Always tether. Always always tether. Sea and the sky are the same in that way – might look a bit different but they’re alike in that way. She sunk and crashed to the ground and all I could do was watch.

Reminded me of Kelvin. Swirl was rough that day – knocked us clean out of bed that morn. He ran out of the galley – bare as the day he was born. Had a nice bum. Kind of hard to rally the crew when the world is being toppled around you – heroics don’t get you much ahead. Had to secure the crates. Quiet the animals. Trim the sail. He did that part – didn’t want any rope burn. The sea swallowed him up.

Carnation has a thing against ropes. Like a thing where her eyes gloss and just stare ahead. She wants to avoid them and it’s something I don’t understand. I told her that story, then I went all stern and salty – old trick to scare a minnow straight. She didn’t take kindly to that, but she isn’t going to learn by me being all kind and encouraging. She could have died.

Packed up for Theringrad and headed back, but we came across a smoking black plume billowing eastward. The Rangers were headed this way, so we approached. Smoke came from a small village, name of Freiberg. Vast green fields and a fragrant breeze – beautiful little town! Except for that plume. Villagers were centred on a burned out building in the town square, with a plump pimple of a man waving his arms around like an octopus. Twas the local burgher and he was about as helpful as a rusty nail. Then I saw something on him.

Spiked halo. Tong property. Usually the property would be trapped in crates at port. Any time we saw one of those, we’d invite their handler onboard. Take them out a couple days offshore, then invite them offboard. Tong dealt with girls and boys and others without a chance. Too bad they couldn’t swim as well as they could slave. But I’ve never seen the mark on another person. Rangers were chasing some witch hunters. Witch hunters might have been chasing the Tong. Group’s a bit indecisive about what we’re chasing.

We headed to a nearby farm, chasing Vani and J as they figured this whole mess out. Came across a farmer with broken hands – payment from the Tong. J patched him up and we chatted about how the Tong are involved in all of this. Bad people. Really bad people. Wanted to tell the burgher that – J says he’s untouchable for now though. Something was rustling around in the barn too, but that thing inside was also untouchable. I need to chase down something!

Dorian lets us know that we need to uphold reputation. Reputation is earned in action. An idle ship ain’t going to acquire reputation – it needs to cut into the wind where other ships won’t. That was the Chickadee, beautiful stories about that vessel. Stories got better after it sank, of course. Maybe Dorian has a point. And Narcell’us seeks profit. Coin weighs us down though. We aren’t lavish folk. Some warm food would be good, I suppose.

Arrived at Theringrad to drop off the magical mines. Had a bone to pick with this minotaur. He was at the Fox and the Crane with some other magical folk shilling all sorts of property. All the lot too interested in objects. He dealt himself out and chatted with us. Turns out he wasn’t good on his word – big surprise there. I acquainted myself with him and tried to give him a nice hug to show our appreciation for the trip, but he burst like a bubble. Damned wizards. Another contract bailed by turning himself into a frog or some such nonsense. Ward didn’t seem too pleased with the notion – maybe if he kisses the frog that’ll solve things!

Useful thing came across in that exchange though, a deed to a manor near Malkara. Theringrad’s festering with wizards, so it’ll be a nice change of pace. Words. Words. Words. All a wizard’s good for, and I haven’t come across a good word in a while. But Vani and J came across something interesting – a lot of local thugs pressuring a local farmer. They’re looking to get involved with the daughter. Poor girl. We visited them in a hideout and ran into a couple of hobgoblins being all nonchalant about their extortion racket. Wanted to acquaint myself with them too, but the T.I.P would be none too pleased about that.

Rachel, farmer’s girl, needs to go to Malkara to be rid of this Tong nonsense. She's a nice girl that needs some fresh air - keeping her locked away and protected is going to do her no good. Iskandar’s now an elf and will be joining us on the trip – need to make sure that he is who he says he is. Don’t know what he is though other than a magician. Confuses me greatly. We’ll chase down this town and see what lies ahead on the road. I just hope Carnation feels more herself.