Jemr the Spirit of the Shield, Cardinal of the Golden Sun

Role

Chapter 5

Well I'm on my way now, despite the nearly interminable delays of the crew.
I think they finally got around to hoisting up the anchor and raising the
sails sometime around noon, nevermind the captain's vociferous demands last
night that I be here with all my things and ready to board at 7:00 sharp,
because "This is a business, not a pleasure cruise, and these carrots have
to be in port by nightfall!" I swear that fat bastard spent most of the
morning sprawled out on the deck, stuffing his face with the precious cargo
and staring absentmindedly at the thin white clouds overhead which were making
considerably more progress northwards than ourselves. And the crew, while less
blatantly obvious in their desire to do as little as possible, was if anything
more earnest about it, and I consider it a small miracle to be on the way at all.

Still, we caught a fine wind just outside the harbor and are making such good
time now that I almost think we really might make our first port by nightfall.
These giants really are unsurpassed in their indolence but at least they have
enough competence to make up for it. I wonder if all giants are such extraordinary
sluggards, and whether it's simply a characteristic of their size? It must take a
terrible amount of energy to get that much bulk moving... in any case it's something
to research a bit more when I reach the continent. I'm sure there will plenty of new
giants to observe after I arrive. Maybe it's just because they're sailors.


Uncle Ravlel spent all morning in much the same manner as he spent the last two weeks,
trying to impress upon me the overwhelming practicality of joining a troupe of bards
and becoming some sort of singing, dancing fool. "Look at your cousin Alk, he trained as
a bard in Seantryn Modan and there's no end to the job offers he receives. Birthdays,
graduations, he even sang at the deputy magistrate's wedding. The magistrate, Jemr!"
Ugh, first of all Alk is a good man, but he simply cannot sing. I heard him try to hit
the high notes in the tranquil serenade he sang at that wedding and it sounded like someone
beating a stray cat with another cat wielded by the tail. And besides the fact that if
anything I sing worse than Alk, I really have no inclination to belt out hackneyed songs
to a second rate magistrate and his pig-faced bride just so I can earn a few coins. There
must be more interesting jobs than professional loudmouth. It's hard to tell for sure
because these loafers spend most of their time laying around anyway, but I think we've
reached some sort of unspoken bedtime, so I'm going to turn in for the night. Hopefully
I can manage to update this journal at least semi-regularly. Thank god we're finally on our way.

Jemr Sounding

Role

Chapter 4

Stopped in Seantryn Modan three days ago to drop off some lumber we'd picked up on the
way and then the crew loaded the ship with crates of scimitars bound for the Sultan in
Hamsah Mu'tazz. It was nice to stretch my legs on real land for a bit, but I quickly
felt an impatient longing to be back out at sea among the wind and the waves. There's a
calming dullness out on the ocean, surrounded by the endless miles of bleak, featureless
water, which belies the incredible diversity of activities going on beneath the surface.
I was bored stupid until I found that by lying on the deck and peering down into the waves
I could actually see down almost to the bottom. The number of creatures below and the contrast
with the uniformly barren scene above is amazing. Schools of brilliant silver fish all moving
as one, bright red crabs scuttling across white sands on their way from one group of rocks to
another. The jungle of green plants swaying in the current and the rainbow of small colored
fish hovering around and within them, staking out their territory and searching for a meal.
It's one of the most fascinating places I've ever seen and it has made the long voyage
much more bearable.

The journey has also been enlivened a bit by the addition of another passenger whom we picked
up in Seantryn Modan, a young man who says he's bound for Hamsah and a life spent studying
the art of necromancy. He appeared on the docks around noon and while his pale sickly body
didn't seem to agree very well with either the sunshine or his luggage, he managed to make it
on board well before departure, largely thanks to the captain's supremely acute distaste for
leaving any place on time.

The man had a pasty, sullen look to him but I was feeling lonely so I offered to help him
find a bunk and get settled in, and after a bit of forced and rather ackward pleasantries, he
began to open up a bit. It was quickly apparent that he's one of the most callous, sadistic
men I've ever met and after a few minutes I almost wished I'd never talked to the bastard.
Absurdly bitter hatred and racism, mixed with almost lecherous greed, plus deep insecurities
which seemed to fuel an overwhelming paranoia, made it slightly difficult to enjoy myself
around the man. But he knew a lot more about life on the mainland and we both shared a strong
curiousity about the life and biology of organisms, though for quite different reasons, so that
we ended up having several fascinating if not pleasant conversations about the guilds teaching
in the cities and various topics concerning creatures and how life functions. He really does
have a terribly brilliant mind and it seems a dangerous shame that it's going to be bent towards
the path he seems headed down. For his own part, when the man realized I didn't see his views
very favorably, he suggested I might avoid the hassle of joining a guild and just become a slave
instead.

We haven't spoken much since then. I'm content to let him sit below deck and brood and he seems
to feel likewise, although we occasionally discuss scientific issues we both have an interest in.
I still spend most of my time watching the sea floor drift by, but now my mind is preoccupied with
what studies I'll devote myself to when we finally reach the city. I've pretty well dec

Role

Chapter 3

The ship arrived at the Hamsah docks this afternoon. The necromancer and myself parted company
not as friends but with a sort of wary respect for each other's abilities. I'm rather glad I met
the man before he had enough training to be tempted to practice his art on me. Wandered about the
city for a while, exploring the markets and the temples before making my way over to the shapeshifter's
guild. A spacious, recently constructed building that seemed very impressive and a little imposing.
There was a bit of confusion at first when I made my way up the stairs and couldn't find anyone to
speak with, but after being startled nearly back down the stairs by a voice I couldn't see, the
guildmaster made himself visible and following a few surprisingly simple questions I was admitted into
the guild as an apprentice of magic. There really didn't seem to be any sort of requirements or tests
for entrance and I'm a bit worried that maybe they don't keep very high standards in this guild, but
I've yet to meet any fellow students so it's too early to judge. My teacher seems quite knowledgeable
at any rate.

There are five foci to pick among and the guildmaster thinks I can probably handle learning two of them.
They all sound interesting and I think I could learn a great deal and be happy with any of the five but
I haven't been able to decide on any of them yet. There's no rush though, I have quite a lot to learn
apparently before I will be ready to take my first form whatever it is, so I'm going to focus on the
skills they're teaching me now and spend a while longer examining my options.

JS

Role

Chapter 2

Spent a while out hunting and learning the basic spells, then made visits to the guilds in Galadon
and Voralian City. Met significantly more students in the Galadon guild than in Hamsah and searched
through the libraries of both guilds, reading up on the history of the profession and what has been
discovered so far. There were plenty of works written on the animals inhabiting the forests and
mountains in the area, and numerous scrolls on the methods used to take shape, but I could find very
little concerning the creatures of the sea and not much more about the air focus.

So I've pretty much decided to focus most of my efforts on understanding the water path. It's an excellent
opportunity to advance the guild's knowledge and frankly I find the sea far more interesting at any rate.
So much has already been studied on the terrestrial creatures, there seems little new to offer. I'm looking
forward to finally learning enough to take shape and do some exploring down where I could only look before.

JS

Role

Chapter 1

Several friends fell defending themselves against the Empire. I was unable to help
but there would have been little chance of turning the tide even if I could have fought.
The slaughter was merciless and, as near as I could determine, senseless. And it
was only the most recent of many vicious attacks I've witnessed, by evil of all manner
of persuation, imperial or otherwise.

I've come to believe that there is little hope of progress, for good or for knowledge,
with this sort of nonsense taking place all across the land. Half those fools care
nothing for knowledge and the other half only seek the sort that will serve their own
agenda. They make it exceedingly difficult to produce any sort of research for the
general benefit of the lands and the guild.

I'm thinking of seeking a place within the Fortress of Light as a scribe. Little good
will be achieved if I simply avoid confronting the problem and focus solely on my studies.
And some things are proving to be more important than a couple pages of notes for the guild.

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