[On Piper Newfellows person, there is a small red journal. Its pages are new and fresh, and Piper's handwriting is mostly neat common.]
Eighth Day of the Seventh Month
I bought a journal in port today. I'm sitting in a restaurant, drinking tea, to write. The waitress keeps coming over, but I don't mind. I'll tip her well. I wanted a journal to write my thoughts down. I've had a lot of them lately, and I feel getting them down might help ease them.
I'll start from three days ago. Its really what I want to write about. Three days ago is such a short amount of time, but so much happened. It was night, and I, Thomas, Sarade, Griff, Mikeal, and several others were outside at night. We shouldn't have been, because of the danger, but we were. We heard a strange noise, and we went to investigate. We found a poor man, his head cut off, and one of his eyes removed, discarded nearby. We should have gone in then, but, again, we did not. We instead followed the blood trail passed the orphanage, and the bridge, and ran into the vampire Vashan. Vashan is a terrible fiend, who kidnaps and murders and mutilates. I had heard stories of him, though I had not seen him. The group exchanged words with him, and then we, or he, I cannot remember, engaged, and a fight broke out. I was behind them, healing their wounds as they fought. At one point, Vashan tried to attack me, but I was too quick, avoiding the hits. We wounded Vashan greatly, and I thought we might actually defeat him, but then Mikeal fell, and we ended up running. I turned invisible, and dragged Mikeal off, while griff distracted him. Griff ran into me on the road, took Mikeal's body from me, and we made it to the temple together, to safety. We brought poor Mikeal back, and then Griff, the fool, he went back outside. I took a moment to rest, then went after him, to try and get him to safety. He was out there, fighting Vashan, injured, so I healed him. Vashan tried to get at me, but Griff stood in the way, so Vashan slew him with a single word.
Vashan told me then if I did not follow him, he would take Griffs head. I was very frightened, but I couldn't let him kill Griff, so, I agreed, and left the outskirts with him. Vashan told Sky that if anyone followed, he would kill me, and we left. We ran through the crossroads, past the orphanage and the bridge he had just fought us on, down the road to the west. We then split from the road, and headed into the woods, and stopped. [Here the writing seems to become shaky, and harder to discern] He asked if I knew who he was, and I answered yes. He then asked if I knew what he was going to do to me. I did know, but I couldn't answer, I didn't want to be right. He smiled wickedly at me. A horrid grin that still. [the ink trails a moment] He told me to lie down, and I did. He commented on my obedience, and my stomach turned to knots. I knew he would kill me if I didn't do what he said, then take my body and hide it, like Nethals. I couldn't do that to my friends, to Aerendyl, so I did as he said. He knelt beside me, and pulled from his person a tool. A bronze looking tool that looked like a spoon, or a scoop. He said that time was of the essence, that my friend would be here shortly, so he would do the short version. The short version of his vile ritual. I cannot actually remember what he said. I don't know if my mind is blocking the words, or if I was too terrified to pay attention.
[There are several spots where the ink is blotched from water mixing with it in the following writing] He put the metal spoon to my eye and twisted and then I can't remember much but the pain, and the sound of my own voice screaming. I might have passed out, because I can't remember him leaving, but I remember the sun coming up, and snow falling. I couldn't get up. I couldn't even heal the wound. I could see the blood pooling on the ground next to my head, clinging to my hair, but I didn't want to even move, not that it would have helped. I felt like I was laying there for hours, and it was so cold, and I hurt so bad. But then I heard Griff's voice calling out my name, and after a moment, I was able to yell out back, and they found me. I covered my face from them, I didn't want them to see, but Griff moved my hands, and I felt sick, like I would throw up. They stopped the bleeding, and bandaged my eye. Griff scooped me up, and he talked to me while carrying me, but I can't remember what he talked about. I think he was trying to keep me calm, or maybe he was trying to calm himself.
[The writing at this point seems to have steadied itself] We arrived at the temple, and Griff took me to the priestess. She couldn't do anything for my eye. I remembered what Hypatia said, about Vashans curse. That it took surgery to remove, that when she performed it, the patient nearly died. When Hypatia arrived to the temple, and saw me, she didn't sound hopeful. She thought it would be very hard to cure, and bring back my eye, and I was frightened of dieing to try to repair it. Hypatia left, and I took a seat, with Griff sat beside me. Poor Griff. I don't blame him, not really. Vashan told me to blame him. Vashan said that what was happening was the dwarfs fault, but I know whose fault it really is. No one removed my eye but Vashan, and he is the one to blame. But Griff sat beside me, and we talked. He told me that every braid of a dwarf's beard can tell a story. He showed me a braid, and said it meant "hope", and then braided a piece of cloth and handed it to me, to cover my eye. He also gave me several potions, to douse the braid in to keep the wound clean. I did that, and replaced the torn bit of silk that covered my eye. Honestly, I wanted to hide away. I didn't any anyone to see my face, or to know what had happened, but everyone kept asking, and worrying, and I tried to answer as best as I could.
Hypatia returned, and said that she knew a place to fix my eye. By then, night had fallen again, and I didn't want to leave the temple, but Hypatia said it wouldn't matter, for it was always night where we were headed. Milil, I wish I had fought harder about waiting until day. My eye could have waited, I know, but I was scared, and I wanted it fixed and over with. The worse part was, I wanted Aerendyl, so very much. I needed him, but he wasn't anywhere to be found. Why couldn't he have been there? He was off, I know now, adventuring with Charles and Espen. I'm bitter about that. I feel selfish, but I needed him, and he was gone.
We went into the sewers, to head to the drain. We were being escorted by Ara, the part dragon woman. I almost turned back, when I realized who was leading us. I know Ara from Samuel's writing. She is a wicked woman, who intended to summon a demon, and use Samuel for the sacrifice. Milil, I should have turned back then, it was just another warning that things were not going to go well. But I didn't. I was still frightened, and I trusted Hypatia. We went into the drain, and went into the back area. And then Thomas saw Vashan. He was waiting for us there. Waiting for us to fall into a trap, which we so eagerly did. Thomas put up garlic and holy water, to block the entrance to the area, and I cowered behind him as he raised his cross in defense. We waited, and waited, as they looked to see where Vashan had gone. Then, when I started to feel stronger, when I thought perhaps Thomas had not seen Vashan at all, Ara removed the garlic from the line, and the air grew cold, and then someone grabbed me from behind. It was Vashan. I couldn't move, or speak, I was so terrified. My eye burned like fire, but I knew the pain wasn't real, just a memory. He told them to drop their crosses, then handed me over to Ara. When he let me go, I was almost relieved. Hypatia challenged Vashan to a duel of faith, just between the two of them. He agreed, and he told Ara to let me go. She did, and I ran and hid behind Thomas. Vashan wanted to duel in the rat temple, and ordered Hypatia to be there before the sun rose. He then vanished, and after a moment Ara flew into a rage, screaming out. I think he possessed her mind, but I still do not trust the woman.
I forgot to say, while Vashan had me, a woman came as well, a woman named Jadis. She was a churgeon that Hypatia was waiting for. She and Hypatia went to the rat temple, and I and Thomas left the sewers through a ladder into the Market district. The sun was rising, but I was still so frightened. I kept looking down alleyways, expecting him to be there, even if it was day. We went back to the temple, Thomas looking for help to fight Vashan, I just wanting the safety the temple promised. Griff was there, and he stayed with me all day, and into the night. Before night fell, I and Griff went over to the inn, so I could tell him what occurred, and honestly, because I very much wanted a drink. Before we got there, however, we thought we had seen Hypatia. I drank a potion of revealing, and I, Griff, and Lady Lecarra looked, but did not find her. While we were running, looking, a man came to Lady Lecarra, and told her how unlady like it was for her to run. I was tired, and angry, and still frightened, and I told the man to shove it, and that she could do as she pleases. For that, he slapped me, so hard I fell to the ground. Actually I am not certain Griff was there, for I know Griff would have attacked the man for that. Instead, Kaleon was there, and he began casting magic, right in front of the man and Radu. Radu was not happy, but Kaleon didn't seem to care, casting until he took a flaming sword and pointed it at the man's throat. The man was outraged at the magic, calling for people to stand against Kaleon, calling him a witch. No one came to the mans aid.
It was after the man had slapped me, and I stood up, that Griff came back, I remember now. We left the man, surrounded by a crowd, and went inside to talk, and have a drink. I told him what happened, and what Hypatia agreed to do to save me. We talked about bravery, and sacrifice, and a few things I can't remember, because of the Tsuika. Griff mentioned an invisible man that had run by us outside, and I drank a potion of revealing, just to make certain he had not followed us in. While the potion was active, Griff took me upstairs, and sent me to bed, promising to be outside the room all night, to protect me. I was able to fall asleep eventually, but I did not sleep well. I had night terrors, all of them about Vashan. Mostly, it was reliving the removal of my eye, the pain, and the sounds. The sight of the grin upon his face as he did so. At one point, I woke up and screamed. I must have frightened Griff, for he began banging on the door, calling out my name. I let him in, and he checked me over. He must have thought I was in real danger. I had to apologize, and I cried. He knelt down and comforted me. Then off all the wicked things to happen, the very man who slapped me came through the door of the room, shoving Griff off to the side. He tried to proposition me, and he leered at me with a wicked eye. Said something about how a half man would not satisfy, or some such nonsense. I told him to leave, and Griff did the same, threatening him. When the man did not, Griff counted down from five, then then took several swings at the man, driving him off and out of the inn. I worry what would have happened had Griff not been there. If that man had any sense of honor, or if I would have had to fight him off. I would have, fiercely.
We went outside, and found the man dieing in the grass. I knew it had not been Griff who had struck him outside, but learned it was a woman, who the man had been propositioning before he decided to bother me. I did what I always do, and I went over and healed the man. I could not let him die. The Garda was there, and Griff accused him of attempted rape. The garda did not take kindly to this, and immediately arrested the man and dragged him off. I knew the garda would want statements, so I and Griff went to the Citadel to wait by the gates, for when the garda would need us. They eventually called us in, and took us into the jail building. I was terribly nervous, for I worried they would try to arrest Griff for assaulting the man, for he was a native, and we were outsiders, but the Garda simply listened to me tell what happened, and I was honest, that the man did not touch me. When Griff told the story, he also included that the man was trying to proposition another woman before he turned to me. Griff also said he did not attack the man, until he tried to grab me. I do not remember the man trying to grab me, but I was also partially drunk, and partially hungover, so he might have. We finished answering the Garda's questions just before sunset. The garda told us they did not have enough to convict him of rape, but would have a public punishment for disturbing the peace. At the time, I did not want this. I thought perhaps the man had just been drunk, and perhaps in his sober state, he was a more reasonable fellow. I learned from Marry later that it was not the case, and that he really was a cruel, vile man, who deserved the whipping he received. If Aerendyl learns what the man did, then he should certainly fear for his safety.
We went to the temple just before sunset, and shortly after arriving, Thomas came back. I was hoping it was good news, but it was not. Vashan defeated Hypatia in the duel, and took both her eyes. He also broke her will to live. Thomas wanted me to come right away to see her in the hospice, but Griff would not allow it. Instead, he went, and had Mikeal watch me in the temple until he returned. I did not sleep at all that night, nor did I want to. I did not even want to close my eye, for I would see Vashan's wicked smile, or that terrible tool any time I closed it, even for a moment. The night went by uneventfully. I talked with a few people, Mikeal went and got me sausages from the inn. Torag tried to give me his pirate hat, to cheer me up. I didn't find it amusing. Griff arrived nearly when the sun was going to rise, and when it did, he and I went to the hospice. Several people were there, Hypatia among them. They strapped Hypatia to the bed there, for they were going to do surgery to restore her eyes. I couldn't watch, for I knew that I may as well be the next person to receive it. During it, three people arrived at the Hospice. One of them was looking for shelter, one of them was looking for Hypatia, and the last was Alin, who was there to try and get us to leave. He said the hospice was not safe. I missed most of the conversation though, for I was trying to get the other men to leave, if they would. It took hours for the surgery to finish, but when it did, the sun was beginning to set, and we had to take Hypatia out of the Hospice to one of the temples.
We took her to the temple in the slums. The last time I was there, it was with Aerendyl, and it was pleasant, but now, I was filled with dread. We were taking Hypatia upstairs, to the bedrooms, when I heard Aerendyl's voice. When I saw him, I began to cry, and I rushed to him. I couldn't stop myself. I was tired, and frightened, and I had been wanted him to be there since the beginning. I was also angry. I was angry that he had been gone for so long. I thought Vashan might have hurt him, and when I saw him, and he was perfectly fine I [ the writing smears, and the last portion is unreadable] He was back though, and that was really all that mattered in the moment. I could see he was upset after I told him what happened, but he tried to hide it. He saw that I was exhausted, and scared, and he took me upstairs to rest. He put me to bed, and though I didn't want to rest, I ended up falling asleep, with him sitting on the bed next to me, staring off into the wall. I don't think I slept for long, but when I awoke, he was gone. I got dressed in my black outfit, and put on my mask, and went looking for him. Everyone was downstairs, including Hypatia. Nethal stood up, and went with me to search for Aerendyl. We found him, hiding in the room with the merchant. He was not pleased to see me up, but it was almost day time. Aerendyl said we were leaving Vallaki, and he would take me to another healer, one named Saffron. Hypatia tried to convince him to let her treat me, but he would have none of it.
Honestly, I was so frightened of staying in Vallaki, I would have agreed to go anywhere. I said my goodbyes to those that were gathered, and I promised to leave a note at the Midway Inn for Griff if I needed anything, and we left. We ran most of the way, silently. We haven't actually talked at all really. I want him to talk. I need him to, but he's been so distant. Even if it was nonsense, just hearing his voice would be comforting. I feel like we're breaking apart, and its all my fault . [ Droplets of water fall on the page here] I love him so much, and I know he loves me, but [ the line trails for a moment, before continuing] Maybe I'm just toxic. Maybe I'm not meant to have someone as wonderful as Aerendyl. I put myself in danger, thinking I'm doing the right thing, and I just end up making it worse for everyone around me. Its just [ the thought seems to stop suddenly]
I've been in the mist camp for two days. At first Aerendyl was doing research about curses and restoration, and at the end of the first night there, he took me to the crafting tent, and told me he was going to fix my eye. This occured just after Snarin convinced me to seek Hypatia's aid. He told me Vashan could look through a cursed eye, and view everything I could see. It terrified me, and I wanted the curse removed quickly, for I was putting everyone in danger by even being around me. But Aerendyl told me he could fix my eye, and so I sat down to let him try. He doused my head in holy water, and began reciting prayers and chanting. He channeled Melira's might and holy gifts, more so than I'd ever seen him do before. I didn't know what he cast upon me, I was never good at telling what spells were. I saw the color fade from his face as he did so, it drained him so much, but when he finished, my sight went from darkness, to pale blotches of colors, till I could see his outline, I could see his form, and it was like seeing him for the first time. I cried. He knelt down to examine my eye, and I will admit, when he touched me, I flinched. No one had touched my face since Vashan did. He said there was no scarring, and that in a few days my vision would be returned to normal. I was amazed, but also, not surprised. If anyone had the power to heal such a grievous wound, it was my Aerendyl.
When Aerendyl finished, he was exhausted, both mentally and physically. I was able to sooth his physical exhaustion, but not his mental. We went outside, and he rested by a tree. He wanted a moment to collect his thoughts, then he would meet me in the tents for Reverie. I felt like I should have - [the last line is scribbled over] I left him to rest, and put on my mask and went toward the resting tent. There was Snarin and Hypatia. I told Hypatia what Aerendyl did, and showed her his handiwork. She had both her eyes returned, at this point. She seemed dumbstruck. She said Vashan must have removed my curse, when he removed hers. Perhaps he did, I do not know. I am just glad to have my sight back. Hypatia and Snarin were going to port, and ended up leaving, and I went to rest.
I've seen several people during my stay in the mist camps. I've seen Conner, Lady Lecarra, Vylrian, Marry, Ceridwen, and others. All of them have been very supportive, very caring, and I am glad to have such good friends looking out for me. Yesterday, I left the mist camp with Vylrian, snarin and several others, with Aerendyl's permission, to go to the desert. It was hot, and bright, and we ended up turning around, for the want of a trapfinder. After that, we went to Barovia, to go into the swamps. I will admit I was frightened of returning. Cait, one of the people who went with us, threatened to kill anyone who touched me, which was very nice. I do not even know the woman that well. The swamps were not difficult, until we were returning. These wailing ghosts appeared on the way back, and their hollowed cry killed whoever was close to them. Both Snarin and Vylrian fell to the fiends, but I was able to heal their wounds, though it took much from me. After the swamp, we went to the darkling encampment. Snarin went to rest, and asked that Sophie join him for a moment, for he wanted to hand her some items. I was suspicious, for not but a few days before, I and Snarin went to Port, and we got an engagement ring for Sophie. Its a beautiful blue diamond. He was going to buy a sapphire, but when he saw that diamond, he knew he wanted it for her. I shall not list the price, but I think it was the most expensive piece in the store. Not that it matters to Snarin, not for his love. I do not expect a diamond from Aerendyl. He is a jeweler, and I imagine he will make a wondrous piece perhaps with a ruby. If he actually decides to propose to me. I am conflicted though. I want him to, but, there is this little part of me that thinks he should do better than me. That a wonderful, beautiful star elf shall come and sweep him away, and I love him so much, I would let him go. Then there is the part of me that would fight tooth and nail to keep him, and I'm just not certain which part to listen to. I asked Snarin to speak with him though, and perhaps convince him to propose. Snarin is one of his best friends, and Aerendyl is to be Snarin's best man. I did so ignoring that little part of me, and maybe that's a sign that I should just swallow that part deep down and bottle it up. Will it always be there?