Written by Ko while camping after the party exited the cave.
excerpt 1/?
Ko’s playlist
We left the mountains today and ended up in a forest, where we’ve made camp. Everything is very green and so much brighter than things in Dundrumli. I suppose it’s pretty, but I miss the sea. I miss swimming. I really, really miss swimming. I tried asking Pontius if this forest is like the forest he’s from, but I don’t think he likes talking to me. I hope he doesn’t hate me. Maryim says we’re all friends, but I think she might be a little too optimistic.
Pontius and Aydis went hunting earlier. Pendrell wanted to stay at camp – I’m not sure he’s ever seen blood or dead things before because he seems pretty grossed out by it – and I decided to stay with him. I can fish just fine, but I can’t hunt. At least I don’t think I can. I’ve never tried. Maryim decided to stay at the camp with us, and it’s a good thing she did, because some weird dudes attacked us! I suppose they were bandits. Like from tales of adventurers and heroes. They weren’t as threatening as the bandits from those tales, though.
Before we were attacked, Maryim asked Pendrell and me if we’d ever been camping before. Obviously, Pendrell hasn’t, and I haven’t either. Where would I even go camping around Dundrumli?? In the water? Among the rocks? Anyway, she taught us some survival skills, like tying ropes (which I already knew how to do, so that was cool – it’s nice to feel like I’m competent for once) and determining which berries were poisonous. Then, the magic alarm I set went off. (Side note: this is the first time I’ve gotten to put Alarm to use! It’s one of the first spells I learned. It was in an old book that Ita had, and I memorized it in case I could use it someday. I’m sure glad I did.)
We saw some shadows, heard some rustling, it was terrifying. I’m not sure I like forests. There are so many places for things to hide. Then, a guy with a bandana over his face jumped out and said we were surrounded. I hoped he was bluffing. Maryim didn’t even hesitate. She was up and had that guy in a chokehold in a second. The guy wasn’t bluffing. Five other bandits attacked us.
I think I’ve made up for fucking up in the cave, and not just because of the usefulness of my alarm spell. While Maryim had the guy in a chokehold, I channeled the power of Tutrac. I concentrated the fear and terror Tutrac inflicts upon mortals into my whalebone and directed it at the guy. It worked. He was actually terrified. Which makes sense because Tutrac is frightening, but I was the one who channeled that power. I did something helpful for once. It felt good.
The bandit leader told the other guys to grab stuff and run, but Pendrell began plucking at his mandolin and playing a tune that got my adrenaline pumping even more. (I wish I could be as confident as Pendrell under pressure). I think he amplified the fear I was causing, because a few of the guys took off. One tried to attack Maryim, but she didn’t even move. He barreled into her and she stood as still as a statue. And then she broke his finger. It was badass. Maryim is a badass.
I just wish I could’ve done more to help out. The bandits got away with 5 coin. All that for 5 coin? Banditry (banditing?) seems like a bad business to be in. Certainly not very lucrative, and a high chance of broken bones. Why not just sell fish or cloth or something like a normal person?
Pontius and Aydis got back a little after that. Pontius had a whole fucking deer over his shoulder, just carrying it like it weighed nothing. We told them about what happened, and then Pontius went to work carving up the deer. He tried to teach Pendrell how to carve a deer, and I asked to watch too. (Pendrell hurled when Pontius was carving up the deer. Gross.) Carving a deer is very different from gutting a fish or carving up a shark. Sharks don’t have bones and fish are…fish. Maybe next time I’ll ask to help Pontius with the carving. I don’t know. I don’t want to bother him. I don’t think he likes me.
Pendrell played some music for us. A song Aydis knows. She knows a lot of songs. I wonder if she knows some of the sea shanties they sing in Dundrumli. Maybe I’ll ask her. Anyway, I made the mistake of complimenting Pendrell’s ability to perform in front of crowd. Maryim asked me if I have a fear of public speaking. Maryim, I have a fear of starting conversations; of course I have a fear of public speaking. I think Maryim is into like self-improvement or whatever because she suggested I read out one of the poems Pendrell knows to work on my fear of public speaking. And then Aydis and Pontius started chanting for me to recite a poem. I would rather drown again. (Not actually, Tutrac, that was a joke). But they were relentless, so I recited a poem from one of my favorite bards, Edgar Allan Poe. It’s about a woman named Annabel Lee that he loved by the sea. And then she dies. It’s a really pretty poem.
I still feel nauseous from reciting the poem, but they all cheered me on and said it was really good. They might have just been being nice. I can’t tell. They suggested I recite a poem in The Hidden City when we go back, as an act with Pendrell. I appreciate their faith in me, but fuck no. I have enough eyes on me as it is.
Tomorrow we go to desecrate a grave. I hope this doesn’t come back to bite me. It probably will. It’s like a holy grave or something. But everyone else agrees that this is a quest we have to go on, so I’m going. What else am I gonna do? Sit in the forest? I’d rather take my chances with the dead than wait around for something to jump out at me from behind a tree. The dead don’t move. Well, they don’t move after they’ve been decomposing for a while. Usually. Fuck. What if the dead move? I need to prepare some spells.
The first of many letters that Pendrell sends to his parents while he’s away on adventures with the squad.
I’d also like to thank @headcanonsfromanelfblossom for editing this! <3
Letter 1
Dear Mum and Dad,
I hope this letter reaches to you in a timely manner, since it is solid proof that I have survived my journey, and I’d like to let you know that.
I am very eager to tell you about my time in Capital City, as well as the amazing journey I’m currently embarking on, but first I must ask about your health, and about the state of the village. I hope you are all doing well, and that the harvest this season has provided the village with enough food for the winter. I must confess that I do miss home, even though it wasn’t the most welcoming to me, and Mum I know that you’ll say that I shouldn’t say such things, but I am very aware that my presence has been a nuisance to the village. I am not strong enough for the hunt, nor for the harvest, so my contributions are zero to none.
Which is why I decided to leave in the first place, not because I despise it (which I don’t!), but to find where I truly belong and, hopefully, to be of use with the skills that I have. Perhaps I’ll write the most epic heroic tale that’ll be known for generations to come! But do keep in mind that I’ll never forget my origins, as I have promised you both.
Anyways, my time in Capital City was remarkable! I arrived there in one piece, and I was immediately enamored by the place! I always knew that cities were vast and populous, but never this much! I have never seen so many people in one place, as well as so many buildings! Shops, houses, bars, restaurants, everything you can think of, and you can guess which place I went to the minute I set foot in the city! That’s right, the book shop! The shelves were filled with books from top to bottom, and I purchased a copy of The Tale of Vaas, the Indomitable! I’ve only heard of the tale through the travelling bards that would come to the village from time to time, so I was very thrilled to get my hands on a copy!
I also visited the Temple of Caen shortly thereafter, and it is beautiful there, I could practically feel his presence. But the strangest thing occurred to me on my visit, I received a vision from Caen himself, telling me to “Find Him, Find Her”. I didn’t know what he meant at first, but then I saw another vision of a halfling, with very red cheeks and a jolly disposition, and his name was Batùn, so I could only conclude that Caen wanted me to find this halfling, along with a woman (though sadly, I do not know who she is, nor what she looked like).
But just as I thought my experience had ended, I bumped into Ko, an acquaintance of mine (I’m not sure if you remember them from their last visit to the village), and a tall man named Pontious, who--believe it or not--was raised by wolves! How incredible is that? Makes me want to write an epic about him! And I’ve also met a Burkett! Her name is Maryum, and she certainly lives up to her family name, a strong leader who knows how to fight!
But the most exciting part about this meeting was that I met the one and only Áydís, the Great! Oh, I’ve never been happier to meet her in person! She looks just like how the tales have described her, though rowdier, and taller, but brave nonetheless! And I think she has grown quite fond of me, which honestly, is an honour!
Though this meeting wasn’t by chance, as each of them received the same vision I had through their own respective gods! Each of them saw the halfling Batùn, and was given the same message: “Find him, find her”. I can only believe that this was a plan by the gods, that we were all meant to meet each other, and embark on this journey together.
And here we are, on Aydis’ magnificent boat (which is where I am currently writing this letter), on our way to Hidden City to find Batùn, with the helpful guide of Murphy and Sip (two friends we’ve made who’s heard of the halfling). Never in my life did I think I’d be capable of embarking on such a quest, especially one bestowed by the gods, and with such an astounding crew I am immensely proud to call my friends.
So far the waters are behaving very calmly, so I believe we should arrive at Hidden City safe and sound. I plan on mailing this letter to you once I arrive there, as well as writing a second one describing our travels, as well as of the city itself. I imagine that it’ll be just as amazing as Capital City.
Anyways, I shall eagerly await your response, as I’d love to know exactly how the village is doing, and how you are, too.
