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- The raid was a harsh one. I have lost many of my crew and have not taken any captives. The men felt it was better to avenge their Brothers than to just put the captives into slavery. It seems the other ship was after the same thing we were. All we managed to get from them were their weapons and the coinage they carried on them, as well as a few rations. We are making our way back to our beloved port. The oars are at half speed, due to the lack of men. Needless to say, the mood of the crew is very low. I have a feeling my men do not have much fight left in them.
- We have slowly been making our way back home. The men seem to be a little more at ease with what has happened; they are starting to think of it as a good battle. Soon we will place our men at sea, and let them have a true Seaman's burial. My mind has not been on the girl that much since the raid. For this I am happy. The men need someone right now that is focused. I have been thinking that once I am back at my beloved port, I will find a tarnsman and have him teach me the ways of the tarn. I think I would like to try a raid by myself, to see if I still deserve to lead my crew into raids.
- I have noticed a number of my men have started to use the kandra leaves. It seems they are using this to keep their minds off of things that could possibly happen on our voyage back. One of the men has been carving a piece of wood. It has a hollow shank and a bowl like end. Believe it or not, he has started to place the kandra into the bowl and light it. I have a feeling this habit will be taken up by most of my men by the time we reach shore. Our rations are well enough and the spirit of the men seems to be rising some. Soon we will make our beloved port.
- It has been a few days since last I wrote. We have been on the run from a small, black vessel. I have had the men at full oar for a day now, and they grow very tired. I too have picked up the oar to help. I fear the worst: that we will fall prey to the steadily gaining vessel. You can see the fear in the men's eyes when you look upon them. I have made two of my officers put on basic wear, so that if captured I can have officers among my crew. I will keep my cloak, for if a captain would not be found, the men would most likely be put to death, or worse, slavery. My shift at the oar is at hand, so I must go.
- The other vessel seemed to stop the chase once we neared the shore. I have a feeling that it was one of my rivals. Once we land I will have the men rest and relax their bodies, and have the slaves oil them down. Their upper bodies were worked hard, and I fear that I will lose good men if they do not rest soon. I have given the word to raise the sails, so that we may sail into the port instead of working them more. One of my officers and I have settled back to play a game of kaissa. The men are on their benches resting as of now.
- We have landed and my men were greeted warmly by the slaves. I too was greeted by one: Qah`ri. I have given the order for the slaves to go and oil them down; I too was taken and oiled down. After a rest, I sent two of my men to retrieve the items on board, and I settled down with Qah`ri, talking. I am starting to have a feeling that maybe I should free this one and ask her for a Free Companionship. I am not sure as of yet. I will think the matter over more while I am in my port, walking the streets. I also will try to find a tarnsman to teach me his ways.
- To my surprise, the man Elronnd was at one of the taverns. I talked with him a good deal and found out that he was one that knew of tarns. I have sent word back to The Guild, not to expect me for a hand, for I will be busy. It is my understanding that the men will think I am just relaxing. After talking to Elronnd for a while, we went back to a tarn cot and looked over the birds. There are many there that caught my eye, two of which were war tarns. One was a brilliant red. The other a brown and black. I was given words of warning about the creatures, but I failed to heed them. I visited a healer soon after my ignorance. It seemed the bird wanted to test me, before I could test it.
- After I was patched, Elronnd and I went back to the cots and I purchased one of the beauties: the brown and black one. The one that had attacked me but a few days before. I have sent word back to my men that I shall be gone for a while longer, and not to expect me. I and Elronnd had gone to a secluded part of the delta and there he started to teach me some of the ways of the tarnsman. He taught me more than a hand on how to work the straps and treat the beast. Once I saddled the bird for the first time, a great thrill came over my body. It was like I had defeated one of the greatest enemies I have ever known, just by saddling the great bird.
- I bid Elronnd fare well as I took flight. I found my bird leading me to the north. As the great tarnsman told me, I kept the bird flying high, so that none could make out my outline, only that of the bird. While in the air I saw numbers of fires from peasants and others outside the great cities. I traveled to Lara and gave the bird to a tarn keeper, so that he might take care of it. I walked around the city for a while, stopping in an Inn for the nights resting. Once I got my things settled down in the quarters, I made my way to the tables and furs of the Inn. I settled back into a corner, and drank of some paga as I watched over the Inn. Soon a high spirited man dressed in a red tunic came and sat by my side. He carried his helmet in his hands, and in the dim light I could make out very little of his features.
- This morning I came down to the furs and tables and the man was still there. I figured him to be a resident of the Inn. I sat down next to him and we began to talk and drink, but mostly drink. After a while, he mentioned his name, Bandolini. We got to talking some more and I grew to like this man. His height that of about mine, his eyes the same as well, and his hair showing a bit of his age: blond, with grayish outlines. I found myself later today walking and talking with him down the streets. He seems quite wise, but a bit to cheerful. We learned a lot of each other within the day. Upon my return back to the Inn, I met a very lovely slave, called Cinmin, whom was collared to the Inn.
- I have met the owner of the Inn today. She wore the blue robes of a Scribe, and ran the Inn like a leader would lead his troops. The lady had collared a kajirus. The boy's name I learned to be Caoir; the Lady's, Lorelle. The Inn's chain was comprised of three girls. I found the Inn to be most hospitable to a stranger; this pleased me greatly. After meeting Lorelle and the slaves of the Inn, I found myself walking down the streets yet again. I noticed the chain of slaves which were now for sale by the Slavers, the pelts of sleen and larl, people chattering as the went about the market. Growing tired of the walk I went to a near by paga tavern and tried to learn information about the town, from one of the drunken sailors that were there. Tomorrow I believe I will make plans to return to my beloved port and gather my crew together for I have thought of a way to raid some ships of Cos with hardly any casualties to my own.
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