World of Ortha; Zari's journal.

Zari Iso

-         So I decided to start this journal to collect my thoughts. I must remember to try and be honest with myself while I write this, but realizing I probably will not, just know if you ever get ahold of this book it is probably laden with lies and tales of fancy. I never really steal anything, just think about it.

-         The first thing I want to go over is a history about me. I am from a small town outside of Cabaea, called _____Town 1_______. I was born as the youngest of 25, (there were only 8 at home at most while I lived there) which meant I was given all the attention, and that is basically how I like it.

-         Mother and I used to spend lots of time together, she would teach me to sow dresses and I would parade around in her dresses and pretend I was a princess. She passed away about 10 years ago… a few centuries old… from a normal cold. That is always a problem with Gepardi, we have weak constitutions because of the methods of the Elves who created my people from normal Catfolk. Weak constitutions, and weak willpower. Made us better slaves, I guess… Papa told me they used to make Gepardi taste meals before they ate, and walk into rooms before them. What a horrible way to treat people… but one thing they did do for us, they made us fast. Like really freaking fast. They used us for messengers back in the day, sometimes relaying things through magic was unsafe, and not every elf was a Wizard.

-         So Papa, he is a baker. He has been baking for so long that I am pretty sure he can do his daily routine with his eyes closed. He has really sunk himself into his work since Mother died. I went in to assist him, but the food was so good I began eating it. He scolded me, so began stealing it, at first with various degrees of success, but I became so good at pocketing treats father was oblivious to all the sweet delight I was enjoying. I have been stealing his baked good from under his nose for years now, and he thinks I stopped years ago haha.

Sullivan

-         Sullivan has been there helping him all along. Which is fortunate for me, because with all the free time I have had, Sulli taught me how to fight. Sulli isn’t a Gepardi, he is catfolk, but a large catfolk… very powerful as well as graceful. He started with some simple self defense tricks, then as I turned 16 he bought me my first rapier and taught me fencing. Bonetti’s Defense which helps in rocky terrain, Capa Ferro, Thibault which cancels Capa Ferro, Agrippa… which I have all studied.

-         So when I was 18, father was sick, and he let me go into the capital with Sullivan and deliver his baked goods. I was amazed… it was like nothing I had ever seen. We went to a great house that was as big as my village and I was immediately in love. The doorman opened the door and Sullivan carried a large crate with ease, while I carried a tray with some difficulty. The doorman saw me straining, and took the tray easily from me. He led the way, Sulli and I in tow. We walked by beautiful works of art, statuettes, and into a large banquet hall that was filled with dozens of beautifully dressed humans, dancing and spinning. I gawked, and then I felt the doorman grab me… “You should not linger, kitty.” “Please take your hands off of her.” Sulli said with a hint of anger in his voice. The doorman responded with, “What are you going to do about it?” I looked at the doorman as he stood tall to Sulli. Both were about the same height, but Sulli had him by 50 pounds at least. Then I began to notice things. The doormans pocketwatch. His bracelet. His rings. The rings on the fingers of the Guests, their earrings. I took inventory of each one individually, processing which shiny object I liked the most. Sulli grabbed me and we left the manor house. As I rode in the back of the cart, I pulled out the pocketwatch and stared at it. I wanted more.

-         I began going on every trip into town and learning to act and dress in a way that would gain me more access into the world I wanted to be a part of. Some human men I crossed paths with were very interested in me. They said nice things to me and told me I was exotic, and wanted to see me. They looked well off, so I followed them to a tavern. When I got there, all they did was ask me rude questions and get drunk. I was appalled that they would act like this. So I took all of their money. Not some, all. I had sown hidden pockets into my dresses where I could collect items and keep them invisible. Then I left. I bought more elegant fabrics and made more dresses, and one time in town I tried on a wig and liked it. Red hair suited me. I remember looking in the mirror and remembering the banquet hall Sulli had taken me to.

-         I made a living like this, and while doing so I got to hear many stories from Adventurers in the taverns I frequented. I would look at my 20 gold pieces and see their lumbering bags packed with gold pieces. So I offered to go along with them when they said they needed someone to help, and to my surprise they accepted. The thrill of adventure coursed all over my body, and I said I would go for no charge. It was a few week journey and I had the time of my life. There was another in the party who said she was a Thief by trade, and I stuck with her. She taught me how to lockpick, which I picked up very easily, and where to strike opponents for the best results. Then the ambush happened, and I actually had to use my fencing skills to stay alive. I thought I would be afraid, but I actually was very confident as I dispatched the Goblins. It was a rush like no other I have ever felt. The party leader, a fighter, threw a bag of gold to me, and in it was 10 gold. The fight only lasted for 2 minutes! It took me half a night to worm that amount out of the men at the tavern. The rogue ended up having a disagreement and left the group and I worked with them for a few more months on different adventures.

-         I learned much during those adventures and returned home with 300 gold pieces!  Sulli and my father were glad to see me alive, and I dropped it on them I would be moving into Cabaea into a cheap apartment there. I took very little of my things, said goodbye to my siblings, and made my first step towards my goal of being the wealthiest Gepardi in history.

-         One day, I saw there was going to be a Court at the place Sulli had taken me to years ago. I got into my best dress and made it to the door, to the doorman that I stole from years ago. It took me only a moment, a few words, and a smile, and I was in. He did not even recognize me. While I was there, moving about the women and men, I suddenly saw the Thief who taught me how to pick locks on my first adventure. She was dressed very nice, and I could tell she was actively pickpocketing people. Realizing this might ruin my chances of being with the elite, I found a man and turned her in. The man’s name was Armakh, and he was a court wizard to King Niuso Ventusep of Cabaea. He asked me how I knew she had stolen items, I replied that I was an Adventurer as well, and I always had a knack for watching people and spotting unusual things. He said he was grateful and asked me to come to his estate the next morning.

-         When I got there, I was amazed how beautiful his house was. Then he began telling me he needed me for a mission, that he would pay me very well for completing. There was this vault, and this man looking for it, who was hiring help. Armakh wanted to report back to him any information that I could get pertaining to it. I thought that was simple enough and accepted. I could get information out of people, easily, so this should be quick and painless.

-         So that is where I am now. I have just signed on with this man, Roman, to get information on this vault. Vault just sounds nice and filled with shiny objects and loot.

Zari in Dress

-         This has been a very busy day… so I was in the town of Leppo in the Golden Goat. I had been waiting for Roman and being friendly, casing the place for loot and a chance to practice my Pick-pocketing. In comes this Hunter-looking half elf, who orders a beer and sits in the room. He seems poor enough, so I leave him. Then I see another gentleman, looking sad and pale, at a table by himself. I try to cheer him up, and case him for loot, but he doesn’t allow me to get too close. I bought him a beer to see if that would ease him up. Then I went over to another half-elf, some gent dressed in plain clothes but bearing books, meaning he probably has some money somehow. I introduce myself and learned he was a non-wizard spell-caster by the name of Magnus.  I was anxious to get on with this mission, so I decided to be more forceful and try to do Roman’s job, with less knowledge and more making things up as I moved my mouth. Then Roman finally arrived, and just after that a Fully Armored Dwarf came in. Roman might have mentioned something about Dwarf we were supposed to meet, but honestly I had both hands inside of the pocket of the guy sitting back to back behind me and could care less about those details. Anyway, there was more talking, and soon I was at the side of the Hunter (he was focused on the Dwarf and I was able to sneak up on him… which I don’t think will happen again anytime soon) trying to get him to join our group. After all, he did have a pack with adventuring type gear within. Then Roman appeared to notice the man I had spoken to earlier, and that man quickly tried to exit the tavern when Melkor (the hunter) grabbed him and sat him down in front of Roman. I guessed Melkor was in at that point, which was good. Seeing everyone letting their guard down and an understanding that I no longer needed to act, I pocketed an empty vial and a ring of iron keys off of the man, who we found was named Silas. They let him go, and he ran out of the door and away. Afterwards, as the group was discussing whatever, these loud bells went off in town, the last time they went off I remembered bad things happening. I quickly dropped my dress, revealing my adventuring armor hidden beneath. 

     The hunter went out the door, and I quickly followed him. It was dark, and honestly I couldn’t see shit, except the concern on Melkor's face, which I could not tell was worry or what, but he was moving fast. The rest of the group followed. We were outside of the Golden Goat when people started screaming and running in our direction followed by shambling corpses of Zombies! I took my usual position, behind the party, and waited. The Zombies came on, and soon we were in battle. I enacted Worthgart’s defense (which is actually an attack stance, go figure)  and was able to run through one of the Zombies with my rapier. The party dealt with the Zombies fast enough. Roman and Magnus spitting spells, Rarcek the Dwarf punishing them with his powerful melee attacks, and Melkor dropping them with powerful arrow shots. 

Zombies looked like this sort of.

     I took note that one of the Zombies killed a human and that human rose VERY quickly… not anything I remember hearing about but determined I did not want to die today. Not long after then a rider on a skeletal steed arrived with Skeletons, a blue light on the Horizon getting brighter and brighter at his back. I climbed on a nearby house and after half a minute those undead were also destroyed. Anyways, we ran and came across Silas, who was injured. Melkor put him in a wheelbarrow and we were off… I was checking for life from the slain townsfolk nearby (no, just looting them) and the group suddenly stopped near a Temple. An old man arrived in the entrance way and started talking to Magnus and then more undead creatures arrived. They went hard against Rarcek, who was quickly knocked unconscious… but he was a cleric and I needed him up for my own survival… so I ran in and pulled him back, forcing a potion down his throat. One of those damned floating things hit me, and the pain was severe. I could not take another hit like that. Then the creatures shrieked, and I found myself terrified not wanting to get closer to them. Soon Rarcek got another chance to act and he held aloft his weapon and it glowed with divine power, and soon the undead were fleeing! The party began to fight and I soon the grip of terror left me, and the man in the doorway was slain. I ran to the door to check the body of the man, but the building exploded and a giant monster erupted from the temple with a rider on his back. 

Something like this. Add an arrow stuck into it for Melkor's sake.

Melkor let loose an arrow and went into cover. The rest of the group and I ran, except Roman who stood there in the open. Then the undead dragon thing breathed some magic death at Melkor and Roman, knocking them down. He said some unhappy things about the end of the world, and was off. We ran back to check on the others, and I was utterly surprised to find they were still alive. Magnus beat me to the old man to loot, so I came up behind him and looted Magnus. We made our way to the docks, with some delay as our scouts were tied up with something. I tried to get on a roof and get a better look, but Gepardi have not so good sight in the dark. We ended up at a guardhouse, and I was able to charm one of the guards into giving me a healing potion, which I gave Rarcek in hopes that he would heal me first when the party needed it. We made docks and many ships were leaving, but a few were behind, their crews probably in bars nearby. I put back on my dress and went into the bar, full drama, and was able to pull a crew and it’s captain out. Their ship was the _________, bit it was wee small for our party and their crew. So I got them to believe the Rusty Bucket nearby was Melkor’s ship and we boarded it and sailed for Nisa. Unfortunately, the Captain, who had loaned me his coat (of which I pick pocketed a fancy pocket watch), saw the stupid chain sticking out of my dress and had be sent to the brig. He asked Melkor for the keys, of which I produced the Ring of Iron keys to not blow our cover. The men led me downstairs where I overtook them with threat of my rapier, and tied them up in a broom locker. Eventually Melkor came down and we moved the men into the brig (that I picked open, yeah!) and made sure to give them some of this amazing grog he purchased. I gave the keys to Melkor, and I went in the broom closet where I am now, I just finished packing up my dress that I had dropped to throw off the sailors… and I swore I heard thumping on the hull of the boat… let me check again…

     Good Elias I have been busy. So I went up onto the deck of the ship and there was a sea monster attacking the ship! I grabbed Roman and went into the ladderwell and asked him what we should do... but then Melkor was still on deck fighting the monster. Magnus and Rarcek had too much ale, and Magnus was acting like a child, as do all who drink alcohol, so I punched him in his sacred area. It worked on the Men in the taverns who think they can feel me up just because they are drunk and I am a woman. It did not have the effect I had hoped, but I do believe he became more focused. Maybe I hit him too hard... Anyways we went up and offered assistance to Melkor, but then I saw a headless soldier and decided up was better than here on the deck, so I climbed the pole in the middle of the ship to a stand that was up there. I was about to start shooting arrows at the beast when it appeared and smashed it's teeth into the deck. It was stuck! And the creature was totally right below me, so I pulled out my Rapier and dived down on it from above, Rapier pointed down. I landed easily enough, like normal, and soon the creature was dead. I went and unlocked the sailors from the jail below, and brought them up to the Captain who was very cold to me, for some reason. 

     We landed in Nissa, and on the way off the boat I saw Magnus had dropped an Amulet that looked maybe worth something. It looked like a Raven. I threw it in my pack. So Nissa is immense (many pockets waiting for my hand). It has buildings of all different types. Melkor wanted to get steeds, Roman wanted to go to a Library (BORING). I went with Melkor in an attempt to barter and lower the cost of the Horses. Well, the Establishment owner saw me coming a mile off and dusted my ass out quick.. to be honest I was not feeling that well so maybe that was it. I decided to start working on my Nissa accent, maybe it would help me ease into situations better (and ease out!) Failing miserably, I just gave my gold to Melkor so we could get on with this. In all honesty, it is heavy, and I could just steal it back if I wanted. I also gave Melkor the Amulet I found earlier as well as the Ring of Keys I got off of Silas. 

     We ended up at the Phiesty Pheonix Inn, where I was feeling much better. Roman started dealing out equipment he got from somewhere. I ended up with a VERY shiny dagger, one that was even easier to use than my Rapier! It was obviously magical, I think I will call it Pokey. Fine enough name as anything. 

     Then as always we were off, and ended up at a Monastary with Catacombs underneath. We initially found a dead monk but I searched him and found him to be evil. 

     - We rested in the inn in Nisa and in the morning we left to Volsid. On the way we came upon a camp which had some Ravens in it, and I killed their Raven quickly and our party made short work of the rest. 

     We continued on and just before Volsid we came upon an Orc attack against a group of Travellers. I watched one Orc cut down a girl and I made him my priority. I was able to kill him quickly, then went over the cart and jumped down ontop of another Orc and killed him. Then I went to Rarcek who was fighting a boss Orc. I distracted him and he was pummeled and I finished him off. 3 kills in a sitting. Then while the party went to check on the people, I made sure to check their cart for goods. I gave them 10 gold for their troubles and we helped them tow their cart into Volsid. 

     We stayed the night in the Inn, and a Harekin named Yarris was kind enough to buy me dinner and loan me 5 gold. He also told me that there is a Gathering of Beastkin in Wogrs Bend. 

     That night, we were awoken by a loud shriek. I opened the window only to see everyone else closing their windows. A rider was there and he was evil... I closed my door, went and got Roman and we went downstairs. We learned that the Ravens travel through here. 

     We hit the road and made it almost to Wogr's Bend when we came upon an Elf. He ended up being alright... I am not going into the details, because he said it would be dangerous. His name was Quailend. 

     Valdania, Raven woman.