Indignitary

23 Lamashan 4709 AR
Diobel

I have much shorter hair now, and am irritated.

I watched Tythe take the teeth one by one out of the slain dragon as a souvenir. My people normally take the whole head, but I do not suppose that would be feasible since we have nowhere to stow it for now. We rested in the cave for the night, swimming back out in the morning, then returning to the beach where we had originally found the body with the treasure map.

We found another body. This one, however, was still quite alive, and struggling with what might once have been a boat. Being upwind from him, I could not help but note that he smelled like home, so I immediately felt a sense of ease around him. Candal has a dwarven accent, so I cannot place his clan, but he is taller than me with a proper-looking sword (which I am sure will come in handy) so I have no doubt he is Ulfen.

Salma made some half-hearted attempts to mend his boat, but Tythe noted that it would not hold all of us, so we ushered our new friend away from the splintered craft. I then caught a whiff of something quite bad— harpies! I began to counter their song almost before they got close enough to attack, and fortunately, they were unable to charm my companions. We dispatched two of the three handily, with the remaining wounded one flapping back to her lair. We saw no others after that.

In fact, we had no encounters of any sort for about one hundred miles, till we at last came to the small port town of Diobel. Diobel has two gates, both of which require a 2-copper entrance fee, and both of which are guarded. Salma and Candal wanted to see about booking passage off the island, and headed off to the north gate to get to the docks. Tythe had an idea to get us a ship of our own, and wanted me to reprise my role as her bodyguard. Deaglan seemed undecided on whom to follow, and I (wrongly) assumed he had wandered off with Salma and Candal.

Now, I do not normally care one bit what my companions wear, so it did not really bother me when Tythe asked me to hold her clothes and meet her at the east gate after a few minutes passed. I did so, but I may have been too late by then, as at my arrival, the completely-naked elf had become hysterical, and then passed out, leaving the guards at the gate wondering what to do with her. As they started to pick her body up to haul her off somewhere, I did rush up, explaining that her stuff had been stolen and that I was her bodyguard. They wanted to detain me, so I began to explain that we had companions booking passage on a ship and that I would take the “ambassador” with me. I was pretty sure they would happily give me the elf rather than deal with her further, when Deaglan appeared from nowhere, claiming to be a town guard himself, and threatening the actual guards with bodily harm! More guards began to appear, and diplomacy was getting me nowhere. I am ashamed to say that Salma must be rubbing off on me, because rather than lead an attack the guards myself, I opted to deescalate the situation and began to sing instead, keeping the guards fascinated long enough for Deaglan to throw his cloak over Tythe and drag her through the gates and from view. I put their gate fee in the hand of one guard and then took off before they could recover.

I then had to disguise myself to get into the city. I do not trust sorcery; so I took my dagger and cut my braid off, and then bought new clothes as soon as I passed through the northern gate. I bought new clothes for Deaglan as well, as he might be recognizable. I think Tythe will not be so easy to recall once she has her regular clothes on.

I met up with Tythe, and we are heading to “The Tails” somewhere near the docks to find the others.

I have noticed that Salma wears a braid of hair as her holy symbol— maybe she can use mine.