I Wanna be the Very Best, Like No One Ever Was

9th of Zincyth 3468
 
Our quest to help Misht become a Master has gotten off to a rough start. After a few days, we finalize that we need to make our way to the lumber town of Arbor Harbor. This somehow ended up as a week long journey to Newbeech. By sea. There was no way we could have made it to Newbeech through the desert and thick underdeveloped terrain of the Northeastern countries. But the ship importing cargo only comes and goes every few weeks. Fortunately, we happened to hear of the ship leaving port at dawn the next day.
 
I'm just about at my wit's end. Gax is horribly sea sick. Misht won't stop sitting in the corner and mumbling to his diary. I almost got a glimpse of it the other night while we hung in our hammocks. He acts rather nonchalant about it... But I worry that he's writing some sort of hit list in there. One night, some sailors got this ratty teenager drunk, and he wouldn't stop boasting about his quest for undiscovered knowledge. This kid might be crazier than Misht - I might have thought. If Misht hadn't stared at him that whole night and then proceeded to write in and whisper to his diary. Gargax has been oblivious, simply trying to keep from losing the contents of his stomach at every churn of the waves. Silver dragonborn are simply not meant for overseas travel.
 
10th 0f Zincyth 3468
 
Somehow we adopted the ratty teenager. I suppose it is my fault. I stole his sapphire.
His mouth is more rotten than Gargax's and his behavior is more self-centered than Misht's. But as Gargax and Misht coaxed me to return the gorgeous gem to this less than deserving child, somehow we came to the understanding that our quest aligned with that of the teenager. Or at least Misht did. Something about some tome.
 
Gax wants to know why we're looking for a toe.
 
Our first day in Arbor Harbor was incredibly eventful. While babysitting Barrien (the teenager), we found ourselves exploring the shipyard, the local shops, and the lively inn. The locals seemed less than interested with our type, especially since there was another adventuring group creating a scene. Gary Lorros, another rival to become the next Master, and his curious crew drew in all the attention with their songs and tales of adventure. They're in search of the tome too. They steal our glory later on. But Misht scares them off with a severed head.
Like I said, it was an eventful day.
 
Either way, this leads to that and we found ourselves offering our help to the union of lumberjacks. Arbor Harbor's economy depends solely on their production of lumber from the dense Limerick Forest. When we found out that the union's scouts were disappearing into the woods with no trace, we offered our help. The tome was somewhere in that forest, and Barrien was going to get it whether we helped those scouts or not. Little asshole. But he's still better than those giant spiders. Giant. Spiders. And I've got to give the boy credit. With his collection of spells and impulsive behavior, he could have easily set the entire cave on fire to kill the horde of creatures. But because he didn't, we were able to save two lives.
 
This is the act that Gary Lorros stole our glory for. He went back with those two lives, claiming to have helped saved them, and took our reward coin. Luckily, he didn't have any interest in the blue ribbon that was the payment for my service :)
 
But again, that was later on. There was still much to discover in the spider's cave. Like a spider shepherd, a random skeleton in a closed off stone room, and a cryptic note. A bright blue light drew me to a crevice in the wall. This, clearly, was where that kid's sapphire belonged. Placing it there opened a.... basement? Can spider caves have basements? Anyway, our skeleton friend with a letter speaking of some lady in the city of Shidon was all that was in that room. Much to Misht's and Barrien's disappointment, there was no tome. But this was definitely a clue, and also good news. Gax and I will have to escort them across the continent, which means more easy mercenary work.
 
Notes:
Spiders and their webs can be easily destroyed with fire
Look out for spider ambushes
Ettercaps can climb walls and ceilings
They can also sense things that touch their webs
 
Perhaps these will mean something to someone somewhere during our travels:
Fridga of Shidon
Torinth Peltronious - Last of His Name

On our return to speak with the Union rep, Erig - a very friendly man - we explain everything. And also terrify everyone with a severed head. I.... don't remember where Misht got it. Gary took off, with our money. But jokes on him, I look great in that blue ribbon he refused to take.
 
Now we rest, in the Tired Trunk inn, and I wonder what Misht and Barrien might have planned. Neither of them are sharing their thoughts and motivations. And the boy is most certainly a flight-risk. Whatever. Despite the severed head and the charlatans stealing the spotlight, Erig provided us with a reception worthy of heroes. I am full of mead and meat, and I couldn't care less of these brainy types and their secrets. I better find slumber before Gax keeps me up all night with his dreadful snores.