Captain's journal, quest for the Naiad tear
Day 1:
The Naiad sea has always been a great place to find interesting items. Between Loekann and Daelon, it would be surprising otherwise.
Today though, I learnt something else might be waiting for me on that sea. A treasure of immense value, called the Naiad tear. It even came with its own legend! Even if I forgot the details I would bet my leg any government would kill to get something like this, if only I had not lost it over a bet.
But I digress. My sea, my treasure. I will be the one to get it, and to decide what I do with it. Of course, I have taken the necessary precautions. Killed those who heard, hired some who did not. It is always better if they do not know what they chase, even more so if they do not realize they are chasing something. Oh, and took those counters with me, who knows when I might need them?
Day 6:
I am growing impatient. It has only been a few days, but the prospect of holding such a precious treasure is intoxicating.
In any case, we have been sailing blindly ever since we left, which our guests know of course. There is no map to it after all. I may ask them for some additional details later. Directions, obviously. I also have to keep the crew distracted, if I wish for them to stay ignorant.
Hard job, that of a captain!
Day 13:
I can not believe this! We had only just found the first clue, that my second in command raised a mutiny! I am so proud! Well, I was, but then I had to kill him. That is unfortunate, that child could have gone so far. What a waste. May he sail the ocean of eternity, captain of his own crew! Wait, was he a she? Why am I writing all this down anyway?
Back to the important part then. We finally found a clue! A map to the right island, which I untrusted to my trusty second in command! And I am just now realizing I should not have let her sink with the map in his pocket...
Day 36:
It has been far too long, but we finally found the island! How do I know? Simply enough: when we started approaching, everything started to go sideways.
First, our guests rebelled, they declined our hospitality, so I had to incline to their request to get off my ship. I expect them to be eaten by a shark, or have drowned by now. Shame, we could really have achieved something incredible together. Before they got off, they said it was only just the beginning, and they were right.
Not long after they left our merry band, half the crew got sick. It wad sudden, and deadly. We could barely man the ship anymore. On the bright side, more of whatever we find for me! We are also navigating through a dense fog, and the lasting crew is starting to get on my nerves. I will execute one of them tomorrow, for the example.
And to top it all, there is a storm coming. In this fog, it may be the most dangerous threat that ever came my way. But, I am certain it will be worth the risk!
Day 38:
That damn storm almost sank us, waves as high as buildings were wrecking the ship from all sides and for once I did not have any accessory that could prevent it. I lost a few men, supplies, even my pet almost drowned, but in the end I managed to land on the island. Later the men dragged the ship back in the sea. But the real downside is not the storm, it is something else entirely.
I was wrong. I am not ashamed to admit it. This was not the island on which we could find the tear. We only found another clue, a riddle. Easy enough actually, pointed us towards the right island! It is close to this one, so we will not have any problem finding it and the treasure.
Day 42:
I was wrong, again. We did have a problem finding that treasure. The island was huge, so we spent days searching, and if that was not enough, it was guarded! A water golem, I mean who even uses a water golem when those are unkillable! Unless you have the right tools, which...we did not.
Fortunately, with the brave and completely voluntary sacrifice of a couple of my men, which were conveniently the most incompetent, I managed to sneak past the golem.
I was disappointed. The tear was in reality just a mere sapphire, and it contained no magic. Someone did all this for a vulgar, common sapphire. Now I know better than to trust strange drunken hobos in a random tavern. I think.
I am not about to let the vulgarity of that gem stop me from making money though. First, I escaped the golem while it was still pounding my two brave men, and then I told everyone that sapphire was an actual crystallized tear from a naiad. I made up some stories about a naiad who lost her love, another one about betrayal in naiad royalty, a naiad who renounced her power for her kind...and plenty others. Once I get back to a port, I'll make sure the rumors spread far and wide, and let everyone know I have that legendary object. I might just make some value out of it.
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