Sarenith 29 (Evening, Magnimar)

Tien is dizzyingly complicated. The written form has thousands of pictographs and the spoken language is tonal. I’ve gotten started with some introductory lessons here over the past couple of days and some books that will allow limited self-study, but this is not going to be an easy process. Fortunately, I’ll be spending the next month on a long, and likely dull, caravan journey with a native speaker.

Erastus 1 (Afternoon, Sandpoint)

I checked in with Sandru and the caravan preparations are complete. The last of the wagon upgrades was finishing up while I was there and the provisions have probably been loaded by now. We’ll be leaving at dawn tomorrow morning.

I first got to know Sandru when he was working as a caravan guard back in the early 4700’s. Dad used caravans a lot for transporting goods between Sandpoint and nearby settlements, even the coastal ones like Riddleport, and I watched too many to count load and unload at the warehouse. Most of the caravan guards tended to be gruff and not very sociable, assuming that they even had anything intelligent to say, but Sandru was the exception. It may have been in part because he grew up here, but I think it was mostly just Sandru: he likes people, he likes to talk to people, and he’s genuinely friendly. What I remember the most about him, though, is that he talked to me more or less like an adult. A lot of people talk down to children. Sandru just wasn’t like that.

His family has been entangled with the Sczarni for as long as anyone can remember. Sandru is one of the few that wants nothing to do with them and he tends to keep away from Sandpoint except for business. My understanding is that he and his older brother do not get along; dad tells me that Jubrayl is the local Sczarni leader so I can see how that might put a strain on family relations. Staying away probably makes that easier.

When Ameiko ran off that second time to pursue an adventurer’s life Sandru was part of the group. Neither of them talked about what happened out there when they came back a year later and he disappeared for a while after that. In a way, they both did: Ameiko retreated into herself and threw up walls while Sandru was more literal about it. In time, he came back to Sandpoint only as the owner of his own caravan. Like Ameiko, he had used the coin he’d earned from that year in the wild to make a new life for himself. Mom and dad actually used his caravan a lot in that time—I think they still do, in fact—as he tended to keep it pretty close to Sandpoint, Magnimar, and Riddleport and they already knew and trusted him.

Mom gets a kick out of flirting with him and basically making him uncomfortable, which is just one of those things mom does sometimes. I’ve often wondered if it bothers dad. I brought this up to him once a couple of years ago and he said, “I trust your mother completely”. Which was not the question I asked, but I guess it’s the one that matters. The last time we were in Korvosa was several years ago, and I asked grandma about what mom was like before she and dad met. She said mom was a pretty heavy flirt back then, but she intimidated boys. Like, a lot. Even the ones she liked. She chuckled and said, “Your dad was perhaps the only one that wasn’t scared of her.” Maybe that’s why he doesn’t worry.

I saw Qatana this morning as she was getting in from Magnimar. She seemed disappointed that we hadn’t traveled together. It should have occurred to me to ask.

Erastus 10 (Evening, Roderic’s Cove)

We encountered a small band of ogres just a few hours outside of Rod’s Cove. Sandru was very concerned about this, as ogres are just not very common in this part of Varisia, much less as a group working together to ambush travelers. We spread the word once we got into town to be on alert for others, just in case it wasn’t an isolated event.

Fortunately for us, our scouts spotted them before we rode into the trap. Our archers circled around behind them while the rest of us stayed with the wagons. Nihali actually played a key role in letting our two groups communicate with one another, albeit crudely. Once the scouts were in position, they let her know and I could feel her excitement. I relayed this to Sandru and Qatana, and they moved the caravan ahead, into the ambush.

Qatana was seated in the lead wagon. She lit one of the sky rockets, aimed it at the ogres’ position and let it go. The explosion spoiled their surprise but left us with several angry, injured ogres still intent on attack. Olmas bravely charged them on his horse, but they were just too big and too strong, and he ended up facing them alone without close support and got badly hurt. Help did arrive and he survived, but it was yet another close call for our group.

I bring this up in detail only because I felt like I was not able to contribute significantly to the engagement. Eventually, I was close enough to toss one of those little acid darts, but overall I felt so limited. And, to be honest, I am a little shaken after having had a lethal exchange with a living creature, even under these circumstances. (I’ve carried a crossbow for years, too, but have never shot at a living target with it, either.) It was one thing to do this to skeletons, and another when it was flesh, blood, and bone—ogre or not. But I couldn’t get close enough, fast enough, to use something else.

This sounds ridiculous after writing it out. I just don’t know how to explain the feeling. I am going to have to come to terms with it.

We tracked the ogres back to their temporary campsite. They’ve been out here a while, it seems, raiding who-knows-what. We found an eclectic assortment of money and valuables which can be used to fund the third supply wagon once we reach Riddleport. Once again, we are profiting off the misfortune of so many others.

Something else I’ll have to come to terms with, it seems.

Erastus 12 (Night, Riddleport)

We are fortunate. Riddleport is a large enough city that a supply wagon with an enhanced undercarriage was available, no waiting. It took us less than two hours to find both that and a driver for hire. We will be able to leave for Brinewall tomorrow morning.

Erastus 14 (Afternoon, Velashu Uplands)

Ameiko is currently sleeping in the covered wagon and we don’t know what’s wrong. Koya is looking after her as best she can.

We stopped briefly for lunch and I noticed that she was looking a little off. In Tien—we’ve been practicing daily, and I’ve asked her to only speak with me in Tien so that I can learn—I asked if she was feeling ill, but she answered in common because some of the others had also noticed and appeared concerned.

“I’m fine! Just a little tired this morning is all.”

She turned to finish cleaning up the mess area of our encampment, took a couple of steps and then collapsed.

No one knows what is wrong. There are suspicions that it’s a magically induced sleep of some sort, and may be related to Brinewall, but it’s all just speculation. What we do know is that her condition isn’t worsening, but it’s not improving, either. For now, we’ve decided to press on and monitor her. If something changes, we can always turn back.

Erastus 14 (Night, Velashu Uplands)

I am staying the night next to Ameiko. Earlier this evening she started talking in her sleep, only speaking in Tien. Koya had someone come and get me, but by the time I climbed into the wagon she had stopped. Koya agreed to let me stay with her, just in case she speaks again. It turns out that this was a wise decision because it happened two more times after that.

My Tien is still not great and her wording has been cryptic if not outright archaic. I can’t realistically use a spell because the incidents are too short and too far apart, so instead I have been writing down what she says phonetically and translating it after the fact as best as I can. This is what she said tonight:

Beware the birds that wish to fly but cannot.

One treasure beyond two seals in the third vault.

Ameiko has never, to my knowledge, spoken in riddles like this. More support for the theory that what is happening to her has something to do with where we are headed.

Erastus 15 (Evening, Velashu Uplands)

Ameiko spoke again today. I almost missed it.

Beware the cuckolded cuckoo. It is in his shattered, silent love you should seek aide.

My translation is a bit speculative there, but as I said yesterday Ameiko’s word choice has been unusual. There is no direct translation for the Tien, but it appeared to be a play on words of some sort between a terrestrial bird and one who had been cheated on by a mate or lover. The second part is ambiguous as well, and I don’t know if “love” is intended to mean an emotion or a person. That would mean the difference between seeking out “him”, and seeking out his lover. Since we are told to “beware” him, I am assuming the latter.

This is also the second reference to birds. The only bird-men I have heard of are Tengu, but I have never seen any in Varisia.

Erastus 16 (Evening, The Nolands)

Today’s clue is:

The key you seek lies in the grip of the ten-handed one. His fear is your greatest ally.

There are demons with many arms and hands. But what would a demon fear?

Erastus 17 (Noon, The Nolands)

Ameiko spoke again this morning.

Grandfather waits in the dark, but he knows not who he was.

We are all in agreement on this one: Rokuro has been turned into an undead. Possibly a kind that retains its will.

For the last several days, Ameiko has had neither food nor water yet her physical condition remains unchanged. There are spells that can sustain a person in this manner, but there’s no evidence that one is in effect. More mysteries.

Erastus 17 (Evening, Brinewall)

We have arrived.