Tag: Grimbridge

#Lore24 – Entry #152 – Muckenmyre Month #31 – Dawning of a New Spring and a New Life

From the journal of Takara, Free Kerryn, the Gray Matron of Grimbridge, Justicar Initiate of Lashana

As the new spring dawned upon Grimbridge, so too would I resolve myself to take a new path.  I had had ample time to consider my life in the Empire and all that I had learned since I was taken from its grasp.  There is much that I have not written within this journal, for its pages are nearly gone, and surely only a keeper in the Great Library could hope to keep up with the pace of all the thoughts that have been battling in my mind these past months.  So, as this journal reaches its end, so too shall this part of my life.

I have spoken with my dearest friend Satella at length of what comes next and have likewise spoken with the people of Grimbridge, whom I will always treasure as friends and allies, of my future.  As I sit atop the lighthouse’s upper deck writing this entry, looking out over the sea that delivered me to Grimbridge, bathed in the warm spring sun, I can say that I have settled my mind on many things.  Much of the conflict within me has been resolved, though I think some will always remain, for I can never forget my upbringing, my time as a slave, a slave trainer, and as an inquisitor of the Stellae Illustris.  They have shaped me, for better or worse, and it is the knowledge and life experiences that I had during my life in the Empire that has helped me come to the decision I have committed to now.

I held my collar and cuffs, markers of my slavery, for the first time in many weeks today, and brought them atop the lighthouse with me.  I can recall there being a time that I wished for them to be whole again, to feel their unrelenting bite at my neck and upon my wrists, to once again be where I thought I belonged. 

Now, having considered at length what I believe in my heart, it was with no hesitation that I cast them into the sea and forever out of my life.  Satella and I removed my slave brand and the mark of the Stellae Illustris earlier this morning.  I hereby resolve myself to never again accept the Empire into my heart, for all that it has taught to my people are lies, and all it has given us is slavery and suffering.  I will do everything in my power to see to it that this injustice is rectified, though I fully understand that this is a long and dangerous road I place myself upon.

I will not be alone in this, however.  Satella will be traveling with me once we leave Grimbridge, her path aligning with mine for the foreseeable future, for she tells me that Yurisaya has taken interest in our new quest.  Furthermore, I now have something I’d never known before…faith of my own in a greater power, not just a man sitting on a throne or the system of control he represents.  I have accepted Lashana into my heart, and I can feel what could only be the goddess herself resonating there, perhaps even with my very soul.  Upon our return to Ryanathyr, I will dedicate myself to her service as a Justicar Initiate, taking her oaths, and seeking vengeance for the great injustice that was done to my people and our fallen goddess.

Though the task of bringing down an entire Empire is nigh insurmountable, I can say that I have faith that it is one that will not be in vain, however long it may take.  I know there are other groups seeking to rebel within the Empire’s borders, and I am sure there are others who seek to end their dominance from without.  Further, I am aware of certain secrets that may be useful in the future…not just of the inner workings of the Empire, but some of its darker secrets.  Should she have survived the ordeal that was placed before her intact, and could be located, Vanessa Res’Taringal may yet still live, and having her voice heard once again may well stir future resistance.

But that is for much later, perhaps many years in the future.  For now, I will say my goodbyes to my friends in Grimbridge, though perhaps not forever, and will begin my new journey.  Following my initiation into Lashana’s faith, I hope to join with the Nakao clan as they return this way and travel to new places, to learn more of their ways and of our people, to make new friends and allies along the way, perhaps all the way to the great city of Arcavarlon.  I know not how I will get there, but I will eventually return to the shores of the Empire, never again as a slave, and I will not be alone when I arrive there.

For all that I have experienced in my life, I feel as though my journey is only just beginning, and I couldn’t be happier at this very moment to begin to discover what my future will hold, the least of which being a new journal, purchased with the money I have earned for myself.  

Truly, I am liberated in my heart and soul.

#Lore24 – Entry #151 – Muckenmyre Month #30 – Winter in Grimbridge

From the journal of Takara, Slave Inquisitor of the Stellae Illustris, Town Marshal of Grimbridge.

The first couple of weeks following my return to Grimbridge were fairly calm, giving me some time to study the teachings of Lashana I had been given.  Though not a complete delve into the goddess’s doctrines, the book served as an excellent introduction to her ways, and contained the church’s view on the events surrounding the Great Cataclysm, and the nature of the lies surrounding it.  I still questioned the truth, of course, knowing that everyone who spoke of the matter had their own viewpoints and agendas to consider.  However, I did find her ways appealing, given my own tendency toward strong discipline, and her pursuit of justice and rightful vengeance resonated even more.  During my free time, I would begin learning more of Lashana’s ways, and of the other gods in general, speaking with those of the faiths, or reading what books I could find on them.

Unsurprisingly by now, there were more differences taught, even amongst the faithful of the gods, in the Empire. 

Though we had intended to find lodgings for ourselves, Mayor Pleasence, in his stern way, insisted that we continue lodging with him during the winter at least; I believe he was quite fond of having someone cooking and maintaining the home while he was busy with town business.  Satella continued her work as a cook and part-time healer, for those who could stand her goddess’s particular form of healing.

As promised by the constable, things did indeed pick up as the winter settled in.  More and more ships began to arrive, offloading goods along the Way instead of the rougher and often icy seas to the north, and troubles in the town began to escalate.  Sailors being what they are, there were plenty of scuffles on the docks and at the Bloated Floater, arguments on prices and quality of items, or just general attempts to bully the townsfolk.  As agreed between myself and Constable Tamblyn, we would tolerate none of it, nor would any of the town guard.  Some days went better than others, with my mere presence and a warning gaze enough to calm matters, but often there were fights I had to become involved in.  Though I always waited for the offending outsiders to start the fights with me, jumping in without thought to those that had started when I wasn’t present, I saw to it that I was the one who finished them, most often in ways that would leave the offenders in agony, and any companions of them hesitant, if not outright afraid, to try something on their own.  Satella would find no shortage of customers during the busiest of times, for the other healers in town would typically refuse to heal those who had been taught a lesson from me as a lesson of their own.

Somehow, I eventually earned a reputation and a name for myself in Grimbridge, the Gray Matron.  I was known for my harsh lessons, the pain I inflicted teaching lessons like no scholar could, but also for my willingness to see to it that the law was upheld to the letter, or as closely as possible given certain discretionary judgements rendered by the constable or the town, of course.  Though Lashana is strict on interpretation and application of the law, she is not without consideration for circumstances that may lead some to stray from the straight and narrow.  I had found myself trying to live up to her doctrines more and more as the winter continued, and though my thoughts were still drifting over the vast sea toward the Empire, they were doing so less and less; I barely took out my collar and cuffs to tend to them anymore, feeling guilty when I did, but also ashamed of my past.

As the winter continued, things would settle down in Grimbridge to some extent.  My reputation, and that of the town for taking a no-nonsense approach to outsiders causing trouble had grown, and for the most part, usually aside from drunken sailors getting into brawls, things were calm.  Jessiryn and Augra would earn quite a haul themselves during this time, as they would often escort trade caravans through the Way to Ryanthyr, though we saw little of each other.

Eventually, though, the cool of the winter months would fade, the fresh and warmer air of spring would begin to appear.  As the weather improved, the rush of activity the winter had brought to the docks would begin to fade, and so to would I find more and more time to consider where my path would lead me.

#Lore24 – Entry #150 – Muckenmyre Month #29 – The Truths we Learn for Ourselves

From the journal of Takara, Slave Inquisitor of the Stellae Illustris, Town Marshal of Grimbridge.

Satella and I awoke with the camp the following morning after a deep, peaceful slumber.  Though my mind would later be filled with many questions and puzzles I could not immediately work out, for the time being I simply enjoyed the atmosphere of the camp, the simplicity of their lifestyle.  We joined Emika and a few others for breakfast that morning.  It was another pleasant experience, though I told them we had companions waiting for us near the Muckenmyre and had business yet in Grimbridge that we had to tend to.  They respected my sense of duty and we would part on friendly terms, though I was quite surprised when Emika extended an offer for me to travel amongst them if I decided that I wanted to be part of their family. 

I didn’t know what to say at first, feeling a sudden, strong desire to take her up on the offer, but deciding that I should consider my future more carefully first.  I thanked her graciously and told her I would consider her offer, learning that they would be in Ryanthyr for a few more days before moving on to the southeast for milder winters and friendly territory, but that they planned to come back this way in the spring, which should give me ample time to consider their offer.  I thanked her again and said my goodbyes before Satella and I returned to our inn and retrieved our horses and a few supplies for the road, heading back toward Grimbridge.

I would not be much for conversation on the journey back, meeting up with Jessiryn and Augra around noon to continue down Grimbridge Way together.  My mind would be churning almost nonstop, trying to find the truth hidden amongst all the new information I had learned.  After my initial shock of learning what I had from Justicar Grayforge and Emika, even of the nature of the kerryn language itself, I could finally start to make sense of it all. 

Again, my well-trained slave’s mind tried to tell me that all I had learned was false, that the Emperor was simply doing his duty to protect the world from another kerryn catastrophe by keeping us in check…and yet the other part of my mind, the newly awakening state of a free kerryn, could counter those arguments easily with all that I had learned in a matter of a couple days.  Could all that I had learned be wrong?  Perhaps, but the words were spoken with conviction from people I felt I could trust, from which I sensed no deception.  They were truths to them, at least, and perhaps they were indeed facts…but could not the same be said of what was being taught to and about the kerryn within the Empire?  How big a part in the truth did the elves play in it all?  Their influence seemed to be much greater here than in the Empire, so perhaps they had manipulated the facts to a greater extent, but to what end?

To say that I was a conflicted, confused mess during that journey would be putting it mildly.

The journey back to Grimbridge was uneventful, save for some cooler temperatures and colder rains on the way back, and as we came back into town, I willed myself to push my muddled, conflicting thoughts away for a time so that I could properly greet Mayor Pleasence and others within the town.  The constable and the town guards had returned safely, and we were finally given our rewards for the services wee had rendered with the twins and bandits.  Though in the grand scheme of things, the pouch of gold and silver coins was a trifling amount, but for me, it was a stunning amount of wealth.  With my simple needs, it would last a long time, especially in Grimbridge.

I was briefly uncertain of what would come next, but as it turns out, I would have a job offer already waiting.  Constable Tamblyn asked me to stay on as a marshal for the town since I had done such a good job previously, and due to what would likely be a busy winter for them.  With the warmer climate in the region, and a worse than usual winter being predicted to the north, it meant more ships coming here and traveling along the Way, and that brought with it a lot more disturbances and potential problems.  I readily agreed to continue my services, for I still felt obligated to assist the town that had done so much for me.

And so it was that my winter in Grimbridge would begin.

#Lore24 – Entry #144 – Muckenmyre Month #23 – Conversations Along the Way

From the journal of Takara, Slave Inquisitor of the Stellae Illustris, Town Marshal of Grimbridge.

I took it upon myself to oversee the care of the twins while they were being held in front of the jail before transporting them out of town, giving them some relief from their bonds during meals and for a couple of periods of exercise during the day, though keeping them shackled with arms and fingers bound tightly together behind them.  I did not trust that their charms were entirely arcane in nature, as some mazoku have the ability to perform such magics with but their voice, so I prevented any ungagged speech with swift, painful discipline.  It seems they are capable of learning, however many times it took them to finally grasp the lesson I taught.

It was quite the procession that left Grimbridge early one morning, the two prison carts loaded with chained bandits, one twin in each, the merchants’ new wagons, one for the town guards and constable who would be making the journey to Ryanathyr, and several others riding on horseback for the trip, myself, Satella, Augra and Jessiryn, and the trio of freed prisoners as well.  If nothing else, it seems that the people of Grimbridge do nothing halfheartedly.  Though rain would be frequent during our travels, the route along the Grimbridge Way was pleasant enough, whatever weariness we had from the road eased with the line of wayfare inns spaced exactly as required along the route to provide rest at the end of each day.

I would finally learn of the nature of the noblewoman, her maidservant, and their would be mazoku protector during our journey, and would come to understand that the mistrust of the mazoku was not uncommon on this side of the world, whereas initially I had thought it simply the nature of the twins that had provoked such treatment upon them.  During our first night of rest at Izel’s inn, Ashley Lohengrin introduced himself to us as we finished dinner, expressing his thanks for our actions in freeing his charges and himself from the bandits, extending us a debt of honor that he would vow to fulfil.

As we spoke with Ashley, he revealed that he was of noble birth, and trained as a knight (I had already picked up on his excellent horsemanship and insistence upon respectful behavior, especially to women, during our time in town and along the road), though he was a bastard child, and shunned by much of noble society due to his nature.  It was here that I learned that mazoku were seen as demon-tainted and untrustworthy by many in this land, a reminder of those foul creatures that brought the Great Cataclysm.  He was of the opinion that it was the elves that had been responsible for spreading such tales, for most mazoku were simply trying to live like anyone else, and were unfairly judged based on appearances alone, though the behavior of certain members of the race like the twins had done little to disprove such lies.  It was this distrust that the Lady Azenora Glanndour, whom he had promised to rescue and chased into the swamp, despised him so; she had it in her head that a proper knight and hero should be beautiful and trustworthy, not a demon-spawned outcast noble.  It was the reason she barely tolerated his presence, and only for as long as it took for her to be returned to her home.

It was a curious observation that the Lady Glanndour saw Ashley as unsavory to look upon, for I thought him quite attractive by most standards within the Empire; I had seen many high-ranking mazolu back home that looked far closer to their demonic heritage than he.  His features were decidedly feminine, as we had seen in great detail during our sneaking through the old fort’s prison, delicate and soft, his voice likewise sounding as a would a young woman’s.  His skin was of a paler blue hue than that of Chastity, his pink hair long and tied in a thick braid, his eyes a more common reddish-orange hue, while his horns were smaller than those of the twins, curving upward from his forehead, his pointed ears indicating possible elven blood in him as well.

I found it curious that his kind were treated in such a way here, whereas the mazoku were just as able to succeed as anyone else in the Empire save the kerryn slaves; I knew of at least three prominent senators and two high ranking generals who were of mazoku lineage.  During the course of our conversations along the journey, I would tell him of the mazoku within the Empire, of how there was little in the way of prejudice against them there, and of some examples I had encountered there.  Our discussions would also turn to the nature of the kerryn within the Empire, and I would relate to him the nature of our slavery, of our penance for breaking the world.  This seemed to upset him greatly, and he would tell me much that I would ponder for some time to come, of the kerryn he knew here, the nomadic people who travelled freely, of those who held great power within the cities, of those who openly defied the lies the elves spread of them.  It seemed fanciful to me, and having not met another kerryn during my time upon these shores, I could not say that I believed what it was he told me, though I sensed no deception within his words; admittedly I found the ideas…appealing.  It was with some shame that I admit this, for my thoughts have been straying greatly from those appropriate for a slave of my position.

My conversations with Ashley seemed to have put me in contempt of the noblewoman, though.  My conversations with her could hardly be called such, for she obviously had little intention of speaking to me or anyone else, relying upon Enora, her servant, for most things, though curiously I did notice that she kept looking at Jessiryn during the journey in a manner that suggested attraction.  I certainly bear no ill-will on her decision to treat me so, as it befits her noble status, and I am but a humble slave, after all.  Or at least, I’m trying to be; my thoughts and actions are making me question things that I should not question.

Though focused upon my duties to Grimbridge, my thoughts would only grow more muddled and harder for me to understand once we reached Ryanathyr.

#Lore24 – Entry #143 – Muckenmyre Month #22 – Grimbridge Justice

From the journal of Takara, Slave Inquisitor of the Stellae Illustris, Town Marshal of Grimbridge.

Though I thought it too light a sentence for allowing myself to get into such a state, Satella deemed that not curing my hangover and letting me deal with the consequences an entirely adequate punishment, though it was one I would not suffer alone, for she too imbibed too much that day.

I was late to rise that morning, and by the time I had managed to get myself ready for the day, it was already mid-morning, and the town was already hard at work on deciding the fate of our prisoners.  The twins were still pilloried outside the jail, though wearing some foul-smelling mixture of swamp mud, rotten fruits and vegetables, and other substances I could not immediately identify.  They gnawed at their bits in an almost frantic state, shaking and jerking at their restraints as I approached them, fear in their eyes.  I paused then, watching their reaction, considering that perhaps my methods were far too harsh for this land.  Then I thought of what destruction the pair could have caused in town, how easily they had thrown in with bandits, and how they had so casually tried to open an unknown portal in the hold keep and decided that my punishments for them were perhaps not enough.

I sought the mayor and the constable then, finding them with the town council and several of the town guard, recording statements from the merchant caravan and the prisoners we had freed.  They were bringing in the bandits one at a time, trying to get information out of them, but their resolve to keep their mouths shut seemed to have been bolstered by the confidence of their leader now that he’d had a chance to recover from the fight.  I watched proceedings for a time, eventually getting called for my statement on the matter, which I gladly related with due diligence on the details, though perhaps I was a bit too thorough for this particular region?   I simply gave reports as I usually did, with all the details I had been trained to convey to my masters, but kept getting prompted to speed things along. 

Eventually, once the morning’s procedures had closed, I offered my services as an interrogator to the town, to pry any remaining information from the bandits regarding additional forces, other hideouts, their plot with the noble girl, whatever else I could get from them.  Though Mayor Pleasence may have suspected the things I knew, and perhaps others as well, given the commonalities I shared with Satella, confirming what I am to them now revealed some apprehension on several faces.  Nonetheless, I offered to perform what must be done, and likewise offered the promise that no permanent damage would be incurred upon the brigands, if that was what concerned them.  I likewise offered to punish the criminals for their deeds, consistent with town law, if others did not wish to do so themselves; my hands were stained with enough blood, a little more would not matter, and it was for the public good.

Though their discussion lasted some time, it was eventually decided to allow me to proceed.  Satella had shown up by now, though remained silent, though encouraging.  I began the process by entering the jail with the jeering prisoners, allowing them their moment of bravado, before I picked one of the lesser thugs at random and had him hauled out to an accompanying room, well within earshot of the others.  I’ll spare the details of my methods here but to say that the bandit screamed for some time, and when he was returned to the cell, on the edge of consciousness and a quivering mess, not a mark upon him, the others were much cowed.  I stared down Jaggedtusk now, quickly forcing him to turn away, his own confidence now in doubt.  I picked another bandit, the second largest of them after their leader, and began to question him.  He was quite eager to speak to me of their intentions, and it took little prompting to get the answers we sought.  Once I had the information, I related to him the fate he had avoided by being so cooperative, in excruciating detail, with the promise that it could still happen if he revealed what we had spoken of to his companions.  He was shaking and in tears when they brought him back to cell, and absolutely refused to speak.

The fear within the jail rose significantly.

The next time I entered, I chose Jaggedtusk himself.  Though he tried to put on a strong front, I could see his nervousness clearly.  Once the guards had left us alone, I simply stared at him across the table for some time, my expression completely neutral.  His unease grew steadily, and he began to squirm, and no matter what he said, I did not reply, only shifted my head slightly one way or the other.  When I finally leaned forward and placed my hands on the table, he nearly jumped out of his skin.  Then I allowed myself a slight smile as I looked upon him, stating calmly that I had finally decided how I wanted to make him scream.  He offered me everything at that point, eager to please me and avoid the torture he had imagined.  When he was returned to the cells, he was a much-deflated man.  The following interviews were just that; having seen their leader broken, the other bandits were quick to offer up all that they knew.

My job finished to my satisfaction, as it was late in the day now, I returned to the mayor, constable, and town council, relating what I had learned. There was thankfully no grand plot against Grimbridge; the bandits had simply formed over time and had been getting more bold in their actions as they moved south, eventually learning of the keep in the swamps.  They had been operating for a few months now, tending to keep their unlawful activities to the north of the swamp due to better choice of targets.  Capturing the noblewoman, the maid, and her would be protector had simply been an opportunity they had come upon on the roads south of Ryanathyr during one of their raids, their appearances fancying Jaggedtusk, who had admitted to having to real plans on turning them over for some time.  Undoubtedly there was a reward for their safe return and the capture of the ones responsible. 

Though I was now looked upon with newfound trepidation by the members of the council, they nonetheless thanked me for my efforts in aiding the town and ensured me and my companions would be rewarded properly.  When further discussion had ceased, it was ultimately decided that the lot of the bandits and the twins, would be transported to Ryanathyr and delivered for their ultimate justice there, likely to be sentenced to hard labor in the Iron Valley Prison.  Satella and I volunteered to join the town guard in escorting them north, and soon enough, Jessiryn and Augra would inform us that they would be going along as well, as would some of the merchants and the former prisoners.  Official documents would be drawn up the following morning, and a pair of wagons would be fashioned to hold the prisoners over the next two days. 

On a rather cool and rainy morning, our party, with prisoners in tow, would set out from Grimbridge for the four-day journey along the Way, bound for the City of Ryanathyr.

#Lore24 – Entry #132 – Muckenmyre Month #11 – The Twin Twats from Tempest Tor

From the journal of Takara, Slave Inquisitor of the Stellae Illustris.

Quite the colorful phrasing, that, I must admit.  I suppose it’s fitting enough considering the name of the bar itself.

Though Blackjaw had described their skin as different colors, he insisted that the pair indeed looked identical.  Such things are not unheard of, given the chaotic nature of mazoku blood.  As we spoke to him further, and some of the more cooperative sailors still lingering in the bar, we learned that their names were Charity and Chastity, though my instincts told me those names were certainly NOT accurate descriptions of their natures.  We learned that no insignificant amount of coin had gone missing from the sailors’ pockets, and it’s likely that the two had used some charm magic to stir up the rage as a distraction while they slipped out unnoticed, for there was already suspicion on where the coin had gone.

Once the mayor and I had departed the Bloated Floater, for Satella had stayed to tend to those we had injured, we learned that two mazoku had been spotted running down the Span, had snatched a couple of horses from some of the travelers visiting the city, and rode as fast as possible through the market and out of the gates and onto the Grimbridge Way, tossing a few spells as they went to clear the evening crowd out of their path.  I picked up on their scents even as we crossed the Span and surveyed the damage to the market; mazoku are as rare as kerryn in Grimbridge, and they have a very unique quality to their scent, born of their demonic blood, not unlike brimstone, flavored with, in this case, an elemental affinity.  Oddly, it was only then that I realized that I had not gotten such a scent from Ashelyr when I had met her that morning, only the scent of the swamp.

With the blessing of Mayor Pleasence, I began questioning the sailors at the docks, discovered which ship had brought the twins in, and began to form a picture of what they were truly like.  They were known troublemakers, having booked passage from a city called Taross, far to the east, and around the southern tip of the continent, on the run from the authorities there.  The captain professed that he had nearly thrown them overboard several times because of their constant disruptions with his crew, but each time had been convinced otherwise, cursing their persuasive abilities, which tended towards using their not-insignificant sexual talents.  They are trained in the arcane arts as well; the red-skinned one, Charity, or Char, prefers fire magic, while Chastity, Chas, the blue-skinned one, prefers ice magic, and both had displayed considerable skill with their talents, at least possessing the ability to create destructive balls of their preferred elements, another reason the captain had hesitated to toss them off his ship.  On reflection, he wishes that he had gone ahead and took the risk, for the generous sum they had paid him for their passage had been taken, along with most of his other funds, about the time they had docked in Grimbridge.

As to the colorful moniker Blackjaw had labeled them with, the sailors had heard it before, but could not tell me exactly where it had originated, only that Tempest Tor was a town in the far northeast with a reputation for producing disreputable sorts.  Apparently, Charity and Chastity had earned quite the reputation even before they had wound up in Taross looking for passage out of the region.

Whatever lead they had managed while I investigated them wouldn’t matter for long.  I had hunted many enemies of the Empire in my life, set on their trails with little else but their physical descriptions, if that, and eventually rooted them out in the end, so knowing more of the twins’ natures would make things much simpler.  I would see to it these two were brought in for whatever justice was deemed necessary. 

They would not escape me.

I was not entirely sure why I made this declaration to myself then, and later to the mayor and Satella.  Perhaps during my short time in Grimbridge, I had grown rather protective of the town that had shown me such kindness?  Perhaps it was just my belief that the law existed for a reason, and it should be respected and obeyed?  Perhaps my short time living outside the Empire had already tainted my mind?  Was this…living free, making a decision like that on my own?  Or was I just grasping at the familiar, trying to stick to what I knew best, perhaps in the hope of one day returning to serve my Emperor?

By now, it was well after sunset, and the town was abuzz with discussion about the disturbance to the usual calm.  I returned to Mayor Pleasence, who had convened the town council to discuss the disruption, and what steps were to be taken next.  I waited to be addressed beside Satella and several other residents, even a few visitors to the town, who had shown up to watch the proceedings, and once I had been called, gave them my report on what I had learned of my prey, for that is what I considered them now.  Constable Tamblyn seemed impressed with what information I had managed to collect in such a short time.  I made it clear that I would be involved in hunting them down, as I had their scent, and knew well how to track fugitives.  This caused something of a stir, and some of the less trusting of the council demanded an explanation, though the mayor quashed this, stating that now was not the time.

After some more discussion on the matter, it was decided that I, and Satella, when she volunteered to accompany me, would lead a group of volunteers from the town watch to apprehend the twins and bring them back to Grimbridge to face judgement.  As such, we would be granted a temporary position as town marshals and provided with horses and supplies for the hunt.  We were given instructions not to delve too deeply into the Muckenmyre if the twins went off the Way, for the swamp would handle them in its own way if they ventured too far out.

We were off within the hour following this.  It would be only a matter of time until the twins were found and captured; I had no doubts in myself or Satella in this.  I worried over the watch members more than myself; even though I was given the lead in this endeavor, they were now my responsibility, and that would constantly linger in my thoughts as we grew further from town.

#Lore24 – Entry #131 – Muckenmyre Month #10 – Harsh Discipline at The Bloated Floater

From the journal of Takara, Slave Inquisitor of the Stellae Illustris.

As I attempted to express the council’s lack of interest in the glassware to the merchant, there came shouts from the Bloated Floater.  Though I had not been to the dockside bar myself, I was aware of its reputation for being a place for sailors, and that it was not for the faint of heart; the owner, a dwarf by the name of Hafus Blackjaw, had something of a reputation involving his pet crocodiles, and though I was not privy to the details yet, I could certainly guess.  There were a larger than usual number of ships in the port this day, and as I would soon find out, some of the crews of these vessels were not on friendly terms. 

It was the crashing of wood, followed by a loud battle cry that drew our attention to the bar.  A moment later a dozen sailors ran out, and the sounds of broken glass, more snapping wood, and angry shouting followed.  A few more stragglers ran out, one with a bleeding head staggered out, only to be pulled back in by a muscular orcish arm.  The mayor commanded some of those gathered to seek out the constable and some of the town watch and hurried toward the bar.  I followed, though he tried to dissuade me from getting involved.  I shook my head and continued alongside him, a few other council members following us.  As kind as he had been to me, I would not allow harm to come to him if I could possibly stop it; it was my duty in a way, or at least, I considered it to be so.

Another bleeding man came crashing through a window as we approached, and the sound of battle within was intense.  The mayor called out for an immediate halt to the fight as he entered the front doors, but as I entered, I could see that there was little hope he’d even been heard, and none that anyone involved would have listened.  As Mayor Pleasence again tried to shout down the fury of two dozen drunken sailors, one of them hurled a bottle toward him. 

I reacted without thought, caught the bottle before any damage was done.  I heard one of the councilmen gasp in surprise.  In the next moment, I shoved him away from us while forcing the mayor aside as a tabletop was flung at us.  Though I felt little in the way of anger, I could see the mayor was outraged, and had already set himself to get involved.  Given the fact that I’d seen him practicing his swordplay several times now, it was hardly unexpected.  As I caught his eye, I nodded my understanding and led the way into the chaos; better to let them focus on me first.

It was my first battle in some time, and I was perhaps a bit out of practice despite the exercises I performed daily with Satella.  I only managed to disable three of the sailors during my initial attack, catching the first in a nerve cluster on his back with a strike that left him whimpering upon the floor, while I struck his companion with a kick that shattered his knee, while I caught the third with a flurry of quick strikes to disorient him, then landed a solid punch to his gut that had him doubled over on the floor.  I managed to deflect several poorly aimed strikes from fists and improvised weapons from others as I stepped back to provide cover for the mayor, caught a few blows myself, but the blows were hardly anything for me to worry about. 

The mayor was not skilled in the Arts as I am, but he was no stranger to brawling.  He dealt with several in his own way as I continued to provide cover and strike as opportunities permitted, leaving many broken bones and painful nerve strikes in my wake.  I probably took as many blows as I landed, none that were terribly serious, though, the worst being a broken rib as I stepped in front of an enraged orc and blocked a blow to the mayor’s head from the table leg he had been wielding as a club.  I then took it from him, struck a blow that knocked out several teeth, and proceeded to break both of his arms and one knee.  It has been my experience that orcs do not go down easily when angry, so one must be thorough, doubly so when they’re also drunk.

The fight had mostly left the remaining dozen or so sailors by this point; the arrival of the constable and a half dozen of the town watch helped settle their ire further as they looked upon the many disabled fighters on the bar’s floor.  Though I remained watchful, I had little doubt there would be further trouble as I gazed at them and watched them shrink away from my glare.  With the watch moving in to secure the troublemakers, I noticed that Satella had followed them, and had leaned in through the front door, smiling pleasantly as she took in the scene.  She came in, stepping over the destruction, atop one of the unlucky sailors who lay groaning on the floor, to my side. 

The mayor declined Satella’s offer to heal him, said that his wounds were not so serious, but I could tell he was nursing a broken rib of his own, and his head had a nasty gash from a broken bottle that I had not managed to intercept in time.  Feeling that I had failed in some way, knowing that allowing my charge to be wounded was not acceptable for a member of the Stellae Illustris, I nonetheless offered to heal him myself.  He was surprised that I had suggested it, as I hadn’t told him I possessed such abilities.  I assured him he would not feel the same agony as one would when healed by Yurisaya.  He agreed, and I placed one hand upon his torso, the other over his head wound, and called upon the magic I had been taught by the Stellae Illustris. 

It was indeed healing, of a sort.  I felt the skin on my brow tear open as if it was I who had been struck by the bottle, felt another two ribs break.  My vision blurred momentarily as his pain flowed into me, my breathing becoming labored, but I did not make a sound aside from a grunt.  The mayor seemed more disturbed by this than the prospect of Satella’s healing as I eased myself into a nearby seat.  The wounds would heal eventually, faster than natural healing, but it would still take a few days.

Satella had other ideas, though; she lay her hand upon my shoulder and uttered a healing prayer, and I felt the fiery healing of Yurisaya erupt through me.  I did gasp then, my broken ribs resetting themselves, my flesh feeling as though it was being flensed by a razor as it knitted together.  As the merciful agony began to fade, I thanked her, and as the mayor fixed me with a quizzical look, I assured him that I would answer any questions he had when there was time.

For now we picked ourselves up and spoke to Blackjaw about what had transpired within his bar.  He’d spent most of the brawl safely behind his bar, and was quite vocal about who was ultimately responsible for getting the sailors riled up:  “’Twas a pair of mazoku wenches, it was!  One of them red, the other blue, flirting with one man after another, using their damned demon charms on them, they did!  Wasn’t five minutes passed after they had shook their asses through my bar that the fighting started!  ‘Twas the twin twats from Tempest Tor!”

#Lore24 – Entry #130 – Muckenmyre Month #9 – The Many Labors in Grimbridge

From the journal of Takara, Slave Inquisitor of the Stellae Illustris.

I threw myself into my labors during the following weeks, for with them, I was given purpose.  The mayor and Satella heartily approved, though she was adamant that I not overwork myself.  We would still find time, usually in the evenings, to share our practice sessions, and she would begin offering her services as a priestess to the town at large, though she would earn far more serving as cook at the Grimbridge Inn, for few were willing to suffer her healing unless it was truly a dire situation; I had found her healing quite pleasant, but I suppose I am one of the rare few that would.

I started humbly enough, with recommendations from the mayor to various other businesses within the town, hauling loads of cargo at the docks, or performing other simple jobs, such as cleaning and delivering messages.  Though the funds were meager, the coppers, and the occasional silver coins, I received were the most money I had ever personally owned.  I must admit a certain…excitement at having things to call my own, though for every such thought, I have many more screaming in my head that what I do is wrong, that I am a slave, that I should be handing such things to my master, for it is their money by right…and yet, I have no master but myself for the time being.  I still keep my broken collar and cuffs in immaculate shape, however, and think often of my Emperor but…but I must also admit that those thoughts are coming with greater difficulty each day. 

I wonder if perhaps I will one day forget to have them at all?  It’s a possibility that I find at once terrifying and yet feel a growing sense of elation at the prospect of it actually happening.  Can I be trusted with such freedoms?  Apparently kerryn are free in this land, and, as I’ve learned, many groups of them roam the countryside at their leisure, a wandering, nomadic lifestyle.  It seems so strange to me that such a thing is possible…my kind allowed to roam as they will, free of collars and leashes and those who they would call master.  I would call it madness, certainly, were I not beginning to understand what freedom was.  It is a dangerous time for my slave mind.

I would suddenly find my labors changing after a couple of weeks interacting with the townsfolk.  Though I had done simple work initially, it was discovered one day quite by chance that I am not only able to speak several languages, but I am also able to read and write them, and that I am able to handle basic mathematics.  As fate would have it, I found myself cleaning within Osmin Grassmane’s curiosity shop when a group of adventurers who had just arrived from the docks came in and began browsing his wares.  I remained as unobtrusive as I could, of course, as was proper, though I kept my ears open, for the adventurers were elves, and they were speaking their own language.  This wasn’t particularly abnormal, of course, but I caught on quickly to the derisive comments they made while seeming to look upon the goods approvingly.  I then heard one of them make a bet with the other that he could get Osmin to pay handsomely for an old, useless journal they’d plucked out of some ruin or another.  As I was his employee at the time, I took it upon myself to defend the store.  So, I moved quietly behind the counter, as if my cleaning were done, and stood behind Osmin as one of the elves approached, producing a battered, old leatherbound book.  He then proceeded to try and sell it as a great elvish wizard’s spellbook, sprinkling in many elvish words whose meanings were not what he passed them off as, and pointing to passages that spoke of mundane affairs of a merchant as if they were describing potent magical rituals.  Osmin obviously couldn’t read or understand the elvish speech and was being drawn into the lies.  Before talk of money could be started, I spoke up, pointing out the true nature of the book and the nature of the elves’ words and earlier comments.  As I displayed my familiarity with their language by speaking it and offering a translation of one of the passages, the adventurer grew angry with me, though Osmin was quite convinced and promptly expelled them from the store.  I would spend the rest of the day looking over various other documents and items he had collected over the years, identifying most of the text upon them, and for my aid in this, he was quite grateful, paying me the coppers for not only for my earlier cleaning, which I hadn’t actually finished, but a couple of silver coins as well.

I did not think such language skills were that uncommon, especially for merchants, as these were things taught to most kerryn slaves in the Empire, for we were expected to assist our masters in many aspects of life.  It is common that we are tasked with running their businesses or aiding in translations of documents and speech, singing songs from the various races in their native tongues, or any other number of tasks that require basic education in languages.  It is a burden we bear so that our masters do not have to, so it was quite startling to learn that many of the townsfolk here were not trained as I was, even merchants such as Osmin, who had taken over the business after his father had been killed in a pirate raid some years ago, and had simply been too trusting in the nature of adventurers. 

Word spreads fast in Grimbridge, for the next day I had multiple people seeking me for assistance in translating various documents they had obtained at some time or another, whether it was simple receipts or longer documents.  Most were true to their believed contents, which seemed to please their owners, while I did discover some that were either honest mistakes or willful deceptions in phrasing.  I would also discover some errors in the calculations on other documents, though I wasn’t tasked with doing so, I felt obligated to mention it, and so the day after that I was requested to begin reviewing various ledgers and such for the town’s council and other merchants.  Apparently, it had been some time since a proper barrister, sage, or scribe had been in town, and so it was a very odd series of days that I would spend in such roles, though I was sometimes called upon to provide my translation services when certain travelers came to town who did not deign to speak the common tongue.

I would find myself involved in such a translation one evening at the docks, near sunset, translating for a kobold merchant who had just arrived in port, trying to offload a shipment of finely crafted glassware more fit for a big city than the small town she found herself in, her first time at this particular port, apparently.  Certainly, there was no lack of enthusiasm from the kobold, though the mayor and merchant council were growing tired of her efforts.  The negotiation would be interrupted when a disturbance broke out at the Bloated Floater, and I would find myself revealing even more of myself than I had intended.

 

#Lore24 – Entry #129 – Muckenmyre Month #8 – Ashleyra the Witch of the Swamp

From the journal of Takara, Slave Inquisitor of the Stellae Illustris.

In my mess of thoughts concerning my future that night, as dawn approached, I became aware of a subtle shift in the air outside.  From my window, in the faint light of the lanterns hanging along the Span, I could see that not a soul moved at this hour, and that a fog was coming in, spreading rapidly from the north, from the depths of the Muckenmyre itself.  I knew immediately that this was not natural, could feel the magic in the air as the gray enveloped the town.  Immediately on alert, I eased silently from my bed to peer more closely at the gathering fog.  To my surprise, I heard movement in the house; the mayor was already awake, and in moments, he stepped lightly through the front room and out the door, dressed for the day, it seemed, and headed toward the Span. 

Curious by virtue of my inquisitor’s nature, immediately suspicious of a plot of some kind, I waited until the mayor had neared the Span and slipped out of my window, my bare feet silent upon the slightly muddy stones.  Keeping low and using the fog to my advantage, I hurried to follow the mayor, easily tracking his path.  Spotting the watch towers as I cleared the row of houses, I could see the night watch still in place, none of them seemingly aware that the fog wasn’t natural, none more alert of a possible attack. 

As I came upon the Span, I saw movement upon the river, a single flatboat coming down the side closer to the far end of the Span.  The fog had obscured it to some extent, but I could make out a single figure upon it, wearing an earthy-colored cloak that obscured their features.  As they neared a small dock, I saw something else move over the bundles and bags that filled the boat, a reddish-colored muskrat, running excitedly back and forth.  I likewise spotted the mayor and three others coming down the steps, lanterns in hand, two assistants from the general store, and the woman I recognized as the town’s herbalist, though I had yet to introduce myself to her. 

I continued silently and quickly through the fog-shrouded street along the Span, picking up snippets of conversation, thought he fog had a muffling effect, and I could make out nothing of what was said.  As I rounded the far end of the Span and came up behind some crates that were stacked near the platform at the top of the stairs leading from the dock, I could finally hear the mayor and the herbalist speaking softly, an unfamiliar, female voice answering.  It seemed they were discussing trade of some kind. I peered around the crates, watching as the assistants unloaded the flatboat, though my eyes were drawn to the newcomer.  Curiously I could not see her face, even in the lantern light, though I saw the faint, reddish glow coming from her eyes, the tips of curling horns poking from her hood, and the gentle swaying of a pointed tail around her legs.  A mazoku, the first I had seen since my arrival in Grimbridge.

As the last of the cargo was removed from the boat, I noticed the muskrat again, having climbed atop some of the bags that had been brought onto the docks, its eyes suddenly focusing upon me, its head cocking curiously to one side.  A heartbeat later the conversation had stopped, and I felt the mazoku’s eyes fall upon me, and then she called out to me. 

“Fear not, newcomer; I was aware of your arrival from the moment you first came to these shores.  If you come with no ill-intent, then please, join us, for I would quite like to meet one who has survived such an ordeal, one from the far Empire.”

My fur bristled at having been spotted; I knew then that the muskrat was not natural, and would momentarily discover it was a familiar, and the stranger was known as Ashleyr, the Witch of the Muckenmyre.  I did not hesitate once I had been spotted, for I sensed no danger, and made my way down the steps.  I bowed in deferential greeting, and silent apology, to those gathered here, aware that the assistants had began loading other bags and crates upon the boat.  The mayor made introductions, to the herbalist, an older half-elven woman named Cardiane, and even to the muskrat, Thornton, who was now nibbling on some sweet treat he’d gotten from somewhere.

Ashleyr extended her hand, and once I had taken it, she held to it with remarkable strength, for she was shorter and lighter of build than me, turning it so that she could see my slave brand.  Without need of being told, I showed her the one on my other forearm; she took a few moments to examine them, running her fingers over them, seemingly tracing their lines, then nodded and thanked me; I had steeled myself, though, my training preparing me to resist any magic that may be placed upon me, though none came. 

I still could not make out the details of her face but for her faintly glowing eyes, even this close.

She told me that she came to town at least once every couple of months, trading mostly herbs, potions, and other rare materials from the depths of the swamp in return for things she needed, though preferred early-morning visits, when fewer eyes would be upon her, for not everyone took well to her kind, especially not a witch such as she.  I inquired as to whether she was associated with the Witches of the Ways, for I had encountered them in my homeland.  I could hear her smile as she spoke, confirming that she was, though she was far more aloof than her sisters, for her home was the heart of the swamp itself, and the place of power that stood there.  I did not inquire further about this, for it did not seem to be my place to do so.

Our conversation was short, ending once her boat had been filled.  She expressed a desire to speak with me at some length in the future but did not wish to linger longer than necessary.  She announced that I was welcome in the swamp, but that I should not take that to mean I should not be wary of its many dangers.  She then bid farewell to the mayor, the herbalist, and myself and made her way back upon the flatboat, her familiar hurrying to follow.  As she departed back up the slow-moving river, the fog followed her, disappearing as suddenly as it had come.

Offering another apology to the mayor for my actions, though I caught myself before I suggested he punish me, for I knew by now that he would tolerate no such talk, I instead offered my help in carrying the goods Ashleyr had brought as my way of making amends.  This he seemed to accept without complaint, and so I made myself useful.  I am no stranger to hard labor, so carrying these bundles and boxes was no trouble, and I daresay that I was better at it than even his store workers.  If nothing else, it was a gauge of how well I had recovered, and thankfully, it seemed, I was very nearly fully healed.

As we returned to his home for another hour or two of sleep before the day’s work began, I expressed my interest in finding some kind of work within the town, as a way to repay the hospitality they had shown me, and to start earning my way properly, given that I was no longer anyone’s property.  Saying such a thing still felt entirely wrong, and internally I was feeling as though I had willfully committed some great act of betrayal to my Emperor, but what choice did I have?  Surely his kindness had its limits, and I would not be wise to overstay my welcome so far from home. 

#Lore24 – Entry #128 – Muckenmyre Month #7 – Proper Punishments in Grimbridge

From the journal of Takara, Slave Inquisitor of the Stellae Illustris.

My condition continued to improve as the next few days passed, my body returning to proper form through frequent exercise and excellent food, thanks to Satella.  I assisted with all the chores I could of course, still feeling that I must at least do something in return for all the care she and Mayor Pleasence had given me.  I saw little of him during these days, as he was busy with handling both town matters and his own business, the town general store, but he continued to insist that our presence in his home was no trouble, that he was in fact grateful to come home to a warm meal for the first time since the passing of his wife several years prior.  It was during these days that Satella had given me this journal, encouraging me to record my thoughts since my arrival in Grimbridge. 

I’ve also cleaned and oiled my collar and cuffs, damaged though they are, for they are the last vestiges of my life in the Empire, and I must continue to honor my Emperor as best I can until I can return.  I still feel ill at ease without them, naked in spite of any clothing I may wear, still have moments where I realize that they’re missing and find my hands groping for them.  Yet…even though it’s barely been two weeks since I awoke here, I have noticed that these moments are coming less and less frequently. I am concerned by this…I should be collared, whether or not I bear the markings of a slave trainer or the Stellae Illustris, yet there are indeed no other slaves in Grimbridge, and the very concept of such a thing is nigh unfathomable here.  The town smith has not a single collar in his inventory, and the only proper restraints are housed within the town jail.

I requested that Satella assist in my punishment for neglecting the care of my gear for so long, for she could inflict the required pain much more efficiently than I could myself.  She eagerly agreed, and I quickly disrobed and lowered myself to my knees before her, offering her my crossed wrists for binding.  Her smile became cruel, the kind of look I expected to see, and I prepared myself for the pain that was to come.

She took each wrist in turn, slapping them lightly with two fingers, barely even hard enough for me to feel them, let alone cause any of the pain I required for my transgressions.  She then declared my punishment finished, hoped that I had learned my lesson, and bid me to put my clothes back on, her usual cheerful smile back upon her face.

Her response left me speechless, too stunned to redress myself for several minutes, and for a time, I thought perhaps she was making fun of me.  It would be her right, of course, but I would later understand that she simply didn’t see my lack of proper slave gear as a punishable offense.  I still struggle to understand that the Empire’s ways are not the ways of this land, and I am not expected to adhere to them.  I remained in my room much of the rest of that day, holding my broken collar, weighing the thoughts that now filled my mind, thoughts unbecoming of a slave, especially one in my position with my responsibilities. 

At dinner, when I inquired with Mayor Pleasence (though he insists I call him by his first name, as he is an authority in this town, I cannot bring myself to do so, for it wouldn’t be proper) about his stance on punishment for my behavior, he said that Satella was probably too harsh on me.  He had said it deadly serious, as he often is, but the slight twitch of his lips, the narrowing of his eyes, told me that he had meant it in a joking manner.  He then clarified that there would be no punishments the law didn’t require, and there were laws against owning slaves here, not for punishing them.  I caught myself apologizing for my ignorance, and the subject was quickly dropped with his promise that he would get a copy of the local laws for me to study after dinner.

And study them I did, reading through them several times, committing them to memory.  I was indeed shocked to see the declaration that slavery was illegal, that there were no provisions regarding treatment of kerryns, or any other races for that matter, and that most punishments involved fines, public humiliation, or jail time mixed with enforced labor, with more severe punishments requiring time in prison, with only the most severe transgressions recommending execution.  Torture was mentioned briefly, stating that in certain circumstances it was allowed, but I generally got the impression it was frowned upon.

It seemed strange to me that the town’s laws were so lax in comparison to those within the Empire.  However, even if I find their ways unusual, I must still abide by them to the best of my ability.  I wonder if I will be able to fully embrace them, though?  I am having more thoughts that a slave should not have, more questions unbecoming of a Stellae Illustris, of an Inquisitor, of a loyal servant of the Emperor, may He live forever.  My thoughts are heavy this night; I likely will find little sleep once more.