Sunkissed Za'Suul

4th Entry from the Journal of Markas Virnala

Shopping, Tourism and Crossing Criminal Contacts

I never expected, after just a few weeks, I'd already be sailing off again. It's been an interesting week.

We were having our usual drinks at the seashank. Bain and Bogg were still looking after the young Halfling Urso, still drinking the lumpy milk Jedd has behind the bar... I've still not been brave enough to try it myself.

We met a few other adventurers that night too, who ended up joining us on this trip: a shady looking guy called Lem with a kind of nervous disposition. He was missing 2 fingers on one hand and Urso relentlessly quizzed him on it. The other was an interesting guy... tall man with black robes and a scarf over his face, with purple hair. Mystigon was pretty chatty and.... unpredictable, but he seems capable of handling himself.

Anyway, a few weeks earlier, a couple of ships arrived in Port Ffirst and we heard were about to leave for their home, Kul'Goran. None of us had been before so sounded like a good opportunity for a little exploring. Plus we heard it was mainly populated by some exotic sounding races I've not heard of before. Since coming here, I've already seen something I've never come across before, like G'Lorth the frog person we worked with before or even Fraeser, the Turtle man I came here with, but I cant help but want to see!

We headed off to the port and found the ships packing up the last of their goods ready for sailing. Mysty (or Scarfy, as Bain has taken to calling him) managed to get us on board to speak with the captain about stowing away but he wasnt very generous about it. Even slapped Mysty at one point! Gave me a Bain a laugh. Captain Alexandross was a huge minotaur with a gruff and hard way of talking. Wanted us to pay for passage but doubled the rate if we "got in his way". A few of the others tried to reason with him about helping man the ship but he was adamant he wanted paying.... until I suggested I could paint a portrait of him that is. He wanted to see what I could do so I showed him one of my old paintings of a girl I did back before coming to Kantas and he was pretty impressed. Enough he gave us all free travel if I could make him look good, with a few similar girls around him.

I spent most of the 3 days working on the painting and teaching Bogg some new words in Elvish. Everyone else had to try and stay out of the way for the trip but I was pretty much allowed freedom of the ship so long as I had a brush in my hand. Few times the captain actually spotted me just milling around but managed to swing that i was getting inspiration each time. I was even getting him to pose at points! Mysty tried messing with the painting right as I was finishing a session by messing the captains hair as I was so focused on what I was doing I accidentally put it in but I managed to fix it up still. Shame to give it up in a way, turned out pretty good in the end... Still, it did get us free travel and I have some of the practice sketches still.

Za'Suul is an interesting place. The captain gave us a brief history of the place. The country borders the plane of Air. It's very sunny but also extremely windy. The whole place has a constant and subtle melodic humming sound that comes from these large holes cut into some of the larger houses. The houses are spotted on steep hills leading up from the sea, while the walls are covered in murals. It really is a beautiful place. I can see myself coming back sometime....

And then there are the people. It's fair to say our group stood out alot here. I've seen Aarakocra before. Ekani I came here with was one but this place had all kinds around. I'm somewhat used to Minotaurs now too, seeing a few minotaur ghosts and of course Captain Alexandross. I've never seen Tabaxi before though! Cat folk with lean and agile looking frames. They were common in Za'Suul and kept giving us interesting looks. We met one with puffy white fur as we left the ship called three-steps who was very interested in us. He even stuck around to give us a tour through the market and led us to the place the captain recommended. There were also others, Genasi I think they were called? A mix of Genie from the Plane of air and the locals. They seemed to be blue and.... wispy? I'm not sure how to describe it. Urso seemed to be in his element at any rate, trying to grab hold of everyones tails and play with their fur.... Bain had to 'relieve' him of walking privileges again!!

We spent most of our time shopping. Three-Steps showed us around the market streets, amidst ongoing glances and questions from the locals about why we didnt have any fur. We tried the local food and Mysty decided to buy an entire crate of a strong drink they made there. Ended up trying to get Lem to carry it but didnt pan out very well. Bain and Bogg dropped into what looked like a potion shop for a while and I watched a Tabaxi painting a scene of the city for a little bit. Even picked up one for Hoop.

As relaxing as our day was, our night was the opposite. Seems even places like this have their share of activity.

While drinking in the inn (Regis Dormis, or "Reggies Dorms" as I told Urso) we heard a scream from outside, somewhere nearby. We all rushed out and looked for where it came from. What we found was a man dying.... Mysty rushed in to try and save him just as an arrow came out of nowhere and finished him off. I turned and saw the figure of someone in a nearby roof, turn and jump off! We headed over to chase them down while Lem and Mysty stayed behind but the person managed to get away, using some kind if wingsuit. We did see something like it in town but didnt realise this is what is was.

When we got back, Mysty and Lemwere being questioned by the local guards. It obviously didnt look good, the new people in tow being found with a dead body but we managed to make our case and they let us go. Later on, Mysty told us he found a note on the body, signed from someone called Gordio, mentioning a meeting.

Urso disappeared off downstairs to talk to the inn owner (who he was convinced was called Reggie). From what Bogg said, after he went to look for him, he was trying to say he was looking for his dad, Gordio.... for a kid who doesnt seem able to read, he sure is devious. Especially since they found there is a pretty notorious guy by the same name who owns a club in town, which we naturally decided to visit.

We find the club and can hear the loud rhythmic drumming from inside, but we were stopped by another large minotaur on the door, wanting a fee to enter. Mysty paid up and disappeared in but the rest of us got held up by Bogg and Urso trying (and failing) to sneak in. When we eventually got in, we saw what all the noise was…. The place was crazy! So many people dancing and drinking. There were drummers in each corner of the place, playing huge drums in a fast rhythmic pattern. We spotted Mysty already seeming to reach a decision with the barman about getting to see the boss. He decides to take Bain and me in, so long as we leave our weapons. I managed to convince him I had a bad knee and keep my staff at least though, not that it mattered in the end… Bogg also managed to get in.

We were led through a curtain to a private area with a huge desk and high chair behind it. In the chair was an Aarokocra, another Seagull like Ekani, except he had an eye patch and was some expensive looking clothes. I didn’t really trust him from the off set but it was a lead for us to follow…. Mysty did his normal and tried talking through but wasn’t getting anywhere so I stepped in and also got nowhere….. Then Bogg crept out from Bain's clothes(?) and started talking gibberish to him, but he seemed to get and responded in gibberish…. Me and Bain ended up just watching confused while they seemed to talk about fruits…
Suddenly Bogg starts ushering us outside, picking up Urso still questioning Lem about his fingers on the way.

When we get outside, he tells us we now have a job, to clear out a 'Guardian' from the club owners new house so he can get to something inside? It all seems very shady…. But we agreed to at least go and check things out to see what the deal is with this house. I Don't trust this Aarakocra… The fact his name was on the letter we found ties him to the murder, (I'm still not sure why Myst didn’t tell the guards about that….) and then his whole…. Energy? Was just very off… As we left, the bouncer from outside came over to us to give us a key to the house. At least it looks like he actually bought the house.

The house itself was one of the large ones with the singing wind holes in but was all shuttered up. Before we could actually make a plan of action, Urso was at the door already knocking loudly but there was no answer. We decided to head in and start looking around but the place looked like it hadn't been lived in for a long time…. Sheets over all the furniture, dust everywhere. Then we found a trap door in a cupboard, leading to a basement where this guardian was supposed to be. Once Again, before we could come up with a plan, Myst makes the decision to go ahead without us, turning invisible so we cant even stop him… at this point, we may as well follow, so we did.

The basement was one large room, lined with suits of armour, weapons and large paintings covering the bare walls. We all sneak in and get a good look around, still no sign of Mysty. That is until Bain came tumbling in, making a racket. That seemed to alert the guardian who suddenly showed up…

It started with a howling of wind, until a small twisting gust of wind, visible for the dust it picked up, started to form and grow up into one of the suits of armour, filling and controlling its form like a man made of wind! I would love to have had the time to draw it, I've seen a few ghosts already but not a sentient wind. It wasn't going to give us the chance however as it picked up a flail and started heading over to us.

The ensuing fight got a bit hectic. For my part, I stayed back near the entrance using my new Longbow to chip away at it, while Bain did what Bain does best and went in to smash things. Mysty shouted from wherever he was that the wind armour was trying to talk to us but all we could hear was the wind it was kicking up. It wouldv'e been nice to try and see if we could talk to it but it was already too late. Once Bain took a Flail hit from it, he stood up in some kind of rage and launched himself at it. I'm starting to think 'Phil' has something going on there…. I only ever see that Rage when he gets hurt using that thing….

Urso rushed in to help Bain after throwing these magical darts (they look like childish fish drawings?), while Lem joined the melee as well. Myst appeared and decided to help us take it down in the end too, seeing there was no stopping Bain… it wasn’t long before Bain finished it off, taking the helmet clean off the suit of armour, dissipating the winds and leaving us in silence.

We decided not to follow up with the Aarakocra from the club. Instead, we took what we could from the basement and left, returning to Regie's place (I can't help but call it that now too!). I don’t imagine he was very happy with that decision but we left for a home a few days later so he never really had the opportunity to do much about it…. Hopefully I wont run into him next time I come back here. There was another one of those winged suits of Leather armour in the basement I managed to get hold of. It’s a bit cumbersome for me but I'm wondering if I can't get a new set of clothes made to match it that will allow me to move still. I'm not used to wearing armour. Bogg managed to nab me a few of the larger paintings too! I might keep one and give it to Hoop for the room, along with the small one I bought in the market.

Overall, Hoop was pretty bored with the journey to Za'Suul…. Not surprising for a few days at sea though. They were very interested in the Tabaxi though! Neither of us had seen one before, let alone an entire city of them before. I managed to get an old decorative suit of armour from the basement of the large house for the collection too which they seemed happy with.

When we got back into Port Ffirst though, a Fighting Pit had opened up! Thought it'd be a good opportunity to earn a little more money, maybe see if I can get those custom cloths made up. I have an idea for a new weapon I'd like to get made too… I entered my name anyway and made a little bit of money, maybe enough for some new gear. I heard of a Smith in Daring Heights who is supposed to be really good so tomorrow I'm heading off there to see him about this new Sword…. I decided to take a little wager with Hoop about the fighting pit though, I was confident I could win all my fights…. Turns out I was wrong. Now I've had to alter my design of the sword to include their name… Honestly, I don't mind, but they seem happy with themselves about it.