Before you is an elegantly made traveler's journal. Bound in a supple leather, it is sewn by silk stitch and bears an inlay of gold in the image of twisted vines. Inside you find an in inscription in flamboyant cursive, almost more decorative than legible:
"Behold! In your hands are the transcribed words and deeds of the great Eryndril Syrwin - expert swordsman, lover, and scoundrel extraordinaire! Fate has smiled on you friend, for you have the great fortune to follow my journey and bear witness to amazing and fantastic deeds of romance and adventure. But a word of warning to you, dear reader: My tale is not for those faint of heart or sensitive to scandal! But if you are prepared, then as am I!
Onward, to greater adventure"
Two blank pages follow it and on the third the script begins again.
"I feel as though I might be ill. After so much time traveling at sea, I may have just developed my sea legs when I stepped foot on the dock again - and woozy once more. Poor weather seems to be trend of late, it is a marvel upon marvels I arrived in one piece. Port Hempstead. Once more I find myself in a new port, a new place, and on the trail of new deeds of daring.
To my chagrin, my first encounter was with a group of halfing merchants. Many of my personal affects were either lost or damaged at sea, most grievously including my beloved rapier - snapped in twain during a near injurious accident involving a loose cargo crate. Thus, I was left with little more than the handful of coins remaining in my pocket. The nerve of the diminutive little swindlers! At the prices they asked, I'd have felt cleaner had they robbed me at the tip of a sword!
With a change of clothes and protection in tow, I set off about the city. My pockets felt significantly emptier.. and still unable to afford a suitable replacement blade. I wandered for some time before I encountered a most intriguing gentleman. He was broad and darker of skin - which says nothing in comparison to my own stature and appearance. He was clearly human, and a well dressed one at that. I must make a note to discover where he got his coat - I look stunning in brocade.
He turned out to be one Flynn de Ballard, a man as useful as he was debonair. Conversation struck up and he offered to show me around the town. He seemed very concerned with my needs and had the most interesting accent. I inquired as to where a traveler might find some temporary work or the odd job to help line his pockets. In response he showed me to the municipal district and introduced me to a lovely - if somewhat gruff - young woman with an issue involving the sewers. Though the atmosphere was somewhat less than inspiring, the potential mystery had me intrigued. If I were to ever acquire a proper replacement for my blade, such was my fate.
Flynn decided kindly enough to accompany me on my trek, and into the sewers we went! I learned quickly his profession when he began to sing along as we went. Mercifully, the pleasant stimulation to my aural senses helped negate the harsh punishment to my olfactory sense.
Rats! Rats as large as dogs! What rats were found here! With vermin troubles such as this, it is to my utter amazement that pets and children aren't continually noticed missing within the walls of Port Hempstead. We worked our ways through the sewer and vermin. I must have cut down several dozen of the elephantine citizens of the filth myself, my companion taking down a fair share himself. Eventually we worked our way into a sub level of the sewer system, where the titanic rats grew only larger! Wolves and tigers and bears of rats! BUT! We would not be swayed and only steeled ourselves against the army of mammoth vermin, one-hundred score strong. Before long we had cut through their ranks like an epee through silk, and laid eyes on the beast we had been stalking all along.
It was a monstrous creature - of parts lizard, man and parts unknown. We charged in, myself taking point. The battle was epic - a whirl of blades and claws, steel and fangs. In the end, my sword struck true and pierced the heart of the leviathan and the beast fell where it stood. I removed from its neck some trinket it wore - a small token of evidence that the deed was done.
We hurried back to the surface, unmolested. The army of vermin had not time to reassemble. As we surfaced and gazed back at the open night sky, I felt my heart soaring with pride at what we had accomplished. I welcomed the fresh air filling my nostrils, and gave the trinket to the woman who had commissioned our journey. The deed was done and my pockets were the fuller for it.
My companion proceeded to show me around the city and we came upon the captain of the city guard. I was told a harrowing tale of goblins and the sinister threat of a magic stick. I accepted my task and swore to its completion. The green menace would be quelled and their weapon would be disarmed.
But this night, our adventures had reached their end. The moon had begun to fall in the sky, and it would soon be morning. Flynn de Ballard and I parted ways, and I found my way to an Inn for the night.
Tomorrow will be glorious."
