Second Log Compilations

In the second compilation of logs from the Navigator’s time aboard Escape, there is a great deal of damage owing perhaps to salt water exposure. What can be culled from the logs is a deep suspicion he harbors towards the Escapes crew, and wizard in particular but oddly not for its Captain. The Navigator alludes to a will he left with the captain and some other letters as well. Much of the information is unintelligible and what we do have is from a later entry summarized upon completion of his time aboard Escape en route to Bar Harbor.

Captain’s Log [Undated]

Once again I find myself in command of a punt, albeit the most luxurious and well constructed one I’ve ever sailed, and I am for a change not alone on this journey. I have bid my comrades farewell and invited only a young wizard [believed to his now graduated apprentice Miss Leipzig perhaps] to join me as I seek to locate my father to correct reports of my loss at sea. I have left the Escape as she returns to Gryax, being two weeks closer to Hard Bay here than there. Two weeks looking over my shoulder with Mr. D about was unappealing after having barely survived the action near Jeb’s Rock at Fax.

Stoppel’s treatment of my comrade’s wounds seemed more than adequate, his precautionary splinting seems to have greatly aided her healing and we have been able to remove it and discard it at dawn. We have had no rest but are near now the break water on the South Entry to Bar Harbor. Something troubles me about the city; it’s hard to know through the morning fog that makes this approach so dangerous. I have decided to drop anchor and wait for the sun to clear it away. We will pass the time with a nap.

Upon waking I found my partner hard at work duplicating my damaged notebook into the spare traveler I’ve trained her to keep, it seems I will have a fully functionally grimore after all. I smell cooking and sure enough she has managed to cook on the punts tiny stove. We dined on eggs, hard biscuit and tea while discussing my plans. A sail on the horizon: 2 masted square rigger black pennant. Thus it begins.

The Navigator’s journal ends abruptly here until it picks up again at the greybeards cabin.

Unique Star Logs (first compilation)

In a most unusual move, the Navigator sailed without contract negotiated by his guild, and in a still more unusual move, the Navigator copied each star log entry into his personal journal. His reasons for this cannot be discerned though it becomes clear later that he has embarked on a most dangerous mission, and his copious notes may have been kept to insulate him from prosecution in admiralty court for hazarding the Escape.

Navigators Star Log, Freeday, 28 Readying

Navigator Redding in Escape.

Two days at sea. Celene sighted 4 points broad abeam port, waning. Seas glassy, wind from the south, speed 11 knots, ballast dry (1 hand) at 4 bells. Course: ESE, 111 dg, Mate 1st Fenice at the helm. Fire watch is set, smoking lamp is lit. Mast sighted at noon, passed starboard, no flag or pennant.

Personal Journal

The past week has been a blur with little time to reflect on the events, inventory thoughts or work with my apprentice. She seems more than ready to begin working independently, she needs me now only for polish and tactical employment which in her future endeavors will be moot as she moves into some court or royal wizards stable where she will be provided her own host of men to defend her virtue.

This evening on the fo’c’sle I was able to reach that special place of complete peace and time stood still there entranced by the gossamer dance of moonlights finger over gently stirring seas. I feel again as a child, in pure awe of the world, filled with the strength for a full life not yet begun, indomitable, fearless and indestructible.

I brought my journal with me to reflect as Church decides to steal my best quill and knock it overboard.

This venture began with a summoning to Havenhill, Le Toux is a member of some lodge or other there it seems, and he was there waiting for us. As non members my team was stabled at the pig and whistle where we rejoiced in the spring warmth, the last of the winter mead, and a good game of bones. Gallon had won the evening and his winnings drew the attention of not a few of the working ladies there. I lost track of my favorite companion later that night as business intervened to ruin another otherwise perfect evening.

The reunion of friends was purposed on a matter of critical state importance, and as such I lead my staff to Gryax ahead of our patron to inspect the vessel we would be embarked upon and to make some inquiries into her master.

We stopped short of Gryax that evening, due to a burr one of the horses had picked up and we could not mend in the dark. We were ambushed by a Pomarj patrol of gnolls, of the low country/swamp variety, smaller and lighter than the Cairn Hills variety, they are typical of the type found cooperating with the other monsters of the pomarj, and known to have inhabited this territory since before the kingdom, or the men of moradin. They gave us quite a thrashing but two days later we were none the worse for wear.

I had personally failed to keep a prisoner I took, after misjudging the disposition of the hunting parties’ main body and reconnaissance elements owing to the echo in the hill country. We had also lost all of our baggage and mounts; abandoned hastily in an effort to maneuver defensively. A number of the beasts were felled and left there on the road. When we reached the frontier of the capitol’s outlying settlements we were greeted by a young soldier, Greg I believe he was his name, a corporal if I recall. He and a colleague had slain another gnoll that was pursuing a member of my staff that had become separated from the rest of us in the battle. I must remember to send him and his unit a gift from Kaska.

Our troubles were not completely behind us in Gryax. I had a wonderful meeting with Lord and Lady Leipzig, and was not surprised that they had expected me to be returning their daughter and ending her apprenticeship. I was not surprised by this and had a prepared response to help them understand clearly that I had no intention of giving up my gifted apprentice.

I had happened upon her note-taker, unbound and hastily tossed into the luggage that was salvaged. I could not resist the temptation to examine it at least briefly. I told myself it was in her best interest that I know what her understanding was of some of the complex problems I had given her. I should be careful not to discuss in detail my findings, except to say her vision and understanding of the world beyond knowing is advanced. The apprentice is certain to completely gain the wizards eye and vision ere the summer. It is most fortunate I remember the early steps into the arena of the gods, the courage it took to stand naked and helpless before them, then dare to steal their power. Still there are items within her note taker that are most troubling. I am unsure what the solutions to these problems are but I believe that out on the sea, the solution will become clear.

Still more troubling, her suitor Mr Finnegan who was now a part of my staff had been ambushed and assaulted by some locals. His lack of impulse control to blame no doubt. I learned also that Lady Leipzig is aware of the affair he and my apprentice are carrying on with. This I felt relieved me of at least some responsibility to supervise the two as her mother could certainly intervene if she wished.

All of this is quite enough but there is something that weighs more heavily upon my heart. Upon checking in at the Guild Hall, I found a full barrel of letters that had been misrouted and only now found me. It seems that two of my brothers have passed away, and word had reached home that I was taken at sea by slavers before I could get word home to tell everyone that I was quite safe. Father sold our family home to purchase a sloop. He crewed his ship with the worst dregs of our Hardy slums and prisons, and set out to rescue me.

Father is too old to be racing about the world fighting slavers or pirates, and I haven’t the slightest idea why he would destroy our family fortune to find me, one of seven sons, and arguably the least successful of them all. With the two deaths in the letters, and the others before there are still two others left alive. None of my correspondence reached home until this spring and my friends have been writing frantically.

I sent a message back after berating the Guild Postal Services Adjunct for his incompetence. Asking my friends to send out the word that I am established in Ulek, and working for the Regent. I plan after this mission to find my father and will keep a sharp lookout for his sloop while we sail up the wooly coast. The harbor master here has no reports on her location, she has not put in here.

Finally coming aboard Escape though but me at ease and made the impossible reunion with my father and home, seem within reach.

My staff has adapted well, Stoppel seems to have found a second calling and may rise to admiral of Moradin’s fleet, should the Oerth ever see such an institution.

Starday, 1Coldeven

Navigator Redding in Escape.

Three days at sea. Star Gilnus sighted 24 dgr elv, abeam port through clouds. Seas rising swiftly, wind erratic, speed 8 knots, ballast dry (1 hand) at 2 bells. Course: ESE, 111 dg, Captain Demsko at the helm. Extra lookouts posted, smoking lamp is out. Visibility limited to under 1 mile as fog and clouds build. Strom approaching from the east, our course will lead us into the northern edge. Extra ration of rum given the crew as the temperature has dropped precipitously.

Sunday, 2 Coldeven

Navigator Redding in Escape

Four days at sea. Dead Reckoning, no sighing of sun or star. Seas are heavy, cresting at 8 feet, ballast is at 1 foot, pumps manned at 4 bells. Course: 038 dg, Bosun at the Helm. Sails trimmed, lookouts tethered, smoking lamp is out. Visibility is near zero. Speed 13 knots, aided by rotation of storm and following swells.

Moonday, 3 Coldeven

Five days at sea. Sun 3 points port astern, 36 dgr elv, Seas calm, wind light from the west, speed 10 knots. Ballast dry at 4 bells. Course 033 dg, Quartermaster at the Helm. Lookouts secured, smoking lamp is lit. Passed HMS Triumphant she was making 11 knots heading SSE under full sail with outriggers.

Personal Journal

More details now have emerged of our patron’s plan. The regent has commissioned us only to investigate reports of a breeding facility for hybrid monsters. I have informed our patron that I endeavor to kill any who carry arms of the pomarj, and liberate any prisoners I come across in addition to this reconnaissance mission. He had us landing along Fax coast, I have advised a shift towards BH and friendly dwur native territory. I have begun outfitting the skiff for the mission and drilling my staff for battle should we find the enemy. They know I will take them into harm’s way, and are ready; Gallon most grimly so. He has obvious mixed feelings about our task and my attempts to lighten the mood with humor have had mixed results. Fortunately his mood is not affected by being tossed in a storm though he has not taken to the see with the same abandon as our priest.

Ms. Leipzig has voiced a preference for the Shield magic, over armor for defense. I was embarrassed to say I had not the formula. She had produced it saying it was perhaps incompletely copied from her previous instructor, I am working with her now to fill in the missing bits, and such a task is akin to inventing the spell anew and will take us some time. No doubt she will stumble into the answer just when it is most needed. As a short term, obvious combat spell, it is possible adrenaline and certain muscle memory actions are what’s missing so we have asked Stoppel, who is quite handy with a shield, more so perhaps than Gallon, to help us.