Confessions of a Sailor: Karn's Memoirs

[kenty191]

*Karn sits in his and Pyyran’s home in Haven. The room is dark except for a dim light coming from a lantern. He looks around, his face full of emotion, at a deeply sleeping Pyyran as he begins to write*
   
  I hadn’t seen Pyyran in so long, I always miss him when he goes away, but in the state he returned in, I doubt he’ll be going far any time soon. Me and Sall barely recognised him, his head covered in a deep hood as he stood there. My love, my everything and he’d changed so much I didn’t even recognise him.
   
 
   
  I got a letter a few months back saying the lad was coming home after having another run in with the soul wench. She’s taken most of his vigour already and this latest pillage shows, in his face, in his eyes. He looks tired. Tired of it all, but then this is Pyyran we’re talking about here, and since I met him those years ago he’s been up to something or other, always a plan in motion. Seems now is no different.
   
  He spoke of an Academy in Hempstead were normal lads and lasses could go and get training for all sorts of things, sword swinging, painting, crafting, sailing even?...well maybe not that, but with him it wouldn’t surprise me.
   
  Even with the toll that evil wench has taken on him he still continues and he seems to be the same man I fell in love with, if more careful.
   
 
   
  *Suddenly the writing becomes harsher as if filled with emotion*
   
  But I WONT let her take another, I can’t loose him. I can’t loose it all again, not after Erion, not again.
   
  *Scribbled randomly at the bottom*
   
  I need to find Kinai...

[kenty191]

Rumours have started to circulate about one Pyyran Rahth, a travelling minstrel and scholar. Usually known for being spotted in every corner of Layonara, he has not been reported to be seen at all for nearly two years... Disappearances like this, while common to those who know him, have never gone on quite so long...

He doesn't seem to be returning letters, either; the last contact with him was at the Scamp's Mug, where he sat unusually quietly, rather than spinning tales as is his custom.

Investigations by his friends have yielded no leads.

~~~~~~~

     
    At her home in Dalanthar, Rhynn goes into her closet of personal belongings and pulls out a small box. After withdrawing it, she fishes around her loop of keys to Layonara to a quite small one, one corresponding with the box.

Opening the box she bypasses many items: A crumpled letter from Yard, a few braided hairs from the mane of a black horse, a very old and battered sapphire ring with an inscription from Freldo, a golden tip taken from the bottom of Mith's staff, a letter from Cole and Addison, prayer beads made from purple pedals, documents Kiva had once asked her to look over, a purple piece of cloth from Hawk's cape, a small blood red crystal, a diamond necklace from Celgar, one of the hairpieces Annalee put in her hair the last time she braided it, and finally Pyyran's small coin.
 
  Taking the coin, she ties a spare rope around it so the coin is held securely , then fastens that rope onto another, keeping it around her neck; all the while muttering and grumbling about 'disappearing without even seeing much of Saru'.
   

~~~~~~~

 
    Elsewhere in the Explorer’s Guildhall...
 
  The door to the Guild suddenly gets kicked open, swinging wide and smashing into the wall, leaving a fairly deep indentation in the wall.
 
 
  Sall staggers into the house, cursing and swearing as a white-faced monkey leaps up and down on his head, screeching loudly and yanking and pulling fiercely on his hair. Sall swings his head back and forth desperately, trying to throw the monkey off, all the time, and keeping careful hold of the baby in his arms.

"Screech ya bugger! Get the hell off!"
  He screams hoarsely, and finally, with a final sharp tug on his hair, the monkey leaps off and darts away down the hall.
 
Handing the baby carefully to a startled Godim who suddenly appears in the doorway, he storms off, his face ugly red after the mischievous animal, stopping only to shout back to the old mage,
  "You want a monkey pelt mate? Cause there's about to be one for bloody sale!"

The monkey stops at an open door, and begins screeching at the approaching Sall before darting through and making for what appears to be a broom closet. A small hold is cut out the wall atop the door for ventilation, and with startling speed, the little monkey clambers up the door and through the hole to the other side.
 
"Think that’s gonna’ stop me ya little sod!" He yells, fumbling with a large set of keys and trying each in the door till eventually, he hears a click and swings the door open.

He pauses a moment inside, glancing around the room with a frown, as though he had totally forgotten the room exists.

A large oak table and chair sits in the middle of the room, with books strewn across it, some lay lazily on the floor where it seemed Pyyran had simply given up reading and tossed them around.
 
The monkey sat on one of two large chests in the corner, both seeming to be securely locked, and an old, ragged blue coat hangs in the corner, tattered and singed in places.
 
 
  "Where the hell is that bugger?" He mutters to himself, taking in some familiar items lay haphazardly around the room, and lingering on what looks like an old, rusted rapier in the corner.
 
He sighs softly a moment, then shrugs and makes a quick dart for the monkey, grabbing it by the scruff of the neck, despite its shrieks of protest, and carrying it out the room.
 
"You may look like him..." He chuckles, his anger gone, and perching the monkey on his shoulder,
  "But he was house-trained better...well...a little bit better. Now stay out!"

Returning to the room and swapping the monkey for Trouble with Godim, he paces back and forth the room a moment, feeding the baby some strange slop from a jar that Tegan labelled 'For Baby’
 
"You seen Pyyran about lately?" He asks.
The old mage, settled on the couch smoking his pipe, though keeping a wary, single eye on the monkey sat beside him shook his head.
 
"Nay. I have not. And have heard not word of him either." He says as Sall continues pacing back and forth a little.
 
"Typical" He grins, "...the bugger owes me a fortune."
   
 

~~~~~~~

 
  Meanwhile in Leringard...
 
  Numbness fills Karn’s expression he steps towards the dock, his clothes look weathered and in places torn, as though he has little concern for his looks. His eyes are dull, lacking their usual glint of mischief and he walks with a slumped posture, as though the weight of the world has long since found its resting place on his shoulders.

He walks up and down the dockside, speaking with sailors and townsfolk alike, asking after a dark haired human male. The name Pyyran Rahth is spoken in a hollow, almost broken tone, yet one with the faintest glimmer of hope, as in turn each shake their heads. Each time Karn’s voice is quieter than before, and his eyes a little heavier.

This scene is repeated in any and all of the ports around Mistone and Alindor, and tales tell of a wondering elf in a brightly coloured feathered hat, yet lacking the spirit to match his extravagant attire. The term 'lover boy’ is bandied around the harbours of Alindor as sailors chuckle heartily and tell more of the tale, taking the story of this odd figure with them across the seas.

Many months later Karn returns to his home in Haven City, alone.
   
 

~~~~~~~

    Two days later in Haven City...
 
  Deflated, Rhynn opens the door with a simple glimmer of hope to the house she still technically owns, though wondering briefly if it would be kinder to knock first. She wanders the empty hall, not bothering to mask the sound, as if hoping a familiar face would hear her and come to see.
   
  Upstairs Karn tries desperately to occupy his mind with something other than Pyyran as he sits at his desk. Strewn all about him, half finished garments and odd strands of coloured cotton adorn the wooden floor.

Downstairs the door opens and closes as Rhynn enters. Hearing the sound Karn jumps to his feet knocking the wooden chair backwards, where it meets the floor with a dull thud.

Bounding forward Karn rushes out into the upper hallway and down three steps almost in a single bound. The door flings open and he looks out into the lower hallway expectantly.

His face is lit up with his usual grin for a second before it drops, together with his hopes of seeing Pyyran, leaving only his dull eyes and his low voice as he says slowly,
 
"Allo Rhynn..."
 
  "Hey..." She says, unsure of how to continue.

Thinking for a few moments, fidgeting her legs about in place, she hesitantly puts an arm on the man's shoulder, and then instead takes him into a hug.

"I'm certain it'll all be okay. Half the reason I was here was to check on you. I'm sure Ozy won't mind if you want to spend a few days at home with us, for company...and you can see baby Saru. Did you know I was a mom? Do you want to talk?"
 
  Karn looks at his friend for a few moments; it had been months since they last met and just then hit him, just how long he himself had been gone. Karn had taken off suddenly looking for Pyyran, and without so much as a “See ye” to anyone.

In the midst of all his thoughts Karn finds himself in the midst of a hug. All the time his mind going over, only catching parts of what Rhynn says.

He thinks for a few moments, trying to make humorous small talk, to say anything but the question which burns in his mind as though a illithid is enjoying his thoughts. Yet he cannot, and so he says,

“Ave ye seen him? Pyyran?”

His voice is desperate, and inside Karn knows she hasn’t, even though she didn’t say it, or did she?

A now familiar buzz begins in Karn’s head once more, the sound of a hundred thoughts all whizzing at once. The humble bard had few worries or concerns in his life before all this, Pyyran, as much as he loved him, was also the reason he worried so much these days.

Karn returns his attention to Rhynn. She is speaking. He listens more now and nods with her words.

“Thank ye f’the offer Rhynn. Ye might see me around Dalanthar sometime aye, ye still there any’ow? Last time I was 'ere ye said ye was expectin’ a little 'un, Saru eh, anythin’ like her mother?”

He manages a chuckle, but it’s hollow and it doesn’t reach his eyes.

Then he speaks again,

“He always goes away. Just gone, sometimes he writes, but nothin’ not this time. S’pose its important adventurin’ business, but, he shouldn’t be doin’ all that these days, not in his state. He could 'ave...”

His eyes bulge a second as if hit by a slow wave of realisation and he stops talking.
 
  Rhynn just nods solemnly through Karn's talking, patting his shoulder or back as he does. When she comes to his question she simply shakes her head saying,
  "I Haven't..." And when he is through,

"I don't know what to say Karn, the last time I saw Pyyran was at Stormcrest performing with Ozy I think...Something tells me he's alright though, I don't know what or who...Maybe its Luck."

"Sometimes...people you love go away without wanting to...or meaning to. But there's one thing I've learned; they truly love, and always come back. Pyyran is fine, he'll be back one day, and I know it. There was no reason to have you waiting around like this..."

She stops and sighs

"But sometimes people just don't think"

Slowing down, she unties the chord with the coin attached from her neck, and ties it around Karn's.

"Here, his coin. He gave it as a gift for when Saru gets older, but you keep it; just until he gets back..."
 
  The coin, glimmering the silvery blue of cold-forged mithril, is stamped on one side with a stylized heart, and on the other with the clover leaf of Deliar and Prunilla. Around the edges of the large coin are etched the words "Ceela," "Cynyn," and "Sylaeny," in a tiny, flowing hand.
 
  Karn looks down as Rhynn secures the coin around his neck and he manages a weak smile. Somehow her words made him feel better, and he'd always respected her. She had been though and experienced things far worse than he ever had he was sure, and still she stood there saying everything would be fine. He believed her words.

"Thank ye" He says, still quietly, but now with a slight tinge of hope. Then he gives a slight grin as he says,

"He's gettin' a bloomin' slap when he gets back!"

He grins again, though his eyes still look tired and he says,

"An' Saru 'll 'ave 'er coin back soon enough"


// This entry unlike the others is written as narrative and is a compilation of posts by LynnJuniper, LordCove, Stephen_Zuckerman and myself. The original thread can be found here.

[kenty191]

I had thought I would watch the skies clear with Pyyran, I always knew they would. Alas my love has still yet to return from...wherever. I've heard terrible news of Hawk today, apparently he somehow ended up on another plane. I've never really been up on all this planar stuff but it sounds like he won't be coming back.

For a moment it occured to me Pyyran could well have fell to the same fate, that he is not even here for him to come back to me.

*The ink on the page here is smudged as if by water*

But I know that can't be true he'll come back one day. And theres a slap waiting for him when he does. Followed by a big kiss and a hug.

Still the skies have cleared and things feel better. I felt better. I hadn't realised how much the darkness had filled me, dragging me down and compounded by longing for Pyyran, and now, the sun is high in the sky once more. The night is filled with moonlight bathing everything in a cool glow.

I journeyed back home again today, feeling the sun on my face. In Hlint I came across adventurers, a sight not readily seen in Hlint these days. Lass named Laaren, Pally lad called Lance and a little halfling, Essel. They were off to find that bard's necklace, even now, seems the lass has hole in her head!

So the usual trip to the Silkwood followed, jelly things, kobolds, necklace. Afterwards we ventured into the swamp for wisp essence. Nothing too dangerous but it reminded me of years past. I think I'm ready to explore the lands again.

I still await Pyyran's return but sitting in this house crying all the time isn't helping anything.

[kenty191]

Karn enters Hlint through the northern gate and begins to walk towards the town proper, his face looks tired and red as though he has been crying.

He takes not more than a few steps when he stops still in the road turning to his left. He smiles at the sight of the small garden and temple devoted to Ilsare. Stopping for a second to admire the temple in it's entirity he moves closer to the flower garden and sits on the ground nearby.

Sitting there for sometime he begins a quiet prayer of thanks, in nothing more than a whisper,  

 
"Thank ye my lady for bringin' him back t'me..."
 
He sits there for a while longer, a small smile forming on his tired looking face. Moments later he stands, brushing down his coat he walks towards the temple where he makes a donation. He smiles again as he makes his way towards Haven City.

[kenty191]

*The following crudely written entry is surrounded by various drawings of ships, some loose clothing designs on old scraps of paper and appears quite separate from the earlier entries in this increasingly tattered book*
 
  Every day there is seemingly a new wrinkle on his face. Each morning he looks as though a year has visited in the night. Pyyran now looks as old as humans tend to do when they…well, get old I suppose. But more than that, his vigor, the light that once shone from him so bright and brought with it tales of adventure, now seems so subdued.
 
  I thought I wanted to help with the running of the tavern. And I did, for a time. Now I almost feel as if this place is a prison filled with tasks and expectations. More than that, Pyyran doesn’t look at me the way he once did, or at least it seems that way.
 
  He is old. The flame is almost spent. Once I might have found these words hard to write but to watch how humans fade as the years roll on into almost shadows, pale and weary-
 
  *The writing stops abruptly but continues on below*
 
  I’m not sure what I think, what I feel anymore. I love him yes. But if that love is to be replaced with loss and longing when he dies, and he will die, I have now stopped denying to myself that his time will one day come, then what? His face is more than enough of a reminder of that.
 
  And although I should feel as though I want to look after him, to tend for the man I am supposed to love as he fades before my eyes, how can I face doing such a thing?
 
  Ilsare blessed me with love and I am thankful for that. But what of loss, of pain? What will she do then? I thought I felt loss like that when the storm took Erion but this? This is far worse and I can feel it, almost smoldering just over the horizon like the dawning sun.
 
  Would life be easier without feeling? Without love?
 
  These questions are blasphemous coming from an Ilsarian I bet, but right now, I don’t care.

[kenty191]

*Karn's diary, together with some of his most treasured possessions have rested in his Haven home now for some months, untouched and unused. The flamboyant elf himself not being heard from for almost the same length of time. Judging by the trinkets he left behind it seems as though he either left in a great hurry, or decided to leave behind all he had held dear.

The diary itself sits open on the bard's desk at the following page*

To Pyyran

I've gone away for a while. Couldn't stand to be here any more. Some of it is my fault I suppose but I feel as if we're not as close as we once were. I just don't know. Maybe Ilsare will show me the way eh? I bloody hope so.

Anyhow, if this comes as a shock to you, read the last few pages of my diary. I want you to know how I've been feeling and what I haven't said.

For now I'm going on a little trip back home, the other home.

Don't worry.

K
xxx

P.S ~ I expect a BIG welcome when I get back!
Oh, and dont die in the meantime, else I'll be hiring a necromancer!

[kenty191]

Longing...

The search never truly ends, and yet most of our lives we rarely have any real idea of what we’re searching for. Just the same, we move on, ever forward.
It’s been more years than I can count (or probably care to count) since I set foot in Haven City and yet here I am.

*Karn looks about him at the furniture in his bedroom, now mostly covered in a thick layer of dust*

Regrets, there are plenty. But my journey has taught me many things; heck each bloody day does that! Even so, the biggest lesson I think, is that we should make the most of what we are given, strive for what we can achieve and happily accept those things that we cannot alter. Of course, that doesn’t mean I intend to listen to my own words! I’m sure I’ll have occasion to strive for more than I can, or to be unhappy with my lot but I must try to keep these ideas in mind as I return...home.

Diary, I have done and seen more than I can recall since I last wrote in these pages. I have heard new songs, dwelled on the past and Pyyran, visited new places and had more frivolous encounters of the body and the heart then I really should have. Oh, and I learned a little about fortune telling too from a gypsy lass – what a card! (okay bad pun I know diary, I’ll put a True in the bad pun jar later)

When I left my head was in a mess (not that I’m entirely sane now but where’s the fun in that eh?) Loosing him, the world just seemed to drain of colour. Strange really, I’m sure any “proper” elf would tell me I shouldn’t let such a temporary event cloud years of my life but there you have it, I’ve never been worthy of these pointy ears!

Anyway, I joined up with crew leaving from Vehl aboard the “Bloody Rose” charming name really, and quite descriptive of some of the louts I had to share a bed with. Served as the usual; performer in the evening, swabbie by day, my bloody nails were ruined! Trying to forget who I had become and what my life had been I got back to work on my “campaign of frivolity”. Each night there was a different lad in the port we dropped off at and I would be gone again the next day. It was simple, it was hollow. Still, I think it helped me. Got me back to what matters in life, living for the moment!
And it was at that moment, when my latest squeeze had passed out next to me after one too many swigs of Xeenite wine (still potent stuff by all accounts!) that I decided that this life no longer held the same excitement for me it once did.

I want to see more. I mean, really...what have I experienced? A string of lovers, only two worth remembering, travels around Mistone and really no further, and a bunch of friends I have all but lost touch with. It’s time to start again, and I have had such a wonderful thought on how I will do that.

The land surrounding Haven and Hlint (under quarantine by the way – what’s THAT all about? Must be the well, it’s always the well!) is quiet. Gone are the adventurers and “Dragon Called” of the past, gone are the old faces, gone even are the old paths I used to walk from Hempy to Hlint as I find the inevitable march of “progress” moves on. I cannot stand still.

It struck me that perhaps, given how quiet it is around here people might yet want to visit the area if they had the right incentive!
I want to make something of the house. It has too many old memories and far too much dust. And I mean, a house that size with just little me in it? It’s enough to send a lad mad! It almost did.

Now I just need to figure out what to do with it. Should I open a cabaret club? – It’s what I know and it’s worked on every ship I’ve sailed with so far. What about a music school? Nah, I’m not much of a teacher. Brothel? Boring. Theatre? Hmm...now we might be on to something there...

I need to think some more on this.
And dust...I need to dust!

K

// I'm back

Please see files linked for ANOTHER update of Karn's portrait in game if it amuses you. I like to keep things moving.