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From the Journal of the Mourning Star:

We had learned from the traitor that a temple of his evil cult was nearby in the sewers. We searched the area, and found the temple with some difficulty. We heard low chanting, and felt that speed was the key in assaulting the place. We hurried down a long hallway, around a large curve, and into a massive sanctuary. At the far end, we saw a depression in the floor, within which was Egil: stripped naked and bound. Standing over him was a high priestess, also naked, and several acolytes were hiding behind pillars throughout the room. We exploded into action, attacking the acolytes who were between us and the high priestess. Some of them threw fire that they produced from nothingness, and others made a thick fog fill the room. Everything became shadowy, and we could barely make out the shapes of our enemies. I nearly ran through one of the acolytes, but then I realized at the last moment that this was a member of the small mages guild that we were working with: he had been successful in infiltrating the cult! I moved on to another target, but I was cursed in that horrible place. Luck is typically on my side, but in that temple I was unable to strike any of my foes. My companions fared better, and soon the high priestess and her acolytes all lay dead at our feet.

From the Journal of the Mourning Star:

We were able to sneak into the temple that we had previously cleared out, and found no one there. However, after much investigation, we found that someone had been there. We found crates of bricks that, when broken open, had a strange rune on the inside. We also found a book that had a strange diagram of the lighthouse that Drac has been building. It seems to me now that both Drac and the lighthouse are connected to the cult. There was also an address on the crates that corresponded to the home of Verlaine, a high ranking official on the Captain's Council.

When we left the temple, we saw several thugs attempting to steal something from a courier. We got involved, but it was more due to curiosity than anything else. Something didn't seem right about the courier. I was correct: while Nanoc and I were whooping up on the thugs, the courier stabbed Dannik in the back and ran away. He was almost stopped by our stealthy friend, but a fog cloud covered his escape.

A few days later, while staking out Verlaine's home, I heard rumours that our group was wanted for questioning in the events that had taken place around the house over the evil temple. We were concerned that we would be arrested for murder, but decided that they did not have enough proof to convict us.

Three of us decided to turn ourselves in to Verlaine for questioning. He seemed more concerned about the entry to the temple than the deaths of the thugs. We easily made it appear as if we were being wrongfully accused, and were soon set free. Verlaine was unconvinced of our innocence, but all others who witnessed the exchange seemed to believe our story.

In an attempt to find out more about what was happening, we went to the temple of knowledge. While there, we were approached by a lower priest who recognized us as the same people who rescued Lucius. He told us that Egil was missing, and that he might have been captured by Verlaine. He spoke of the sewers beneath Freeport, and suggested that we could gain access to Verlaine's home by traveling through those sewers.

We returned to our mansion to rest for the evening, and the next morning returned to the Temple of Knowledge to gather the priest. He had with him a map of the sewer system, and we were soon off on our expedition. There were two walkways on either side of a river of excrement. We wended our way through the maze to a place that was suposed to be beneath Verlaine's home. We found a small secret doorway that led to a darkened room. I slipped inside to search the room, but advised the others to remain outside in case the door would close unexpectedly. Once I was in the room, I heard the young priest curse. He threw the map into the refuse and attempted to flee. We were able to bring him down quite easily, and began to interrogate him on his masters. At this time, Erixyll appeared from the shadows and asked if she could feast on the traitor. We used her hunger to gain a bit more information from him, but his mind began to break. We allowed her to drain him until he was unable to move, then rolled him over into that dreadfully disgusting river. Being helpless but still conscious, terror filled his eyes as he sank slowly into the excrement. A fitting end for one who would attempt to lure us into a trap.

Journal of the Mourning Star:

I have not yet had the pleasure of introducing myself to all of my new employees, as a situation with the Evening Star has put me in a foul mood and taken up a great deal of my time lately.

It appears that much of the crew that we hired for our respective ships had been planning a mutiny for some time. I am usually quite perceptive, but I never saw it coming. They were world-class actors: none of them ever seemed even the least bit nervous. They staged the coup while we were away from our ships, and took control of the Evening Star. As they were sailing out of the harbor, the loyal crewmembers that were left on the Mourning Star fired upon the Evening Star, and sank her. By the time we got there, the Evening Star was already at the bottom of the harbor.

Beyond that, I was afflicted by a horrible condition in which I was weakening daily. We were fortunate enough to find a cure for this condition, but I was permanantly weakened by it. I was told by Erixyll that the same thing had happened to her. She said that if I had been weakened to the point of death, I would arisen from the dead as she did. The down side was that I would never again be able to leave Freeport, as I would be forced to return to my sepulchre every night. I am too attached to my seafaring ways to allow this to happen, and so I took the cure.

When troubles occur, however, they occur en masse. We were contacted by Lucius, and he introduced us to a small group of secret mages. Magic is illegal in town, and so this was a great risk to us to meet with these mages. However, they were banding together in order to combat the evil cult from which we had rescued Lucius, and therefore were our allies. They told us that the cult had not been defeated, but were now stronger than ever. At their urging, we have decided to go back to the temple where we killed Milos and rescued Lucius. Perhaps when this is all over, I can spend a while meeting all of my new employees at the same time.

Having found little information from Dav and his madam, we decided to check out his competition. Rumors abounded that Dav's brothel was slowly being put out of business by The Blue Lotus, a brothel across town. We decided to check this place out, and found it to be much more "friendly" than Dav's brothel. We were quite popular there, as we had much money to spend. I, in fact, wound up spending an entire week there with Sehestra, the owner of the business. I learned much from her, and a little information too. She told me that Stephan had been killed by Kenzil on the same night that we left town aboard the Evening Star. Kenzil had then set up Dav as propriator of the brothel that he runs. She wished me to kill Dav for her, and I felt that would probably be a pretty good idea. I am not typically up for outright assassination, but something about this woman bewitched me and I felt myself compelled to do whatever she wished.

After much research we found Dav's secret home. He lived in a secluded mansion, surrounded by trees and somewhat removed from the bustle of daily life in Freeport. After staking out the place, we saw a small second story balcony with a door that would allow entrance. I was able to pick the lock, and we snuck inside.

There was supposed to be a dinner party downstairs, but we heard little from that direction. We did, however, hear the sounds of unorthodox lovemaking coming from behind a door. We attempted to quietly search around the mansion but Dannik knocked over a statue, alerting whoever was behind that door to our presence. We quickly moved off in another direction, and soon found a spiral staircase that led upwards. We went up the the third floor, and were soon able to locate the master's suite. Inside, we found Dav, Erixyll, and a guard. We were able to kill the guard quickly, but I was bitten (!) by Dav before he and Erixyll turned to fog (!!) and went down the chimney.

After searching the mansion thoroughly and dispatching some more guards, we found a secret passageway that led into the catacombs deep beneath the mansion. We went down there, and found Erixyll guarding Dav, who was in a coffin on the floor. We made an agreement with Erixyll, and she told us how to kill Dav permanantly. We cut out his heard and quartered it. Then we placed it in one of the nearly indestructable vessels we found in the bizarre temple we many years ago, and I buried it in a place where only I can find it. Our agreement with Erixyll includes her remaining in the mansion, where her coffin is, and helping to protect the place. We, on the other hand, have now "inherited" both the mansion and the brothel that Dav once owned. Things are looking up for me: I will now take some time to get to know all of my new employees.

From the Journal of the Mourning Star:

Many years have passed since last I wrote in this journal, and the years have been good to us. We opened a legitimate shipping company in the city of Rank, and it was quite lucrative. However, my baser instincts forced me to seek adventure, and I was able to satisfy my urges by becoming a pirate hunter. We would disguise our ship, the Evening Star, as a basic merchant ship, and then would sail into known pirate areas. When the pirates would attack us, we would spring into action and take from them everything. This was even more lucrative than our shipping business. We have "liberated" many pirate ships in the last four years, and sold them all for a nice sum. We were even able to purchase a massive warship, which has become our new flagship: The Mourning Star. Large, fast, and armed to the teeth, she is beautiful and terrible to behold.

Unfortunately, Rank recently decided to purge all non-citizens from its borders. I would still be able to live there, but many of my companions and friends were forced to leave. Therefore, I left with them. We sold our warehouse in Rank, and all of our holdings, and then took our two ships, The Evening Star (our first, which we keep for nostalgia) and The Mourning Star, and left Rank to return to Freeport.

Freeport has changed drastically. Bovine and his barbarians have left the city, most likely finding the responsibility of the security of an entire city too many headaches for a man from the wilds to suffer. It is now ruled by the Captain's Council, a group of ship captains that oversee the day to day activities. Freeport has grown much in the last four years, and seems to think itself a higher society. I can see the chaos beneath the surface still, but it does have a nice veneer now.

Upon arriving in Freeport, we decided to find out if Stephan was still around and if he bore us any ill will. We went to his safehouse, but it was completely burnt out and only a few street people made residence there. By combing the city's bars and taverns, we found out that Stephan had been killed by a black-robed wizard--most likely due to failure in an endeavor the wizard had hired Stephan to complete. Stephan's bookkeeper, however, had become a businessman in his own right, owning a large brothel in a ritzy part of town.

We went to this brothel, and asked to speak with the bookkeeper. We were told he was not on site, and that if we wished to leave a message, Dav would get it eventually. We asked instead to see whomever was in charge, and were taken up several flights of stairs to a very shadowy office on the fourth floor. Fearing theives and assassins in such a place, I instantly lit a sunrod and threw it on the floor to shed some light on the subject. Dav's head madam, one Erixyll by name, reacted suspiciously, cringing away from the sunrod as if it would hurt her. She became quite angry, and we had to leave the brothel prematurely before she had her bodyguards attack us.

Today we ventured forth to find the great bear that the hunters had been tracking. Belissima, our witch, stayed behind at the lodge with most of the injured hunters.

When we found the cave cut into the side of a hill, we decided that the best vantage point was the top of the hill. We spread out into a U-shape, ringing the ridge at the top in such a way that all of us could easily fire our bows at the cave mouth. Then we had Dannock dance around in his clanky armor (and red ensign shirt) to draw the bear out.

Our hearts dropped, however, when we heard the giant beast lumbering through the forest towards us. We were ready to fill it with arrows as it came out of its cave, but it was already out. At first thought to be a disadvantage, this turn of events actually helped us a great deal. I ran to the edge of the hillside, and saw the bear crossing the stream at the bottom of the hill. Our entire group, at that, began to open fire on the bear. It was struck by dozens of arrows before it was able to reach us. However, it was strong and fast, and reach us it did. By this time, Dannok had climbed back to the top of the hill, and the barbarian scouts of the hunters had engaged the beast. Nanoc charged it from one side, slashing easily through its flank. I attacked it from the other with my Obarsi fighting knife, and was able to pin one of its arms to its side for a few crucial seconds. It rained fury down on the barbarian guides, but one of their archers was able to hit it in a nerve bundle. A few seconds later, I stabbed my knife into its kidney, doing severe damage. It was slowing greatly by this point, and it was easy for us to finish it off. We did, unfortunately, lose one of our guides to its great claws. I took a single claw as a trophy, and then the hunting party skinned it and took its pelt.

We received little pay for this excursion, and so my mind is beginning to turn to more lucrative ventures. I think we shall make good use of our two boats, and begin to attack pirate ships. They usually have some good loot...

From the Journal of the Evening Star:

Travelled eight days over open water to the far side of the strait. We then sailed down the coast, looking for any trace of the hunters. After a while, we saw a long path that had been cut into the forest. Following the path, we found a newer two story lodge. There were, however, only two people inside the lodge: an Irrune barbarian and a young female. The barbarian, who introduced himself as Dettori, invited us inside. He told us that most of the group had gone to scout out the lair of a bear that was larger than an elephant, and that the girl was the wife of the hunting party's leader. She seemed somewhat anti-social, and said nothing to any of our group.

Later that evening, we heard a loud hunting horn in the distance. Dettori said that it seemed too close, and we all instantly donned our armor and set out to find what was happening. About a mile from the lodge, we were met by the leader of the group, who said that they had been attacked by a couple of large wolves. One of their group was too injured to travel in the dark, and they were certain that the wolves would be coming back with the rest of their pack soon. We all rushed to the area, and arrived just as many large wolves began to circle the encampment.

I slipped up and hid in a thicket, and from my vantage point could see several members of the hunting party in the trees. They were throwing short spears at the wolves. However, one of the largest wolves, a massive brute larger than a horse, easily stood up against a tree and bit a hunter there. It appeared that the fellow was about to escape, as he ran along a branch and jumped toward another tree, but he missed the other branch and fell, prone, to the ground. At that time, many of the wolves pounced on him, and it seemed certain that he would die. I rushed forward with my Obarsi fighting knife, and stabbed one of the wolves from behind--a solid strike that took its focus from the injured hunter and brought it to me. My travelling companions also were attacking wolves, and Nanoc's powerful sword was doing considerable damage to them. Dannik, however, was being double-teamed by two of the massive wolves, and it seemed that they had the upper hand. I placed myself at great risk, and ran from the wolf that I had engaged in an attempt to save my friend. On my first stab, I was able to significantly injure the beast, and on my second attack it fell. It was a simple matter, after that, to tumble to the flank of the other one and soon, it too was dead.

By this time, Nanoc and the hunters had finished off the other five wolves. We were able to salvage six of the seven pelts, and we hauled all of them back to the lodge the next morning. Since then, we have all been resting and allowing our wounds to heal. Most of us were seriously injured, but no one was killed by the wolves. We were extremely lucky in this encounter. Tomorrow we are going to the lair of the giant bear, and I hope that our luck holds out.

From the Journal of the Evening Star:

We sailed northwest for many days, then turned back to the east. We rounded the northern tip of the continent, all on the whims of our witch. She would receive visions, and give us our directions daily after her visions told her where to go. After twenty two days, she told us to anchor in a small cove far from any sort of civilization. There was a tell-tale plume of smoke visible several miles inland. We locked the anchor down on the Evening Star, and then used our smaller fishing boat to approach the shore. Kevokin and Sturm then piloted the fishing boat back to the Evening Star to wait for us there. We forged our way inland through thick woods, until we found the source of the smoke. Two women, one old, the other young, were standing near the smouldering remains of a hut. They both spoke a language that I could not decipher. However, the older woman performed some sort of ritual that allowed us to understand what she was saying. She asked for our help in binding the spirit that had burned down her home. To this end, she sent us further inland to find a temple of the ancients and sent her "lovely young apprentice" with us to help bind the spirit.

After several more hours of trudging through the thick forest, we finally found the remains of a temple. We had to dig for some time, but we eventually found our way down into the remains of the place. After coming across and defeating several blind zombies, we were able to find the summoning room and brought forth a great creature made of fire. We defeated the thing in combat, and the "young apprentice" quickly collected the essence of it.

When we returned to the old woman's hut, she was very happy with what had happened. She and her lovely apprentice came onto the Evening Star with us, but requested some time alone with our witch. I know not what happened in the witch's quarters, but when they were done the beautiful apprentice was gone, and there was something different about our witch.

Karsh has requested that we travel across the strait to find a guild of big game hunters, and possibly gain a lot of money for finding and killing the unknown monstrosities that they hunt. I, for one, look forward to finding civilization, and with it a cold drink and a warm bed.

From the Journal of the Evening Star:

How bizarre the turn of events that led me away from my home. I was given a lead from Stephan for a job that was supposed to pay well. Our group was to recover a scroll from Scarbelly's ship for a man named Kenzil. When we assaulted the ship, the idiot Scarbelly burned the scroll! He told us that Kenzil would double cross us and most likely kill us for allowing him to damage the prize. Through an intermediary, I turned over both Scarbelly and the scroll to Kenzil. I feel we are no longer safe in Sanctuary. We had taken Scarbelly's ship, and so we enlisted the help of a couple of navigators and sailors and left town.

We stocked the ship quickly, and loaded on extra supplies to try to sell them to the garrison of soldiers located on Inception Island. In an attempt to get a few extra building supplies to repair the ship, we even stole a small fishing boat that was docked next to us. While our ship was being loaded, myself, my friend Nanoc, and one of our sailors went to the Rusty Hook to find a second navigator: one that owned the proper star charts to help us find our way. He was there, and quite drunk. He started a brawl, but we were able to get him out of the bar before the whole thing blew up.

Our trip to Inception Island was uneventful and short. Through a great deal of luck, I was able to beat the commander of the garrison at an archery contest, and thusly was able to negotiate a better price for our goods. We received 80% over our cost, and many members of the garrison repaired our ship and the broken catapult that was in our hold.

Just this morning, we set sail from Inception Island, headed northwest on the wings of a vision seen by our witch. What will happen next, who is to say?

And so, my friend, if you buy me a drink or three, I would be delighted to relate to you a grand tale of my adventures and exploitations. Let me start by telling you that my needs are simple: all I ever really wanted was a fair month's pay for a fair day's work. Typically, that means that adventuring and freelancing are the best occupations for me. When I was told that I could be paid in gold to track down some wayward acolyte from a local temple, it seemed too good to pass up. I let a couple of friends in on the deal, but they wound up taking the brunt of the battles. In fact, they are recouperating down at the Scholar's Quill as we speak! Don't get it in your head to try to rob them while they are down, however. They are being watched over by a very close compatriot of mine, and his axe is quite sharp.

Now fill my cup again, mind you, or you will hear no more!