop, really lived up to its name… Even knocked Cassius back onto his ass, in the literal sense… Poor guy, wished he could continue with us, but they locked him up in this cage in the corner of the room as some sort of punishment. Got a few chuckles out of me.
With Cassius out of the mix, I felt a bit.. I don’t know, uneasy? He must have been secretly helping me through all this with his charming ways… Of course being locked in a cage doesn’t stop him from shouting at me in encouragement. Thanks, I owe you one.
We headed over to the Medusa next, to partake in what they call the Stone Water… Gah! It was just as foul as the one from the Hairy Dolphin, but much… much thicker? Felt like I was drinking some sort of paste. Even now as I write this, I can feel it clinging to every wall of my stomach. Definitely steering clear of that one in the future, if I even partake in drinking at all after this!
**A couple of scribbles of Tocu trying to write are here, but they are crossed out as he collects his thoughts.
I thought we were done at 4? Apparently there’s some secret 5th bar located above the establishment called the Crows Nest? Rather fitting I guess, but they require us to climb all the way up there? After having all these drinks, are they mad? Bruun, Indiana, Wilby and I all rushed towards the ladder, climbing our way up, though I was stumbling a bit behind…
Bruun must have made a friend or something because he was just blabbing away about some sandwiches or something to this dwarven fellow… I couldn’t stand any of that so I rushed my way all the way to the top. This is it, the final drink… I watch one by one as Bruun, Wilby and Indiana all take the plunge, failing the challenge and falling back down from the Crows Nest… It’s up to me now, I made it this far, I’ve got to succeed! I grab the glass and walk to the edge of the plank, staring down at the patrons below…
*inhale* I throw the glass back, drinking the appropriately named drink… It stings something fierce but something in the back of my mind tells me, I’ve had worse… and I have. Something something, captain's bounty comes to mind as it slides into my stomach. I take the glass and hold it out in front of me, and I drop it, letting it fall down from the Crow’s Nest into the crowd below in place of me, had I failed. Alas, I did the opposite! I heard cheering, as an uproar of patrons down below erupts into applause! The Four Galleons Challenge was complete, and one cheer was standing out from the rest… Melyuu bolted from where she was standing, climbing swiftly up towards the top of the Crows Nest and toward me… Was she watching the whole time?
I only remember two things… Melyuu’s kiss, and the trek back down towards the bar…
Please tell me I didn’t do something stupid afterwards.
I hope I made you guys proud. Cassius, I owe you one...
Please tell me I didn’t do something stupid afterwards.
I hope I made you guys proud. Cassius, I owe you one...
Report Date
27 Feb 2024
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