istainion

25 January, 2021 [7:00 PM - 11:30 PM+ (GMT+1)]

After we left the blacksmith after handing Morgu the commissions from Yshvara and Tibirin, I realized how uncomfortable I felt again. The stench ... The way that paint stuff on my face itches my skin, now that it's no longer on my eyelids ... Yshvara tried to convince me that it wasn't that bad, she said that I smelled better than most people and the same for my looks but I simply couldn't believe a single word she said! I just ... I just want a hot bath to get all of this disgusting stuff off of me and NOW! I can't go around, visit merchants and even nobles with a smell this poor! That's just disrespectful for those people! You gotta treat nobles with respect, too! I mean ...

We went to the inn, believing that they would provide us such services and I couldn't resist simply jumping on the counter to talk to the innkeeper, Urwin. I nearly ... No wait, I did beg ... Okay, I BEGGED this man to rescue me from the disgusting smell. He was surprised, of course, thinking I needed a bottle of liquor to cure whatever was bothering me but it was (custom) liquor that caused this! No, I nearly yelled at him. A BATH. I saw by the look in his eyes that he needed some time to process it until he offered me the possibility to get a bath. I gave him this look, I was happy but then he was quick to offer a special bath, one with herbs and it would cost me 1 gold piece for the opportunity. Of course, I didn't hesitate?! I'll pay whatever to feel clean!

Then Naedithas came to the counter and asked for the strongest liquor but placed too much gold down. Why is he so desperate to get drunk, I wonder ... Not a single reason will make me understand but I could at least try to understand why people are willing to drink something that tastes so horribly like liquor. In any case, he paid too much which the Innkeeper noticed as well. Naedithas said that it was for the bath I am planning to take. Huh? He told me to simply accept it and not make a scene. I carefully nodded at him but the surprise wouldn't get off my face when I watched him take a seat with his liquor in the very back. Urwin promised me that it would take a little to get the bath ready and his wife would help. She even offered me to wash my clothes, which was really sweet ... Until I realized that she would do that in the same room. RATHER NOT! THANKS! I LIKE MY PRIVACY ...! Haaaahahaaaa ...

I took a seat at the same table where Naedithas sat with Shevat and the others and watched how the bodyguard just drank the mysterious bottle with a hand drawn raven symbol was on. Everyone was just ... Staring at him. He effortlessly swallowed all of it. Much like he's been doing pretty much all day with a frustrated expression. I'll never understand this but I was truly impressed with his ability to hold so much fluids inside his body without bursting. He didn't give a sign, he just ... He began to act a little strange. He clearly struggled a little when that assumed strong liquor hit his throat. The way he squeezed his eyes shut for a little and kept squinting him until he placed the bottle down with a red face. His entire posture loosened up and he could barely sit straight on the bench/chair. Shevat asked if he was doing well and Naedithas just smiled without a care in the world. His permanent frown loosened up and he just kept smiling after he looked from place to place. I've tried to follow the directions he looked in but there was no pattern as he was quick to look away again. Much like he was testing something.

"He's quiet.", the bodyguard suddenly let out. All of us were confused and asked who he refers to but Naedithas only returned us some vague answers. None of it makes sense and even if I did try to obtain more information out of him, all of it has failed. Tibirin was babysitting our vistana companion, Arabel(?), currently known as Mina who is disguised like a common child in Vallaki. She's been playing around with Brom and that other child from the innkeeper that runs through the inn like it's their playground. Of course, my attention was elsewhere than those little monsters. I was fascinated by Naedithas who's been grinning in all directions and behaved so much differently than normally. I assume this is the state of having too much liquor, to be drunk. Now, I'll have to see how I can use this to my advantage~ He's been keeping a lot of secrets ... Yeah, I couldn't hold it. I immediately asked about this situation of 75 years ago. Again, no luck. Damn this! One day, I'll discover what you're hiding, I swear!!

Then the innkeeper said that the bath was done and I jumped up. I've received a route description that would lead me to the stables where a large tub stood. It was everything but luxurious but in this state I felt, I just couldn't care less and approached it. I've tested the water's temperature and smelled the fresh scent of flowers, lavender and other herbals. I felt how everything inside of me relaxed and tension disappeared just by inhaling the smell. This is worth the gold ... I tossed my clothes to the side and jumped in to feel my muscles relax at the touch of warm water. I felt how all the disgusting stains left my skin, the remains of facial paint that reached all the way to my cheeks ... It was gone. Though I've noticed how the tub water got a little red. More of the pigment is gone from my hair and the thought began to trouble me a little. Luckily I still have some of those cosmetics with me but I can't say the same for my hair ... Hopefully, they won't notice the difference. They haven't been questioning anything about me, so I guess this will be fine ...

Suddenly, I heard voices in the back and I immediately felt the cold sweat on my face form when I saw Shevat in the distance with a few others. I quickly moved deeper into the water, just enough to hide my nude ASS from them! He walked in and said it was important. What is MORE important than my DAMNED privacy when I'm ENTIRELY NUDE. I couldn't be fast enough to yell at him to get out and leave me alone. I saw that behind him stood Yshvara and I heard other voices as well. WHAT'S WITH THIS? Are you into this sort of thing, you guys?! Shevat was quick to come to business and spoke of the ritual book of the unknown language. He NEEDED IT and everything else DIDN'T MATTER. I hate it how he simply couldn't WAIT until I'm finished with bathing. I heard Yshvara's voice in my mind apologizing. She said that she tried to stop him but I am seeing the result of that attempt - it has failed. WHY IS SHE ALSO HERE, THOUGH? I recall seeing Ireena as well who told that little girl that she should come in because it is fun. I've never felt so much humiliation in my life before.

I've asked Shevat if he couldn't wait and even asked if it is more important than I am. He confirmed both to me. He said that he couldn't wait, it was important and then this stuff about that the lake is empty. Neither that I am more important than that. Yeah, it stung a little but what did I expect from a member of a group I've only recently met ...

I let Shevat have the damned, forsaken, ritual book in return for a promise to give it back when he's done. There wasn't much I could do anyway when he approached the chair with my clothes and bag on. Not with this much audience even if I did want to hold him from it. I was afraid that he would take it away from me and burn it or something before I could manage to decipher it. He has shown pretty extreme traits of his every now and then. Along with it, I know that he can be pretty reckless, similarly to Yshvara. And while they left, I've requested Yshvara to try harder next time to keep him out and for Shevat to bring me Naedithas.

He could as well wash my damned back from that stupid liquor he emptied on me but he didn't come even with Shevat's promise. I guess that he couldn't even stand or find his way here in that state of his. So after confirming that I was truly alone, I've been washing my clothes from the stains. I looked over to my bag and considered wearing those second pair of clothes but ... I'd rather not risk it.

A little later, I returned to the others and shot my glares in Shevat's direction. Yshvara apologized to me about his behavior and said that she lectured him a little about common life outside the woods, hinting at me that he doesn't know it better. It makes me wonder if it's normal for his kind to wander the woods butt naked or not because if that's the case, I will think twice about entering Kryptgarden Forest if we ever manage to get out of Barovia alive. I'm glad we didn't run into anyone while we were there. Such odd standards they have ...

Yeah, I accept that he isn't used to it but I refuse to forgive that he just barged in, without considering or taking my word to heart that I need my privacy. To even point out that I am less important than his goal. Tsk. And Naedithas could only answer that he was "here" in the inn, at his seat, when I asked where he was staying. This smile on his face made me want to slap him but I can't do such a thing. Bastard ...!

Yshvara, Tibirin, Arabel and I went out to the blacksmith, who promised that the job we left him with. It wouldn't take long and when we got in FRESHLY SHOWERED, Morgu just finished up the final details of Yshvara's rapier's silver coating. I think that makes us all complete for what could come on our way to Krezk if we manage it out of Vallaki without getting brutally executed. I feel so tense in this place, even worse than before, I do not know who or what to trust. It hasn't been different from when we first entered but I am not up to fight off all the guards of Vallaki for their suspicions on us. I hope the rest is happy with the choice to break into the house of the Burgomeister just to free an unknown face for all this. We left the blacksmith again after Tibirin got his weapon and Yshvara carried a rapier again. Our next stop was the toymaker, Blinsky.

Tibirin had to disappoint the little girl for avoiding his store but Yshvara's promise to buy her all kinds of toys made up for it. I kept myself out of that real nicely. I feel that I will be spending way too much at that older woman's little pies for Naedithas ...

So Tibirin kept his distance when the rest of us approached Blinksky's toy store. There was this large sign that read "Closed", but Yshvara took an effort to knock on the door. Strange enough, he did open up and informed us that he plans to move over to Krezk right before Izek could do something to the store. It seems like he is no longer up to make Ireena dolls for his needs. I needed to ask him about my cause here, for my commission while Arabel was claiming a number of dolls for Yshvara to pay for. I had a feeling that it wouldn't stay with a single one and that, she paid for. He refused to accept payment at first but she insisted to pay him. I think that's fair. I wouldn't even know why he would leave back most of his dolls here if he needs to have something to sell in Krezk. Though, it would make his travel much lighter to leave the unnecessary tools behind. Blinksky said that it was still possible to get my doll done if he puts effort into it but for my cause, I would need the permission from the person I need it to resemble. I hoped that he would shut up if I were to pay more but that wasn't the case. He's too much of an honest man to make the same mistake as with Izek.

Annoyed with the answer, I promised that I would come back. Secretly I hoped that he would work along. If I travel this land anyway, I need some sort of souvenir to look back to this day. And you know? General purposes ... I better succeed for the heck of it. I think it's funny to own a fabric doll of him. After I shared with the man that I would come back I ran out of the store and walked past Yshvara to get to the inn just in time. Without much of an interaction, I just took a hold of Naedithas shoulder and told him to come with me. Yshvara also returned with Tibirin and Arabel to the inn in the meanwhile. I recall Shevat's questioning gaze when he asked me where we would go to but I simply made something up and tugged the drunk bodyguard along with me and handed the ritual book over to her with the promise that she would return it to me. She believes that Rictavio might be of help to understand what the book says and I won't say no for a possibility to find more clues about it. It'll make searching much easier.

I hurried to Blinksky with Naedithas' by my side and knocked on the door to slip inside when the man opened up. I saw that his eyes went in Naedithas' direction. He might be a little intimidated by him by now but he did let us in. Blinksky noticed that Naedithas was behaving a little off during our stay but he somehow went with it. When he explained Naedithas what I was planning to commission here, he laughed and said it would be funny to see. I felt the tension disappear with that, I was so anxious that he would realize it and do weird stuff to me, but instead he just allowed it. Blinksky then took him further inside to catch some of his features to make a doll from in the size of my hand palm. He needed his head from different angles. He needed the sturdy man to make a slow spin as well and that's where I felt my concern grow. A pair of questioning eyes were aimed in my direction for the state the man is in but I told him that we were just exhausted from a recent fight. (I mean, I'm not wrong, am I?!) Blinksky was looking at me just a little longer but then shrugged his shoulders and accepted it. What a relief ...

When everything was done, the toymaker said that it would take two days for him to make it and I paid him two gold. There is some difference in price with Yshvara's commission but I assumed her to be much less detailed or even smaller than mine. I do wonder what her doll is like. She seems so mysterious, I wonder if there is someone out there she really cares for. I imagine, at least, that it's made after someone. Though, how did they give their permission? ... Was it even a person?

On our way back to the inn, Naedithas an I have been talking. I've tried the previous trick again, to learn about "him", the person he referred to back in the inn with the others around. I had hoped that our privacy would encourage him to spill more about it but nothing much was added until I've hit just the right spot. He speaks of a presence, much like a spirit that is with him. This spirit talks to him and he only seemed to have interests for other warriors for some reason. That voice is quiet, it doesn't speak when he's drunk. I have tried to ask if he is with us right now or where he is but Naedithas claimed not to know. I've been wondering ... Can he even see it, himself? He hears this voice but what does it want? What is the spirit after? I wonder ... What makes people talk to spirits. Maybe I could ask that kid if she sees anything near us, she is a future fortune teller, is she not? I wonder if she has that sort of ability ...

Whatever it seems to be about, Naedithas appears to be restless if that is the first thing he mentions when he finally got drunk. A voice ... He ... Interests for warriors ... He never seemed to have spoken about me. Could he have said something about the others instead? Would he lose it if I were to mention it when he sobers up? I looked over to him when a few more thoughts popped up in my mind. After all, there is no one around at this hour. Just those guards doing their routine. I got a little closer to him now that he doesn't notice it anyway and I've asked what he thinks of me. I imagine he would answer truthfully like this, I asked if he likes me ... But the answer was the same. He doesn't know, he didn't learn too much about me and I do agree. He is right. I do not know a lot about him either ... And I really did want to use this opportunity for more but the pressing situation around us with the guards and my insecurity to mess up caught me and helped me resist.

Before we got back inside, I told him to quit drinking the liquor of the fisherman because I am concerned about his health. Naedithas didn't seem to understand it and kept questioning why I care. Then suddenly he said something really odd, like ... "It's not like you're going to put something in my mouth." I just gave him this look and silence before I quickly interrupted the conversation to drag him inside the building when I said that I would pay for all his liquor needs instead. He returned me an "okay" and that was that. I could feel myself getting really, really broke at the end of this all . . .

Inside the inn, the others were waiting. Yshvara came back from her meeting with Rictavio and sent a message to my mind in which she explained about the book we found. It's an elemental summoning ritual book, written in the primordial language. The requirements for each of these rituals seemed to require a living sacrifice. Children ... She said that she assumes that it is of evil origin and explained to me that she suspects that this is the reason for the attack. Though, I wonder ... What happened at the island? Was that drunk seriously summoning forth the elements? What of his sacrifice? We got the girl ... Why did they come to the land without the sacrifice? ... When did they ... Could it be that ... The ritual has been interrupted and those water elements were actually aiming their attack on that drunkard that we dropped off? But they attacked us for interfering ...

I recall what he said to us when I sat on his back. A man in a dark cloak handed him this book and told him that he could use it to catch more fish ... Why could water elementals help him catch more fish if what Shevat said to me ... That the lake is empty ... That man had different intentions. There is only a single place that is connected to the lake, which is Vallaki. I feel that this is an attempt of an attack ... So what of this cult? Could it be Lady Fiona Wachter's book club member that handed him the book? ...

That night, I've shared the room not only with Tibirin but also his fake, new daughter that has her toys spread all over the room. Those vistani encampment brutes better have mercy on us when we do happen to enter their camp just to bring her back ... We've got two bottles of wine and their daughter with way too many toys which she names after us. Except for mine, she names the “clown”, because not enough people seem to already call me like that ....

... I'll have to resist burning it before she wakes back up ...