I think you’d be proud of me if you were still around. I don’t know that for sure. Maybe someday I will. I don’t want to think much about the ways that could happen.

Malkara is a port town and I’m starting to cause some trouble. Haven’t seen many Rilador around the area, so it might be okay. It’d be wonderful if they had my back – you know why they don’t, though. Lots of Tong though, and I’ve got into a proper sort of mess. Sure hope that some fists start to fly.

My friend Narcell’us is in all kinds of trouble with a real shithead named Lucien. He’s grue, but looks a bit off, like bleached sand. There’s also something off with him. I’ve been racking my brain trying to figure out if there’s anything familiar with him. He’s a bit like a boogeyman – remember those stories your grandma used to tell us? He’s kind of like that, but, like, real. Not a story at all.

My friends and I are trying to help out Narcell’us in different ways. She and Ildan took some time to figure out some more information about Ildan’s bed. I made a pact with her to help her find more information about it. Gotta confess that it’s a little bit over my head, but I’d love to find a certain something to bring to it. Vani’s doing her part too – she’s well connected and I wouldn’t be surprised if she was a pirate in a past life, just like us. Not polite to talk about such things though, so I won’t pry too much. I don’t like that term.

Dorian and Bird Girl returned from their own errands too – I roped them into this. As Dorian says, we’re family. So that’s how it is. He said a few things about that and our approach so far. Man’s a ponce – probably hasn’t done an honest day’s work in his life. But he’s sharp and I think he’ll be alive, which is a lot better than the alternative. He suggested to look for more information from other sources, to try to find out who Lucien deals with at a business level. Sounded good to me, but I preferred my plan.

By the by, remember that one time at the Lone Wolf? Where you tricked those hobgoblins to fight that wizard that was prepositioning me? I tried that trick too on Lucien with some Tong thugs and it didn’t seem to work the same. It was good fun though! I could imagine another melee, wood flying around in every direction and people yelling about. The sounds and smells, so invigorating! Now that I’m thinking about it, weren’t you knocked out? Oh yes! I used the mob bucket to wake you up after!

So anyway we went to Malkara and asked around. Vani saw a contact she knew – turns out he was a Paladin! I don’t have the chance to see many around; such a good man. I wanted to tell him about the Tong and ways to get them out of town, but he seemed to be very busy and I was contented to watch him help out his neighbours around. I don’t know much about Malkara yet, but if I want to know more I’ll know who to ask.

Getting information was tricky by talking and parlaying around. They don’t have your tact, I think that’s the word your father used. But we eventually made our way back to the café that Lucien eats lunch at, and watched him for a bit. He was talking with some Tong. So I decided to pay him another visit while Dorian was turned away. Bird Girl was staking me out and around the area, so I was protected this time. It was less dangerous, but as I went up to him, I felt a little bit strange.

He looked at me without a care in the world, like he was looking through me. Then he told me some things that the things that I’m sharing here. Real and deep things, that he doesn’t have the right to know. And he did it all without any concern. So he tells me that he put the girl that Ildan was getting information from in a box. Or rather had someone do it. Or rather he knows that someone else may have put her in a box and that he can help me find her. Then he tells me something about being a hero and about being right and that I can be of service, but I don’t want to be that to him. He’s evil. Who harms an innocent girl and gets away with it? I’m telling you that it won’t be him. I’ll need some help in thinking of a way to do that, but maybe my friends will have some ideas.

A messenger got sent to us on the way home and met me on the lane. I sat down to meet them! He was the type that’s doing it for the pay – not a big, bad evil type that I could have ambushed. He had some maps and some writing – I’ll work out how to do that a bit better – but got Dorian, Bird Girl, and Vani to help with figuring out what was happening. Lucien wants more of those magic effects, and a box in particular that Dorian said was a heart of a golem, like the one we grabbed some time back. Only this one would be intact. Journey is North, into dangerous territory. But I’m committed to making this all right. I only hope that you’re by my side.