The Journal of Sallaron Tempest

[LordCove]

Well....family life sure aint what I thought it would be. It was funny to start though. Neither me nor Tegan had a clue what we were supposed to do with this baby... and changing and bathing times were either a complete joy or terrifying. Who would have thought so much....er....stuff.....could come out of something so little.
And at first....Screech was a pain when we brought Trouble home. I really think he was bloody jealous of the baby....but....a week or two later....and Screech sits around Trouble now, almost playing with him.

But, we managed to hit a routine. I'd stay at home....and Tegan would go visiting...or she would stay at home and Id go out. Lately though, she's made friends with this Esther lady who seems willing to babysit more and more... so we actually got a chance to go out together. But of all the places.... this was one I didnt have in mind....
...to the Portal of Pandemonium. I was bloody terrified....Gensai throwing Death magic....Slaad's throwing Implosion.....and not a bloody cleric in sight!
Still....I came away with a nice trinket or two.
Shame I couldn't tie down one of those floating chairs and take it home though. Like Tegan said....a child, a monkey...and a Demonic chair. That would be brilliant!

The meeting with the "employer" went.....er.....well.
I'm not gonna write much about it at this point....but....safe to say.....Im getting myself in deep trouble. I'm not sure whats going to happen....but I fear I may end up....er....betraying some people.... for the ....greater good.
I just need to find out....which side "is" the greater good...and er....get the usual *nod* of approval from her.

Death. Bloody dying. Im a little more afraid of it than I used to be now Trouble's arrived....but....like I told Rhynn when she told me to go home...." What you think Im gonna do? Sit indoors all wrapped in cotton for the rest of my life?"
Hell no! But....I keep hearing something about some....secret....some....way to keep the Soul mother at bay a little longer.  Gonna have to pull some peoples ears and find out what the hell this is.
But...if they think Im gonna go meditate for a year to find the answer....heh....they can bloody forget it.

[LordCove]

Bloody Red... will never figure her out! One minutes she's backing me up, saving my life, or telling me to take my shirt off.....the next she's telling me to burn in hell and doing everything she can to get me into trouble.... including getting everyone in the Temple of Xeen chasing after me for....snuggles. I swear....nearly broke my leg leaping off that balcony to escape.... but I bloody did it. Now, whenever Tegans around, she seems to enjoy mentioning it as much as possible. Bloody woman!

I kinda slipped up a little.....had another arguement with Muir....seems like its all I bloody do when she's around. All about dresses and trust.....which....kinda veered off onto different subjects....but, I kinda let slip about the whole "employer" thing...
...strangely, she seems to have some idea as to how to get some information I could never have getten. The only problem is....which....I daresnt really tell her....is I really "dont" trust her enough to tell her everything. I'd like to....but.... I aint stupid. She aint a "bad" person....she can just be.....unpredictable.

I'm thinking somethings up with Val. I aint seen her for awhile....last I saw of her...she stormed off in the middle of the Rift because we ignored a question from her. Aint like her at all....and put us in a dangerous position.
Said she dont like to be ignored.
I showed her exactly what being ignored was....and just walked off and left.

Currently....some folks have found themselves some kinda Treasure map...and as usual....Im somehow involved....following them along and getting my self into no ends of trouble. Somehow I doubt we'll find "real" treasure.... more likely some pirates hidden stash of socks.

[LordCove]

* Sall bursts through the door, a skip in his step and a wide, proud grin on his face. Screech the monkey, perched on the coat hanger as always, regards his unusual cheerfulness warily, before leaping onto his head and skittering up and down Sall's shoulders as he walks to the kitchen.

He spots Tegan at the stove and sneaks up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and giving her a huge kiss.
" Whats gotten into you then Captain?" she smiles, kissing his cheek.
He grins broadely, widely, like he's just won his own kingdom somewhere and pats her bum before moving off into the living room, Screech finnally deciding his master is "too" happy and leaping from him to a cabinet.

He finds Trouble in the room, the little child crawling frantically around in the large pen built for him. With childish "Ooohhh yaa bugger!" he sweeps the giggling child up in his arms and lies back on the couch with him.

" Well....little Mr Tempest" Sall laughs, patting Trouble's nose gently.....
" You will never believe what happened to me today"

With a soft sigh, he sinks further and further into the couch, eventually, finnaly.....content.

[LordCove]

That lying....cheating....scheming....bloody sodding WITCH!!!
Im gonna kill her!!

Why the hell does this  keep happening to me?!? I was content....happy.... but now Im bloody runined!!
When the guards finnaly led me away, I realised just how long she must have been planning this! Even when I'd been helping her, adventuring with her....a ll along she'd planned to screw me over!

I'd been sat at the guild, just sorting through stuff when a knock came at the door. And there Red stood.... with some Rofi's in tow. They bloody shackled me up and dragged me off to see some Judge Rufus....despite me protesting they were making a mistake.
And then Red dropped the bombshell when she pleaded her case to the judge.

She accused me of breach of contract, saying I owed her 250k for renting the star room in her little mansion! And she produced a contract Id apparently signed too! When? I dont "EVER" recall signing anything other than those bloody leaflets of hers!

And burgelry! That I'd robbed her house! I can see where she tricked me here though.... I vaguely remember her serving me dinner or something, and the next thing I recall was waking up in the woods outside Leringard. Red had said Id been drinking....which isnt like me....but....it seemed more plausible. But Val had suggested poisinong or drugged, Rhynn mentioned some Domination spell!
Whatever it was, she produced a witness who said I was the one seen fleeing her house with a bag of loot, and showed the Ownership papers for Screech I'd apparently "left" in her house whilst I ran off with her belongings!

And then... added to all that... Drink and Drugs charges.... resisting arrest.... the bloody witch even had a torn piece of my coat as evidence I didnt even know I'd lost!

Well.... the judge ruled instantly.... despite any protests from me! Personally...I think the judge was a moron. It appeared to me all he wanted to do was finish the trial quick and bloody go home!
Even threatened to arrest my friends and family if I didn't sign and agree to the court order! And said I wasn't allowed to talk about this as it may "smear" Red's name!!

This is rubbish! A Re-trial! Thats what Im going for! The whole thing was a bloody sham! I wouldnt be surprised if Red had paid off the judge herself!
I'll get the Tori's involved... if anything.... they may like the chance to rub the Rofi's nose in it and show them up.

But....to bring it to an end and keep the family safe.... I signed it.
55% of everything I own is now that bloody WITCHS!
I'd have killed her already, if the judge hadn't warned that any harm comes to her, and me and the family would pay.

And now I see bloody posts on the Guild wall....signed by Red....our new "Leader of the Explorer's"

Well....if she thinks thats it....that Im beaten and gonna lie quite....she got another bloody thing coming.....

[LordCove]

Well....lets see....what now....

Red.... she's loving the fact shes got me in debt to her. Insulted me to my face.....threatened me, Tegan, Trouble, the Explorer's..... and when she said she'd snatch Trouble away from me....well....that was it. I blew and smacked her silly....knocking the witch to the floor.
She seemed to think it was funny to tell Judge Rufus about some of the nasty things I did when I was young and homeless, living on the streets. The stupid woman thinks she knows me.
Well... I know how to get her hands off the Explorer's....and once thats done...well.... she threatened my family. There aint no going back from that.

And yet another one of those dreams hit me.... but...somethings changing. Im waking up and remembering more and more.... some young woman seems to keep appearing in them, a teenage lass. Last time when our ship sank....yeah, that was a strange dream....and this time, trying to save some books from a burning library.
That Crystal ring the Dark elven Priestess bugged me to find came up...and seems bloody Angela had it all along. Its gone now...she gave it to the girl to get the rest of us out of the....er....dream. But what did the Dark elf want it for? Was its whole purpose simply to get us out the dream? I bloody doubt it.

Had a few talks with Rhynn about the whole "employer" trouble im into. She knows a lot....a hell of a lot...and pretty much gave up what she knew without wanting anything back. The Lumbral....the Shifter.... the curse of Blood. Im still no further forward though....should I just sit back and let Beli and his friends release them? Or should I listen to the Dragon and try and do something to stop them? Its all a bit.....too much for me. I mean....what the hell am I supposed to do about big things like this?!?

But...aside from that...been a little peaceful. Tegans thinking its time we started taking Trouble to Folians woods....teach him to learn of the animals. Im not sure why this is something shes so determined he learn....but hell...I dont mind. Will be good for all three of us to get out the house together.
The two of us went for a little wander across Voltrex....which er.... didnt go as planned. But then...how was I supposed to know 20 fully armed orcs were hiding round the corner? Even with the Scion raining acid and lightning on them....they over-whelmed us... and with a rush of pain and sudden darkness....we found ourselves lying outside the bindstone in Dalanthar.
Still...we hit the inn and....heh...had a good night.

[LordCove]

Finnaly....finnaly.....my bow's done....and quick the work of bloody art it is. Only took me 6 tries and weeks of bloody mining to finish it off. But its done... I dont think there's anything finer left for me to make out of wood.

Whilst on my....hmm....4th try in the crafthouse, Sala and Jako wandered by, and I ended up knocking up some Rods for them. She had a bit of a go at me when I told her how I went alone to places like the desert caves to dig sand mine coal by myself.
" You've a family to look after now Sall! You shouldnt be taking such risks!"
Heh...Im glad I didnt tell her of some of the more "dangerous" places I've been going myself. But I kept my mouth shut, and they came with me to Dregar....

... during which, Rhynn found me. Seems she'd been looking for me... which kinda made me nervous. After I'd made what I could for Sala, we headed back to my home for a chat, me secretly praying Tegan wasn't home. The two of them don't seem to get on.
Anyway, she wasn't, and Rhynn started quizzing me on this whole... Red thing. She seems to think Red might have spelled me.... to the point I would trust her impicitly. It didn't appear she had....it was just me... I'd trusted her blindly and got my arse kicked for it.
We talked a bit more and....well....things went kinda strange.
The stern, self-controlled Rhynn I thought I knew vanished... and suddenly, I found a woman sat next to me, asking to help, feeling sorry for herself almost, missing friends long gone... even asking what it would take for her to join the Explorer's.
It....kinda threw me... and I did my best to be polite.... but within a second her mask was back on. She pretty much left at that point... leaving me feeling a little pathetic for not being the consolable type.

But then.... a little later...it clicked.

This is what people do to screw me over! They put on a sob story, for which Im a sucker.... they work their way into me...and then Whack! snatch whatever they want.
Hell...the last woman to do that... now owns half of everything I bloody do!
I even thought of Saira.... the dark elven woman I met a while back. Same thing. She seemed scared, begged me not to hurt her.... so what did I do? Blindly, like a fool, without a second thought, took her aside and helped her as best I could. I was lucky that time... but had it been a trick....I would have fallen into it with more than bloody ease.
Could Rhynn be doing the same? And if so....what's she after?

So... I collared her in Hempstead.
" Why then Rhynn? Why you wanna help? Cause if its just to rub Beli and his friend's noses in it....well....that aint much bloody good to me."

Then came an answer I was expecting. Something....innocent.... harmless....something that would usually have won me over instantly.

" I dont want you to die."

I simply rolled my eyes. There it was. What was she after? Information? Some kind of artifact or something? Did she want the Lumbral free? Or did she not?

Well...I didnt believe her for a second...and told her so rather bluntly...at which point she stormed off and her drooling eyeball appeared trying to torment me.
I managed to ply it off with some pie.... and eventually it led me to her...but... still....
Have I been screwed over so many times that.... if anyone offers me help... I become instantly suspicious? I think back to all the things that cleric told me... about me being "noble" and "deserving of respect".... that instantly made me wary about the bugger.

I wonder whats actually safest? To trust people and take the chance they dont rip your insides out when your on the floor? Or just never trust people... and save yourself the hurt and dissapointment when they stab you in the back?

I wonder if I even get to chose...

[LordCove]

Well.... that druidic woman burst through our doors at home.... and told us to get our butts to Krandor... where apparently Beli and his friends would be.
I dont know what she expected us to do.... but off me, Val and Shamur went anyway.
The timing was kind of bad. I walked up and explained who sent us....the Dragon.... and of course....didnt realise till a while later they had just been attacked by some of her troops. So of course... they didn't trust me a bit.
Not that I can blame them.... I didnt give them much reason to. There was I telling them a Dragon had sent us.... the same dragon that had attacked Vehl and sent her armies off to kill them countless times.
So... off they went to free the Ancients. I only hope Storolds right.... and they "do" know what theyre doing. Cause...I have a feeling....if they do wrong... my usual " I told you so!" speech aint gonna make me feel as good as it usually does.
But.... we'll know in a few days what happens... either nothing....or the sky will fall on our heads.

Anyway... not a few hours later... I got a letter from Rhynn... and headed off to Stormcrest to meet up. I was a little vague on the facts, but it all boiled down to yet "another" crazy bloody wizard summoning demons and causing havoc for local farmers.
Well.... after some info gathering in Spellguard... we found a rather creepy old city in the back end of the desert.... the usual deaders and vamps floating about the place.
Well... like the adventurer's they are.... they fought their way through them till we came upon the big bad guy himself.... which is when Rhynn and Storold impressed the hell outta me.
First off.... Storold did some mind control thing... and actually made the wizards pet, some Drake....turn against him. And....the Drake killed the Wizard!
And just when we were patting him on the back.... a huge Balor turned up, screaming for us to leave
Well.... Rhynn and Stor just looked at each other. Rhynn cast one thing... Storold another.... and before I knew it... the bloody Balor vanished with an agonised cry. Simple as that!

Heh... wizards. Clever buggers.

[LordCove]

Dear Journal.... today.... we blew up an island.

I confess ... it wasn't me who actually "did" it.... Angela took the first swing... but I did think it was a good idea.
Well... next thing I know.... fires shooting from the cracked crystal she smashed.... and the Island went up in a blaze. We sailed out of there with all bloody haste and headed back to Lor... a little.... ashamed.. considering how many may have died on there.

Had a lot of spare Yew lately... so I knocked up a few posters and nailed them around... trying to sell some bows for coin and such. A day later I got a letter from Rhynn... reminding me that anything I made... Red would be entitled to 55% of. But an idea had already hit me about that.... so I left the posters up.
Still... she didn't have to tell me about that... was nice of her. Maybe's I had her all wrong.

After sitting on a ledge for one boring week making notes of caravans and slavers passing by a secret pass... I headed back to Audiria to let her know what I'd found. Bloody nothing.
Rhynn got a little riled, considering we'd been trying to find a knich in the Slaver's armour for awhile and had come up with nothing. But... her next plan certainly got results... though not to my taste.
With Audiria practically burning to the ground behind us.... we proceeded to torture the poor slaver Jirger, and finnaly got some decent answers for ourselves and a lead to go on.
Words spread of what happened there though.... and Im kinda hoping all the dragon rumours of late will kinda... hide the fact of what actually went on there.

Me and Tegs dropped by to see Muir for a little.... considering her whole link to this Astral thing. But, she was tight lipped, and seemed more interested in arranging for me and Tegs to go to the Temple of Xeen together.... which er... I'll not write much about here....
... but when Tegs left, Muir became here usual self again... and for the past two days we've been at each others throats. She don't seem to know how to receive help ... or even know what a "so-called" friend is for.
Well....sod her. After she ear bashed me repeatedly and just didn't get that I was trying to help... I told her to bite it and stormed off.

But.... everyone was badgering me for scrolls and Rods... we me Sala, Godim and Tegs hit the peaks and the desert, loading up on everything we needed.
It was in the caves, just the two of us, Tegs dropped a bombshell....
... Late... she maybe late....
... at first the thought freaked me out... another kid running around, more responsibility....
... and then it hit me....I didn't mind Trouble... I loved the little bugger. How could another one possibly be bad? So... I told her so. I dont mind... and we'll need to wait and see if she is with child.
But I swear.... if she is... no more.... thats it!
I'm sure I heard the cleric's have some kind of... spell or something that will stop me from being a... er.... kiddie maker. Might have to have words... so long as its painless.

Also.... I've got a plan forming... which is usually when the ground falls out from under my feet. After everything we....I....have been through.... and what shes put up with... Im surprised I never thought of it before.
But...it's another crazy Sall idea.... and I'll likely wake up in the morning thinking " No....Im getting that " This is a bad idea Sall" feeling "....
...
... but lets see.

[LordCove]

Well.... no child number two on the horizon. All a false alarm. Strangely... Im neither happy nor sad about it. But.... plenty time ahead of us I reckon.

Bloody Drea's been a pain lately... she just likes throwing insults out for no reason. Heh... but I kinda enjoyed tieing her up and trying to convince Cassius she was insane and needed to be locked up. Dont think it worked... since a few hours later she appeared on the Vehl road.
I feel a little guilty. Poor Cassius. I wonder what the hell she did to him.

Tegs has been taking up a new craft.... one Im pretty good at... so I've been helping out. She gave me a gift.... another one.... a sword of the Dragonslayer, with a bloody strong enchantment on it... plus various potions and such. Still makes me feel small when she does that.... since there's nothing really I can give to her.... except.... well.... my little idea of course. But.... the people I need to help with it are gone... last I saw them..... they were the ones heading off to "free" those bloody Lumbral.

Still.... we've took Trouble out to the grove plenty of times now. He's getting good with the animals now.... they don't fear him.... and me and Tegs watched in awe as a squirrel just, scarpered down a tree and.... very slowly.... crept over to him whilst he played.... just curious I guess.
Of course.... its strange... but him and Screech are almost inseperable now. The monkeys forever perched on his shoulder, skittering around his shoulders and screeching away at anything that gets to close to him. Its sooo cute.

The pair of us went on a little guided nature walk with Arynne and Ron and a few others. Im sure those two should be getting together by now... but seems Arynne must already have someone, considering she had her daughter with her.
Plus.... I messed up a little. Heard the Arms had opened up... and.... since it had been so long... I went and decided to have a drink.... just the one.
Well....I guess one turned into two....and....then into...er....several...

It's a little vague... but... I guess Tegs tried to drag me out the place.... to which I refused... at which point she apparantly dumped drinks over my head.... twice.
And.... then... I woke up in my old room in the Arms... Tegs sleeping on the chair next to me.
I didnt even want to ask how I ended up there and not at home.
But Tegs made sure I knew it was a bad thing.
Having a hangover.... and having your girl throw Thunderclap spells in your face is.... well.... bloody torturous.
Needless to say.... dont think I'll be straying onto the drink again.

So.... back to work. Dig dig dig. Sand sand sand.
I need to make a box of 3rd Tier rods to sell... and five 4th Tier rods to give to Boon for the rather handy bloody belt he gave me.

[LordCove]

Ahh the Deep. What a wonderful place.
Heh... not bloody likely.
Boon arranged a venture there... and at first... I didnt think I could make it. But... chores got dismissed and Esther volunteered to watch Screech and Trouble for a few days... so off we went.
I fared a  sight better than last time.... and we made it well deep into the heart of the place....dodging squiddys and Dark elfs and bloody time-freezing Balors.... right up to the cavern where the emeralds lived....
.... and found it bloody caved in. Sodding typical!
I've no doubt the Dark elfs or Golems will remove the rubbel so there's passage back into get the Emeralds... but we couldn't exactly wait around for that.
So.... bloody sickened.... we traipsed all the way back out again. Still... Im hoping when the loots divyed... we found some nice little Dark elven toys to play with.

Well... for once. It aint me a whole lotta trouble's found. This time its Tegs.
Apparently.... she found some metallic dragon injured and poisoned. Her and whoever she was with tried to heal it.... and took it...well... somewhere... I aint gonna write in here where..... but... it seems its still poisoned.
she found somekinda vial of.... stuff at the scene... and seemed to think I'd know something about it. So off we went to the Hall of the Weave to mess about with it.
Well.... it weren't like nothing Id ever seen.
Was only a bit in... but the stuff moved and such. Was kinda attracted to Teg's magic... even tried to break free of the vials I put it in.
But.... it gave us an idea of how to cure the metallic. So off we went to try and do the good deed.

But.... Tegs spotted her first. Some woman.... and we later found.... she must have been watching Tegan for awhile.... maybe's even days.
She tried following us to the metallic.... but we managed to turn it around and surprised her. Not er.... the way I would have "liked" to surprise her of course... but.... it kinda worked.
And well.... we'rent good. She was after the Dragon.... and seemed no matter what we did, she'd be able to follow us to it.
So now.... we're stuck.... wondering how the hell we can get the message there without it being intercepted or us being followed. Tegs has an idea though.... but I just hope its in time.

[LordCove]

Well... Red seems to be back on the scene. Cursed bloody woman!
I had hoped she'd ticked someone off, been assassinated, broken her scrawny neck in a hole or even died of old age.... but apparently I aint that lucky.

Desperately need some True... and I stuck up some posters to sell a few things. Next day, there's a bloody copy of that contract slapped all over it. I doubt anyone will buy anything from me now.
Rhynn sent me another warning letter... "silly silly boy".
Heh... charming. Made a good point of a clause to at least get the Guild out Red's hands... which.... I've already set in motion. But it still dont help me to sell things.
Still... they wont buy it off Sallaron Tempest... but er.... maybe's they'll buy from... someone.... else....

And now she's back. Im wondering if its her sending me these bloody love letters. The last one that dropped from the Falcon, said whoever was sending them was bloody pregnant!
At first I thought it was merely mis-delivered post. But bloody hell... this one had my name wrote all over it.... from... "my little Tigeress".  My moneys on either Red or Daralith.... trying to get me into trouble. I really should show Tegs but.... bit scared she may flip out.

Been thinking about the so called "good ole days" lately. Im kinda missing running wild around the countryside with all the Explorer's. I put it down to all the problems as of late, and of course, watching Trouble, that I aint been out as much. But.... Troubles getting big now... nearly six.... so... I may start dropping posts in the Guildhall... get us out and about again.

[LordCove]

Well... finnally selling some thing.... thanks to my favourite Illusionist and some bloody good acting skills on my part. Sally Storm sold her first set of 4th Tier Rods.... and made quite a profit from it. More to come... and if all goes well... I stand to make a lot of True that Red will never know about.

Tegan had been doing some digging into who would have posioned the metallic Dragon.... and her search led us to a Kattryn in the Leringard Arms.
We worked bloody well together.
I took the hulking Half-Giant bodyguard aside and rattled off some tale about dragons and flower beds, whilst Tegs made out to be a waitress and peeked in the womans room. Once we were sure it was the one we were looking for... thats when the fun really kicked in.
We had to get them out the room so we could rummage... so....
... Tegs pulled off some spell... and had it looking like the whole of the Leringards was about to burn down. People literally raced outside shouting and screaming.... while Tegs stood in the corner... working her magic.
Meanwhile... I picked the lock and broke into the lasses room. Gods! I'd never felt so alive for years. It must have been.... nearly 20 years since Id broken into someones house.... back to my young years living on the streets. And I must say... it felt bloody great.
The lock was easy.... the trap on Kattryns chest was obvious. I cracked them both... took a whole loads of documents and goodies and raced outside with Tegs. A few hours later, and we'd leapt on a boat to Lan's port.
Turns out this Kattryn and her colleagues are Dragon hunters, and from the look of the things in her chest...they'd managed to kill a few.
So... she's busy forming a plan

But... despite the good day... I've still managed to screw up. This was a few months back though... I just... didnt dare write it here.
I'm not even sure how... but... somehow... I woke up in bed in the Scamps Tavern... the er... serving girl in bed next to me.
And I don't remember a bloody thing!
Sure... I remember getting served dinner off her. I remember the dwarven and half-orc miners leering at her... and I remember having a little arguement with one of them when I told them to leave her be.
Well... one of the dwarfs kinda liked me mocking the half-orc... so.... he dragged me over to join them all. Seems.... Id somehow won a bet to see who could make the lass smile.
Its stupid really. I could have just said no to the ale and left. But.... the bloody half orc kept calling me a girl and a coward... so....
...I drank.
... a lot.
... for a long time.
... and woke up.... with... Gah! What the hells!
I freaked in the morning! Practically dived out the door whilst she cried her eyes out... saying men were all the same.
I am soooo screwed!
I aint gonna tell Tegs.... hell... no one... not even someone I bloody trust.
All its gonna do is hurt her.... and.... in turn.... hurt me. Best keep my mouth shut, and keep quiet. Its possible the two of them will never even meet... and even if they do... they'll never know who the other is.

So... Ive kept it in the back of my mind... whilst I busy myself digging sand, mining coal, making rods... and occassionaly, working out on the combat dummy at home. Actually practicing how to fight a little better... for all the good it will do.

[LordCove]

She killed me! That cursed bloody twisted witch killed me! Or at least... she nearly did!

Fishing... the most peaceful thing to do there is... outside Leringard... when the old hag appeared, demanding her 55%. I was in the middle of telling her where to go and where to stick that 55%... when out the shadows, this bloody female dwarven monk jumped on me... knocking me to the floor.
I struggled and tried to kick the bugger off, and eventually managed to, but not before the sod had broken my hand and shoulder, and Red had pretty much tortured the truth out of me about " Sally Storm" and my Crystal Rod selling spree.
But... I flung the dwarf off... and standing there... regarding the two of them and holding my broken arm.. i had only one option. So i jumped in the lake and tried to swim off.
Wasn't a good idea.
I remember my lungs burning... gasping for air... and vaguely remember being fished out of the water... and... Red giving me some... ultimatium...

.. next thing I know... Im being raised by some Toranite cleric outside of Pranzt. She assumed id been beaten to death by the Giants... and... to my shame...I didnt tell the truth.

Now... I feel pathetic... and... I've started drinking more. I know I shouldn't... but.... well... why the bloody hell not. Can things get worse? I dont bloody think so.
Besides.. Tegs is a hypocrit... says I cant drink.... but wandering into the Leringard arms and who should I see drinking Iron Bock herself? Exactly. She didn't seem impressed... but heh... she can drink and I cant?
Like hell.

[LordCove]

Things are....not... going well.

I cant look at Tegs... without feeling... pathetically guilty and useless.... and... I can feel it taking its toll on me. It seems to be showing... and people seem concerned... and.... I just lash out at them. It kinda makes me feel better. Much better to be angry than feeling guilty.
But... she's seen straight through me... and... she keeps pushing me... trying to find out whats wrong.... and of course... all I can do is push her away... which is leading to arguement after arguement.... ending up in a row in the Arms the other night.
I... I soo.... want to.... tell her.... and.... that I'm sorry.... but.... that would actually mean... telling her... what happened.... what I've done.... and.... I cant do that.
She stood there silenty in the Guild before I left for Westgate, just, pleading me with her eyes to come clean and spill whats been eating at me. And... I almost folded.... but.... what more damage do I want to do to her?! She don't bloody deserve this rubbish I keep getting her mixed up in or involved in.... or me screwing up all the time. She deserves a  sight better.

So... I put my head down.... and walked for the portal.


A few days later though.... something happened to make me smile a little.
After months of preparing, investigating and interrogating... we finnaly found the lair of the Shar, the leader of the Silver Crescent Slavers.
For bloody years and years I've been poking slavers where ever I could find them.... and thanks to Rhynn... I had a chance to really kick them in the teeth. And by Folian we did.

Escorted by Miss Tikiri, we found our way into the fortress via underground tunnels, and appearing in the library, with little chance of successfully sneaking about... we quickly stormed the place.
The leaders of the Crescent there fell.... and we grabbed whatever evidence of their doings from the tables and did a sharp exit, which resulted in me being carried off by Brisbane in the claws of the Dragon she'd become.

Of course... if word gets back to the rest of the Crescent.... well.... er... I could be in some serious trouble. Rhynn and Ozy have left I think.... moved away somewhere for a fresh start or... maybes just to keep out the way of the aftermath. I don't know.
But... a long time goal of mine's done. I think.... I think Ive finnaly made amends for the things I did when I was young.
I stopped off by the docks, ready to board a ship... and stopped.
Trouble and Tegan. Eventually.... its going to come out. Both what I've done to Tegs... and.... what I've done to the Silver Crescent. Will they hunt me down? Will they even know it was me? Do I really want to bring "more" trouble to Tegans and Troubles door? Would it be better if maybes.... they just thought... I'd died in the Shar's fortress?

And now... I'm sat in the Tavern by Westgate.. writing this and sipping ale.... wondering.... wondering if I should even go home at all.

[LordCove]

So... I went home. She wasn't there... so I headed off to make some rods for Boon... keeping my head down and wearing some old clothes on the off-chance someone was looking for me.

Eventually she turned up at the forge beside me.... giving me the silent treatment. So... I told her about Red and what she'd done to me.
I thought telling her this might... kill off some of the guilt I'd been feeling... perhaps... smooth things over.
But.. we just ended up arguing and shouting at each other.

Next day I used the portal and jumped over to Dalanthar. Almost instantly I spotted her tracks, heading into the Singing woods. Single tracks. She was going alone.
So... I followed her tracks... and figured she was heading to Firesteep.
Thought I could maybes help out somehow.... and caught up to her. Well... she was still mad as hell... so... I put my head down and kept quiet, determined to just help however I could and not say a word.
Brian caught us up to... and the three of us headed into the caves.

 ** the remainder of the page seems to have been scribbled on furiously **

What a sodding plonker! I'd have been more use if I just helped carry their backpacks and stayed well out the way!
A few spells from the Shaman and a couple of kobolds leaping on me.... and I was cut down... waking up in Willow's Weep under the Bindstone.
A few days ago I was storming into the headquarters of the bloody Silver Crescent slavers... cutting those slaver scum in two....
... and today... a bloody kobold killed me!

I... threw my sword in the river.... and stormed to the Tavern in North Point to think things over.
I ... think... Im losing her.
Hell... it don't surprise me. After that debacle... she must be wondering what the hell Im good for. And it aint like I've been the most reliablest sod lately.
I just dont know what the hell Im supposed to do anymore.

Maybe's I should just... retire or something. Keep to the little things.
I recall Oma was after a mahoganny pipe and a tour of the Mountains.
Maybe's I should just keep to small stuff like that.

[LordCove]

I'd been trying to be good lately. After the Firesteep debacle and some words from a wise friend... I realised I've been way over-doing things... trying to be someone Im not. So... I've went back to my old ways... and am fighting my way back into Teg's and Trouble's good books.
Not that Trouble was mad at me. I made him his first bow lately, and been teaching him how to use it. He's a hell of a shot! I can smell a bloody good archer coming out of him.
Teg's was over-joyed to see her own silver hair coming through on his head.... I think she almost had a tear when she realised.
But... I'm still sleeping on the spare bed in the living room... still... being as nice and considerate as possible.
Even tried to help Oma find her missing things the other day... which... turned out kinda well.
So... things were good... and... I was finnaly getting smiles out of her....

... until I got the letter from Val.
When I saw her walking round the shore at Corax... hell... I realised just how much I'd missed her. All the old feelings came flooding back... and I bottled them all up.

" What once was about to fade, now begins to blossom again"
And there was me thinking she was talking about the weather.
Elves are funny creatures. So much time had passed since we'd spoke... and I thought she'd maybe's forgetten all about me. Apparently not... she'd come back -for- me.
For so long I'd wanted to hear the words she spoke to me that night... for soooo long. She was so... honest about it all.... I think her journey's across Belinara have awakened her more than she knows.
She told me it wasn't too late... that... our paths have crossed again and.... peoples directions could change... I could swap paths whenever I desired...

As the moon shone down on us, across the lake, a silvery blanket over the land.... as the question was asked, and, for a moment, as I floundered... I felt so lost and confused like I'd never had before.
She needed me... and.... I needed her. Part of a key. A lock.

But i knew what was to be done. It became so clear the more I thought about it.
I leant forward... and for the first time in all the years we've known each other...kissed her softly.... and held her close.
I told her she had always been loved... whether she knew it or not... and always would...
... then I bid her goodbye and walked back to my home.. .to my family.

Path's can cross more than once... who knows what fate the stretches of time will bring... or when they will appear.

[LordCove]

** Sall sits in a shadowy doorway, coat wrapped around him, tilting the journal into the light from the window behind him. Inside he can hear what appears to be a young couple fighting and arguing. With a slight, irritated frown, he begins writing, glancing up occassionaly to the building in front of him... the Leringard arms.... and a particular window where the light never seems to go out *

No point in letting us live much longer the note said.
Like bloody hells.

I'm not too sure why they'd even bother trying the death threats... maybes into scaring us into showing them they way.... or at least.... what they think is the way... to er... Max.
Max? What a stupid name for a... well....

Anyway... be damned if they think I'm just gonna keep low and play nice. Tegs aint gonna show them. I aint gonna show them. So... one option Lexx gave was to get all my friends together... be protected and safe.
And then.... sit.... and... wait......
Sod that.

* Sall pauses a moment, then drops the journal and grabs his bow and an arrow from the steps next to him. In an instant he has an arrow knocked and aiming at the slightly parted window where he'd seen the messenger birds come and go from the Leringard Arms.
When nothing happens... after a few minutes... he settles back to the floor, re-opening the journal but keeping the bow close by*

No frontlining. No bloody charging in or facing people off. Im best of doing what I do... best... I reckon. Or at least I bloody hope.

Anyway... a chance letter dropped by the other day... and before I knew it... Im looking up at the grim skull of the Emerald crypts.
It started like... really bad.... after a few steps inside... Hard got wiped by some... dead thing... and I we'rnt far behind him. Drea irritated the hell outta me the whole way... as always... and Angela and Allei's girly fights were er... * the writing trails off here, and some has been scribbled out*

Anyway... Phase one is bloody done. And aint cost me a True coin yet.. thanks to Alantha.
Gonna try and see if I can keep it that way. Surely someone can be made to see that.... for what Im trying to do.... it shouldnt cost anything to enchant it? Surely....

And shopping... remember these Sall:

Sand... Coal.... Corn.... Sage.... Coal.... Sand..... Screech's flea killer.... Fresh milk... Sand.... Coal.... new mattress for Living room bed ( or a cheap back massage )..... Wheat.... Chop the Mahoganny in the chests..... Sand... Coal..... New shirt and trousers for Trouble ( next size up from last ones )..... Blueberries and pot of whipped cream x 4 ..... oh... and Sand and Coal.

[LordCove]

*  Sall sits in bed quietly, the duvae pulled up right to him and his journal resting on his lap, chewing the quill thoughtfully. He glances at the sleeping form of Tegs a moment beside him, grinning widely as her soft, purring snore starts to get more loud and apparent*

Phase Two for Tegs. I didnt need to do it. My coat got a few slash marks on it, and whilst rummaging around Tegans sowing kit for needle and thread... I found some notes for something she was making. Some kind of sorcerer's belt or something... which needed an emerald.
I wasn't sure what to do. Still make her the ring I'd planned... or... let her make what she wanted with it. So.. i gave her the cut and polished gem to do with as she will. But... still think I'll make her something... something just to say... Thanks... since im out of the spare bed and back into the bedroom. Thank Folian... that old mattress was killing my back!

I promised Trouble I wouldnt tell her... but... Trouble's becoming a killer shot! We were out practicing with the bow in the Forest of Mists... chasing down an unfortunate rabid fox. Well.. we lost sight of it a second... but way way ahead we saw a bush rustle. I pointed it out... and Trouble knocked his little Hickory bow and took a shot.
There was a slight cry of surprise and pain....
... and a bloody Katian Ranger suddenly stepped out the bushes... an arrow stuck in his butt!
I couldnt stop laughing! Even Screech began screaming and screeching and rolling around on the floor! What a shot! So much for sneaky and quiet rangers... my eight year old son took out one from nearly a hundred yards!
He seemed so upset by what he'd done... and couldnt stop apologising to the Ranger guy... who.. a little embareesed... ripped the flimsy arrow out his butt and wandered off.
I promised him when he asked that I wouldnt tell his mom... but by Folian I was bloody proud that day!

* he turns to look at Tegan, chuckling, as her snoring rises to new levels. Gently, he pokes her in the back, and she snorts loudly, mumbles something like "Monkey in my breadbin!"... and rolls over, snoring quietly*

I signed up for another expedition with the Red Bear.... thinking another slash at some Silver Crescent slaver's would be fun. Ever since we stormed the Shah's fortress... it seems Corsain and surrounding areas are "almost" Slaver free... so I was curious to see where they intended to hit.
Had nothing to do with slavers... was some old elven pirates bloody treasure we were after. Still...made a few coins... but after having to watch that poor elven lass stowaway get whipped... it took the fun out of it.
Still regret that... I shoulda bloody stopped it earlier.

But... come the morning... Im off to look into these rumours about some Hall of the Gods being discovered in the desert. The names familiar... reminds me of when I was real young, living on the streets, stealing this and that and pulling scams with Gillen.
Who know's what I'll find... if I even make it to the gathering.

[LordCove]

* Tegan and Trouble stood at the door to the locked bathroom, their ears pressed up against it and looking at each other with amused smiles.
From inside, the sound of splashing water , laughing and uproarious singing could be heard.

Tegan looks down at Trouble in amazement, stroking the boys strands of silver hair... " I can't believe he's still in there."
" Still? " Trouble pipes, " That's his -fourth- bath mommy. I think he's gonna wash himself till his skin falls off."

The two giggle a moment and wander away from the door, and a few minutes later... the door swings open to Sall, bursting into a chorus of an old Leringard tune, a towel wrapped around his waste and a crown of bubbles in his hair. He does a little dance, leaving watery footprints on the wooden floor and prances into the living room.

Mother and son, at the sight of a over-excited and happy Sall, almost back away into a corner in surprise, Tegan even holding her son's shoulder's as though protecting him from something.
At the sight, Sall just laughs.

" Oh come on. I'm not being "that" bad."
Tegan nods slowly... " Yes love... you "are"."
" Pfft! " he waves a hand vaguely, then grins at Trouble, a gleam in his eye. " Where's your fishing bow son?"
The young lad points vaguely to the door, still surprised by his dad's unusual cheeryness. " I.. left it at.. Tyra's... I was... showing her...."  the young boy suddenly blinks, and a gleam appears in his little eyes and a wide grin, mirroring Sall's.
" We're... going fishing?" he pipes excitedly.
" Too bloody right we are son... go get your stuff. Hell... tell Tyra she can come along too... and the little one.. Drakkie."
" Woohoo!" with a cheerful cry, Trouble darts towards the door, pausing for a brief moment by the hat-stand, where Screech the monkey suddenly leaps from inside his coat and onto the lad's shoulders. In an instant, he's out the door and racing up the street, the monkey clinging for dear life to his shoulders.

" Oh.. and what am -I- supposed to do while your gone Mr Tempest?" Tegan says with a grin, hands on her hips as though being stubborn.
The gleam still in his eye, holding onto the towel around his waist, Sall indulges in a little impromptu dance step towards her.
" And who said... my dear Angel of Rescue... that you were staying here... huh...." he chuckles, clasping her hands and forcing her to dance around the room with him.
" ... who said... I didn't have something nice planned for you too... huh? Nice camp fire... some roasted nuts on the fire, steamed fish, I even bought some Xeenite wine... which of course...." holds a hand up innocently, " .. which of course... I won't touch. All for you. And while the kids are off fishing.. .we can lay by the stream and...."
He leans forward, cupping her chin in his hands and kissing her softly.
Sighing, she looks up at him, a grin curling on her face.
" We can "what" Mr Tempest?"

He shrugs slightly,a huge grin on his face, and the movement drops the towel to the floor.

[LordCove]

** curled up on the sofa, his feet sprawled across the arms, Sall begins scribbling in his journal whilst the house is empty **

Well... what to say. Confession time I guess. Of course.. this is just for me.

So... a visit to a Casion, and it was blatantly obvious the bugger's were cheating. I thought I figured it out... and... being a little over-confident... I thought I'd teach them a lesson.
So I bet 100000 True.
Seemed like a good idea at the time.
I dont know how, but they still beat me... and before I knew it.. I was being dragged aside by the guards to cough up my wager.
Well... er... obviously, I couldn't afford it. So... only one alternative. They shipped me off to see the wizard who apparently owned the Casino, and he offered me a way out.
Be a Guinea pig... basically... for his little experiments.
Well... owing 100000 True and the thought of Tegan finding out and reducing me to a pile of ashes... I agreed to it.
It would have been straight forward... only... well... the Wizard swapped our... er... minds... mine into a Goblin... and a Goblins into mine. Only trouble bloody was... the Goblin in my body broke free, killed the wizard and made a run for it... and.. I didn't have much choice but to try and chase after him.

Strange thing about goblins.
Small minds... but not dumb. I kept forgetting things... always, and had to find other ways to remember.
I remembered who I was... but only remembered three people. Tegan.... Trouble.... and Valaria.
It's obvious to me why I only remembered those three... but... just seems strange how my mind was so selective.

Their mouths and jaws are... obviously different. Having used my own for nearly 40 years... I just couldn't seem to manage speak clearly.
And emotions... their emotions are raw. I found it bloody hard to control them.

Anyway... a lot of trouble came about during that time. Not to mention the fact that bloody Goblin in my body took over a Goblin tribe and started wreaking havoc.
But hell... I sure as hell had the worst of it. Shunned, beaten up, Thank god for some of my friends... they looked past the little goblin and helped me out.

But the worst. Captured. I'm not even sure who by... by they were after some magic bowl I came across.
So they stole it... threw me in a cage... and tortured the hell out of me for information about it.
Well... I didn't know anything about it... but it didn't stop them. They cut me up, broke my arms, stretched me on the rack... it... was.... nightmarish.
Somehow... I managed to pifler the key off the guard when they threw me in the cage one night... and... although it's still a bit of a blur... I somehow escaped.

And... this... is for me only. I gave up that day.
I couldn't take it no more.
And climbed up one of the cliffs of the Ire mountains... ready to throw myself off and end it all.
Heh... I couldn't do it.

So... terrified... I just wandered about, keeping out of sight.
Until she found me. My Angel of Mercy.
Within a few minutes... she tried to remind me who I was supposed to be. That didn't affect me too much... all she reminded me was what I "really" wanted. To get home... be with her and Trouble.

So... I picked myself up and.... a few days later... myself, and many of my friends who risked a lot for me... found our way back to the wizard, the Goblin Sall version tied up and in tow behind us.
And what was needed to turn me back to normal?
Strange as it bloody sounds... the Scion.
I always knew I was supposed to have that thing. Never thought for a single bloody moment it was for this.
And that was it... back to normal... er... aside from a little er... contagion my body had picked up whilst... er... apparently... er... associating with some Goblin women. Thank god Grohin kept his mouth shut about that.

So... Im back to normal. But... a  site wiser.
I owe some people a lot... a hell of a lot... and I owe one person more.
Jaigan found me... told me he was there the day they captured me. And he confirmed one name I'd had in my head.... though I didnt know why.
Travie.
He had something to do with me being captured and tortured... and with the bowl too.

He's on my list now.
I don't care what the bowl was... what it does... or even how I got it.
What bloody ticks me off is they took it... and beat seven shades of  out of me to get it.
Well... lets see if I can't return the favour. I'll work on Travie first... see where it leads me.

And next....
Godim.
He fell... the magical heart of the Explorer's has fallen... and I wasn't even around. Of everyone, I thought he would be the last to go.
And so.. it seem's the Guild I made so many years ago is falling.
Godim's lost... Val's somewhere on Voltrex, and after our last meeting, I'm not sure if I'll ever see her... and Shamur's off traveling far and wide, which is a shame, considering Muireann herself seems to be a mess lately. Always looking ill... and always trying to tell me she's "fine". Heh.. she must think Im stupid.
But... the Guild. So many lost. And Beli's asking if maybe's we should start a membership drive... get new members in.
Im not sure about it though. I can't " replace " these people.. .Godim... Val... Shamur. They "were" the Explorer's. I guess I just can't see it being the same without him.

Besides... I don't have the time at the moment.
Trouble. Godim's death hit him hard... both me and Tegan noticed. He's so serious and distant lately. Despite my attempts to bring him back out of it... I think he changed a little the day his uncle died.
I've no doubt he'll be fine... the little guys nearly hitting ten and seems to be tougher and smarter than I ever was.

And as for Tegan... I'm trying my hardest to keep out of trouble, if just for her sakes.
Me and Rain got kicked out of court during Khuren's Trial, and he had some idea about breaking back inside to keep an eye on some suspicious woman he saw. Normally.. I'd have been a step behind him.
But I told him no this time.
An anonimous letter turned up, asking me to find a way to remove the spells and grates keeping the Druid locked up. Again, normally, I would have went and poked about.
Not this time. I'll wait for a thumbs up from Tegs before I do anything stupid again.

Well.. that's it for now.

* Sall clambers to his feet, clenches and unclenches his aching hand, and slides the journal back into its hidden position. Then, he wanders off for a bath. *