A well worn leather journal

[hollowflame]

*before you is an old, well worn leather bound journal. Its pages are yellowed and often dog-eared.. but the ink inside appears to be fresh. Several pages are in such poor conditon they are hard to make out.. and several more look as though they have been torn out entirely. A name is scrawled on the inside cover: Kazian Gammora*

Aye..it has been some time since i have looked at this old leatherbound journal. I have not scribbled here since my days in the army, but many of the things i have had a hand in since, i would rather not remember.

Several days ago i found myself in a small town called Hlint. I have no memory of how i got there.. or any recollection of the place before. I can only guess i have had a few too many drinks and managed to find myself there during a blackout. Hells, perhaps i fell asleep in a hay cart again and they shipped me off without knowing. Wouldnt be the first time. Drink is deadly to a man. Strange dreams of a dragon of some sort.

I opted to explore some, becoming more and more aware i have never seen this place before.. nor recognized anything about its neighboring stretches of land. I have got to stop drinking.

Fortunately i ran into a guide before long. A rather generous man namded Sen something.. i was never good with names. He took me about and showed me the way of things, showed me the basics of a few crafts. I may well persue metalurgy... it is a useful trade to one such as myself. I purchased a new blade and sheild, and a jerkin of stiff leathers. When i awoke i had not but the tunic on my back and a handfull of coins.

A few odd jobs had to be done around the place and sen was helpful in finding me employment. A strange lot.. the residents of Hlint. Taxpapers dissapearing.. an undertaker i suspect of necromancy.. not that i have a distaste for it. i have seen too much in my time to care.. though i have never heard of a dwarf who would hire others to kill goblins for it. Next elves will be hiring me to kill orc.

...a hired killer once more.

Even in a new place, as a new face.. I cant shake the cycle.

I had the vast fortune to be in a unique situation on my second day there. I ran into a lad named Ezekial tattaran. Amazingly, he found himself in the same situation as i, only the day before. Even more so was that because of Sen's utility i found myself in a position to help him. I took him about the town to find odd jobs.. seems like there is always work for newcomers. I even gave him an old shortsword i found amidst the goblins. Too stubby for my tastes.. my entire life i have used the long blade of the half-and-half sword. The Noble bastard, as its called. Such a thing takes advantage of my reach, my stength. Aye, your chosen blade is your dearest friend.. take care of her and she will do the same for you.

Zeke (as he has called himself) turns out to be a bit of a crack shot with a bow. He and i compliment each other well. Indeed, we have spent much time together since. Its been a long time since i have grown close to another person.. man or otherwise, but fighting alongside another man forges a bond between the two. Years at war have taught at least that much.

The lad and i.. its seems strange to call him a lad when he sports a beard longer than mine.. but it is the patchy beard of youth.. and i am nearly twice his years. We decided to go hunting, and have found our niche in the crypts in the little town. I managed to find a rather jovial hooded man who would trade me the knuckles from the walking skeletons for healing potions.

I also ran into a rather odd looking man with grey skin. He fights without weapons.. which isnt as unusual as one might think. There were a few.. though not many .. so called warrior monks in the ranks when i served. The blows they delivered often rivaled that i could do with a blade, and generally faster.

He caught me bow-fishing by the pond in the town, and gave me a hard time for not doing things "the relaxing way" as he insists. He ended up giving me a pole and some grub, and we set off for a lake somewhere. Sadly, i never saw it.. between griffons and the like. Hells, i have set out three times for that place, and have never layed eyes on it. Though zeke and Sen seem to love it dearly.

*an off white wax is dribbled on the page*

Aye, my candle is burning out, and i have to catch some rest. no telling what tommorrow brings. Hells, i may wake up in a new town...

[hollowflame]

*the ink on this page is smeared in places, bits of dirt cling to the paper and it is marred by water. On the bottom inside corner of the page is a fairly detailed drawing of a little thatch cottage*

The last few days have been very quiet it seems. I havent run into any of my normal companions in some time, nor have i met anyone new aside from a polite nod of the head as I pass. But all is well. I have spent much of the time fishing. Its a very.. enjoyable passtime..allowing me both practice at the hunt with a bow, and the ability to relax with the rod if i like. I fear though i am dedicating too much of my time to the sport. Even still i dont think my skill at it has improved any. There isnt much to be learned at Carp.

I have been catching far more than i could ever consume, and selling the excess to the pawnbroker at Hlint. He is a rather thin little man. Likely elven..though he covers his face so i cannot be sure. I can actually turn a decent profit doing such. In actuality, there are many ways to turn a coin in this little town. Everyone seems to need something.. and will genenerally trade for it, or pay for it outright. Mastering who needs what can become a business in itself...

I'd like to buy a home one day, truth be known. The idea of settling down a bit appeals to me. It has been so long since i have had a home of my own.. even as a child we were always on the move.

Its beginning to rain Id best pack in and look for a place to get out of the storm.

[hollowflame]

The last few days have been..eventful. Much of it was spent with the lad ezekial.  Aye, we make a better pair then i care to admit sometimes. He is good company though.. and hells, i have rarely seen a single person get into so much trouble. Reminds me of myself as a lad.

I was actually inspired the other day however. After noticing how Zeke's armor was concealed under a heavy coat and hood (better to blend with his surroundings i was told) the concept of discreet armor dawned on me.

The problem with armor is the same as that with carrying a blade. When you see a man armed, you assume the man is dangerous. Carrying a weapon shows an intent to use a weapon. Armament makes one a target..attracts danger.

I dont know much about these lands.. but enough to know my place. There are warriors here.. far beyond my capacity to challenge. Advertizing my trade only invites unwanted attention. This place is showing me little by little words and favors are as powerful as a blade, when used right.

I began a project of manufacturing a "discreet" armor such as zeke's, even adopting the same pattern of garb. I purchased an old leather coat and sewed into thin overlapping plates of copper. After much trial and error, i have created an armored coat that's protection is that of full plate.. I fancy the way it looks as well.

I assisted recently a man named Casimar Seagaard in the crypts. The undertaker sent him to fetch the essence of one of the fell things down there. The man is a practictioner of the dark arts... i am sure of it. What could he be needing that many souls for? I'd probably rather not know.

I traveled with a group of Sen's friends.. including a pair of women.. angel swan..and abigale..something or other. They didnt seem to care for my company much.. though i rather enjoyed the company of their elven friend.. a lovely girl named Nyyana. If she enjoyed mine i would never know, Abigale put a stop to the encounter before it came to anything of interest.

Today i managed to finally make my way to the "fabled" lake that zeke adores so. Along the way we were nearly mauled by the griffons..several times. An on top of that i managed to get trapped in a fallen section of wall in a fort near there. Fate does not wish me to see the overglorified pond. I escaped eventually climbing over parts of it.. and upon finding the lake i was awestruck. it really is as beautiful as they say. The fishing was good too.. though.. after realing in a bite to find a peice of octopus tentacle on my line.. i am a bit unnerved by what may lie down there.. and how deep it may actually be.

That's all i have this night. I am weary from travel. I will write again when i have the chance.

[hollowflame]

It has been some time since i have turned to this old log, and more time still since i have had anything of note to write in it. I have spent the last ..eternity.. it almost feels like.. wandering about, doing nothing of import. But i am still alive. I have wandered the roads of this land.. seen this and that, and lived like a vagabond. I have hunted goblins and orc, and whatever else might get in my way, but i feel as though i have learned nothing in the process. Many of the old companions i kept, i havent seen in longer than i can count. Even Zeke has went his own way. I miss him more than i would acknowledge.

*here blood splatters the page* I need to find a healer. The last goblin encampment i wandered got in a lucky shot.. tore open an old wound in my shoulder. I have already taken a hot iron to it to cauterize the wound.. i fear it may wind up infected. It wouldnt surprise me. My luck hasnt been the greatest of late.

I am tired.. i will work in this later.