The Journal of Nicolai T'alsun

[Ne'er]

*A leather-bound book rests within the pack of Nicolai T'alsun. Never does he leave the book open, unless he is certain he is alone. Never does he allow another being to look upon the words he writes. The book is black, with a silver lining the edges, and the writing within is written in a deep black*

[Ne'er]

So I will begin my writing in a new journal, a gift from master Ivan. I wonder of what it is he intends for me to do upon my arrival in Hempstead, and I wonder as to what need I will honestly be within the city. All the paperwork has been filed, all that needs to be done is actually having the property exchange hands.

Still, I feel as if my life is setting on the right course. So soon out of the Academy, and already I have prospects for a career. If Ivan follows his word, then I shall be a member fully fledged member of this "Forked Tongue," and the powers they have to offer me, if they are indeed as Ivan has promised, will be well worth all of this.

I do not see what inspired Ivan or Selvin to enter the shipping industry. This sailing is dreadful business, and I prefer solid ground any day of the week. I cannot wait to get off of this heaping pile of lumber and put my feet back on land where they indeed belong. And dealing with sailors is, as always, a bit of a nuisance. They lack the intelligence of even that of a farmer, and are brutish in their methods. Words cannot describe how pleased I will be when I am finished dealing with these imbeciles once and for all.

It sounds as if Ivan intends to hand over the new Port Hempstead portion of his business to his eldest son, Gylor. I have yet to meet this son, but if he is anything like Ilvich than I best be careful; he will be dangerous at the very least. With any luck he will be reasonable enough to allow me some control of the trade in Hempstead. Ivan informed me that Gylor will relieve me of my duty in Hempstead when he arrives, and from there I am to take orders from him. I pray his is not a complete idiot.

*there are a few scribbles at the end of that sentance*

It would seem we have hit some rough waters. I feel I must lie down for now. I cannot wait to be rid of this blasted ship.

[Ne'er]

The acquistion of the Silverbow went quite smoothly. Captain Finistirre was hesitant, apparently distrusting of the ship's new owners, but when he saw that all the proper paperwork was in order, he became very quiet, and incredibly compliant. From there I was no longer needed to apply the "personal" touch to the Captain, and the crew was dismissed.

With the LeBlanc Estate and the Silverbow firmly in the hands of the Giilonni family, my assignment here in Hempstead has been completed. As Ivan requested, I personally met with his son, Gylor, upon his arrival within the city. He was a large man, far larger than his father. But his eyes were just as hollow and remorseless as his father, and it is very apparent that I am dealing with a dangerous man.

Gylor already shows that he is far smarter than his brother Ilvich, and he is capable of managing this business within Hempstead. Gylor had no assignments for me, and no word from Ivan for me. I was told to stay ready, should an assignment need completion. I should hope I will be above these menial tasks soon enough. For now I have some time to enter my alchemical and magical studies, as well as search for potential allies.

Hempstead is crawling with all sorts of adventurer types, so there is no shortage of "heroes" seeking to right the wrongs in the world. But many are naive, and if you point them in the right direction they will do whatver you desire of them. It may take time to earn their trust, but I will need companions in the long run, so the time will be well spent.

I have also travelled to Fort Vehl. Not a place I would care to spend my time; the odor is unpleasant and all forms of undesirables shuffle about the interior. As much as I feel that places such as these are in dire need or reformation, I must also recognize their uses. Coin can be traded for muscle in such places, and when the sellswords fall, few shed tears over these men, Most are convicts or have no families, no past, and no future; only the present to throw away. I shall make use of these people as I must and where I see fit.

The other territories seem rather plain and hold little interest to me. The lands I have seen are mostly fields, farms, and woods. Some appear dangerous, however, so i shall have to be careful when I stray out of town.

As for now, I shall have to wait for any word from Ivan or Gylor. I should like to meet again with Ivan, as I believe he still has an end of a bargain to fulfill, and it would greatly displease me if he tried to back out now.

[Ne'er]

I have neglected my writings, and for this I due apologize. In my later years when I will wish to gaze fondly at the accounts of my life and how I reached my poer, I will need to have a good and accurate reference. Yet times have been most interesting as of late, and I have been terribly busy.

A messenger arrived for me late one night about two months ago. He informed me I was needed at once at the Harbormaster's office in Hempstead, so I raced to get there as soon as I could. As it would turn out, Ilvich was in town and needed to speak with me. He informed me of some trouble his family had run into, and Gylor was now marked for death. He beckoned me to return to Lor with him and discuss things over with his father in greater detail.

We arrived and any fears I might have had were dismissed. Ivan was as calm as ever, and while Ilvich still appeared angry, I remembered I was dealing with a very competent man, despite his sons failures. As it would turn out, Gylor had made the mistake of crossing a smuggler who worked in Hempstead occasionally. Ka'tirem was his name, although he went by many other aliases throughout the seas. Gylor had made a bold move in trying to close him out of the Hempstead docks and set him up to be captured by the authorities, but the plan backfired quickly. Gylor was left for dead and was found floating the docks the next morning with three local officials.

Ivan is not a foolish man, and he decided that it would be better to remove all operations from Mistone for a time. Gylor was left time to recover, and the Hempstead properties were sold to a different company working for the Giiloni's. To keep me busy, Ivan has had me working as a liason between himself and his partners in Lor and the surrounding areas. It is simplistic work, and I grew tired of it quickly. But I was given a room temporarily at his estate and had all my expenses covered in the mean time.

Now that Gylor is recovered, we have been returned to Hempstead in the hopes of rebuilding and establishing a stronger prescence there. Also, I have been odered to listen for word on Ka'tirem's operations and report back to Gylor with any news. This is my new focus; I should not wish to dissappoint my master.

Oh, and another thing. I have heard the name "Brutuus" mentioned in a conversation Ivan had with his two sons one night. I sense this is perhaps Ivan's superior within the Forked Tongue, yet I cannot truly be sure. I shall make note of it and look into it further. Perhaps learning who this Brutuus is will assist me in the long run.

[Ne'er]

I write tonight from the Scamp's Mug tavern, a hole of debauchery if I have ever seen one. The noise is likely to drive me insane before my stay in Hempstead is over, and I am almost thankful for the assignment I have for the day time, else this place may turn me into another drunken idiot like the others running around here.

Gylor has instructed me to focus on collecting and enchanting gemstones, although he has told me very little of what they are to be used for. The least I can do is to continue blindly following his instructions, and hope the rewards are worth it in the end, as they were promised. If him or any of his kin plan to betray or use me, then they will be instead be praying at my feet for forgiveness.

The gem work is mindless and boring, and I find myself cast across the nearby caverns using simple spells and tricks to destroy or scare away the inhabitants. The gem sources are scarce as well, and I feel it may take some time before I have acquired an adequate number of gemstones for enchantment. Enchanting was not one of my stronger subjects at the Academy, and while I do possess some skill, I am out of practice. Given sufficient time and resources I am sure Gylor will be fond of the work I present to him. Still, the scraping down of rocks and careful polishing is likely to drive me to insanity before any useful product is created.

However, this reminds me. As I was returning from the North with some collected gemstones, I overheard some soldiers at Fort Wayfare discussing what appears to have been a raid on a cult of some form. I cloaked myself in magical invisibility so they would speak more freely of the occurence, yet I still learned very little. From the officer's words, it sounds as if there is some occult magic at work, and summonings have been attempted. If this is true, it may be worth further investigation, if only so I may gain some more insight onto demon summonings. And who knows? Perhaps I may stumble upon some information linked to the "Brutuus."

Syyl, the imp granted to me by Ivan, has proven to havehis uses. I wonder about his stability, but he is entirely loyal and heeds my every word, seeking only to please. Of course, this has more to do with the stone I hold that binds his soul to me than any personal connection, of that I am sure, yet it is good to have an utterly loyal servant at my command. Already his magical abilities are growing, and he appears to be coming accustomed to life on this plane.

And yet another crash from the buffoons outside. Do they not have respect for those who seek peace during the night? I will have the innkeeper's ear in the morning, although he is likely among the drunks who insist on harrassing me.