Personal Log: Return and Beyond
Location: Still Budehuc (or Budehuc again)
Personal Expenses: xxx potch for 5 courier routes. Sewing kit and 2 yards cloth. Food.
Personal Earnings: xxx potch for hauling crates at Vinay del Zexay docks (Dockmaster's name is Harris) and assisting on Capt. Tokay's Grendel.
To do: Sell 40q saltfish to local markets.
Couple weeks ago, was arrested by Wade of the Southlands, claiming to be Shoon. Was just trying to get him off the Budehuc grounds, though Eileen and some others pointed out to me I probably should have planned out what I was doing better than I did. It all turned out though.
Wade and I were ambushed by holly elves in Zexen forest. More annoying than anything. Hurt my wrist trying to fight with shackles on. Kept it clean with Kindness Drops and it seems to be healing up okay; don't seem to have gotten any kinda poisoning or lockjaw from the manacle. Took off the bandage today. Wade seemed to appreciate I didn't run off during the fight, which I could've. I can only hope that helped him listen to me when we were in Zexen.
He couldn't find a powerful enough mage in Vinay (they said most of'em work in the army and are either stationed at Brass Castle or dealing with skirmishes in Tinto). The best rune sage in the land is supposed to be at Brass Castle, but he didn't want to waste more time to go there. It's something to keep in mind, though, for other reasons. But he found an old buddy working in Zexen intel, as an interrogator of some sort. I don't know the whole details. But I guess Wade pulled a favor and asked him to help question me. There was some magic involved but I don't know exactly what it did. They said he'd figure out if I was lyin' or not... but I wasn't inclined to be lying at that point. The truth was that I wasn't Shoon--but the truth also was that I was the only middle-aged Succession Rune war vet (aside from Lucretia Merces) at Budehuc, and that the man Wade was huntin' wasn't going to find him there. I said there was a boy that looked kinda like him, but he doesn't know where the old man was, that I was sure of that, and besides which, the kid was long gone, figuring a man could easily kill him to try for that 500,000 potch.
Whatever it was, they believed me. I think the interrogator noted me down in Zexen records. If they inquire about me to the Island Nations, they'll probably mark on my record that I was arrested, but since the charges were dropped, I don't think I have anything to worry about.
Come to think of it, at least that way someone'll know I'm alive up here, though I got four letters sent to different ports along the Sunset's route. And one to Kisara; I had rewrite that one a little, as I didn't have anything to send her after all.
Vinay's a beautiful city, but it's hard not to feel sore about it after being there under those circumstances. There's good work to be found though. I did run into Eileen's kid... I think I did... as she said he might've gone that far to find work. So he had, though he was also largely interested in the pretty girls around there. Reminded me of Kyle, pre-Bernadette anyways.
The saltfish I was gonna sell at Vinay's still here, but I'll take it to Iksay and Nor after things have cleared up a bit. Eileen said she'd go with me, and I'm glad. She's a sweet lady but I think she don't get out enough. She hadn't been feeling well and I hope it's nothing serious. I'll see if anyone else wants to go. Maybe Lazlo will, since he and I have been working together anyways. It was good to see everyone. Haven't seen the Prince around, and hope he's all right. I actually talked to his ma. She spoke up for me against Wade, something I really wouldn't expect a woman in her position to do. Well, I guess one thing I can be sure about her is she has a strong sense of justice. She was nice to me as well. I sometimes wonder how she and ol' Raja got along, when she commanded the navy.
Lot of new people here an' haven't had a chance to meet'em all, and it's making people antsy I think. Others still seem to don't mind. I'm still here at least until the Sunset finds me. And I admit I like being here; I've learned a lot. But there's some dark scary stuff swirling around here too, and I only hope I can help.
Thomas and Cecile threw a bit of a little thing for me when I returned and that was awful nice of them. It's sometimes hard to know what people think of me. Something I was never very good at.
Lo Hak talked about barbecuing some fish and I was thinkin', if Lazlo and me get in a good haul one day, maybe we can throw a party of our own. It'll give people a chance to meet each other, since there's so many new faces.