From the Journal of Gerard of Kleine

In the weeks following my return from the monolith in the Lower Great Grasslands, we kept getting reports of Sempronious’ exploits in the south of the island with Mongo the Giant and Theon, the Black Knight.  I had tried to keep my mind on my training but weeks had turned into months and now a year had gone by and I was no closer to becoming a Paladin.  One morning there was knock on my chamber door:  It was Panril Shortankard, the Abbot of the Temple.  Being a Gnome, Panril was short in statue, but his reputation was as tall as the greatstaff he always carried with him.  He was the father I wished I had had.

“Gerard my lad, I think it’s time we both face some facts.  Your heart has not been with your training for some time.  Perhaps it’s time you left the order, at least for now, and decide what it is you really want to do with your life.”

I couldn’t argue with my mentor, so I packed my bags and left the next day.  There was only one person that I wanted to see outside the Temple so I headed down the mountain toward Melinir.

I found Menolly at her father’s house.  She had managed her father’s (Captain Commander Malek’s) household since she was a teenager.  After the Captain left my father’s employ (Menolly and I were ten) we had been able to see each other only rarely, but we had written each other many times over the years.  I could tell she was very happy to see me and I wanted to tell her everything that had been on my mind over the past year.  She suggested we should pay a visit to the Cinnamon Star Tavern.

“That place is for kids.”

“I know, but if I remember correctly, we spent a lot of time there when we were kids.”

I really didn’t care where we went, as long as I could spend time with Menolly.  She found us a table while I went to the bar to get a pitcher of ale.  While I pretended not to notice Varro topping off the pitcher with a fair amount of water, I did observe a sailor snoring with his head down at the end of bar.  He looked up at me groggily.

“What you lookin’ at bub?”

I didn’t have to answer as he went almost immediately back into a stuporous sleep.  Varro came back with the ale and I took it to our table.  Menolly took one sip and said:

“I can see Varro is still up to his old tricks.”

“Well he can get away with it.  Most of his patrons are kids.  I said sheepishly.

“Very funny….”  Her attention seemed to have been drawn to something or someone behind me.  “Recognize him?”  She directed my gaze to three teenagers seated at a table on the other side of the tavern.  “I was secretly hoping we might run into him here.”

I almost didn’t recognize my nephew Revlis.  The last time I saw him, he was about eight.  Now he was 16 years old.

“That girl?”

“Yes.” Confirmed Menolly.  “That is the Lord Protector’s daughter, Miranda.  Your nephew and his best friend there are both hopelessly in love with her.”  She gave me a hard look.  “You’re not even going to talk to him are you?”

“What am I supposed to say to him?  ‘I saved your life when you were a baby because I refused to follow my father’s orders when he demanded that I kill you’?”

“Well, maybe you shouldn’t lead with that.”

After what seemed like an eternity Revlis and his friends got up and left the tavern.  Menolly was not at all pleased with me,. 

“I have to take care of something at the house…Gerry, I think you’re going to regret not trying to connect with Revlis, but I love you and you can come back by to see me before you leave.”

“Who said I was going to leave?”

She didn’t say anything, just walked away and left me sulking with the dregs of our pitcher.

“What are you trying to pull barkeep?”

The drunken sailor had awoken and was accosting Verro for some reason.  All of sudden I was spoiling for a fight.

“This ale is little more than swill!”

“Calm down swabby.” I said “You’re obviously not a local or you would know that the Cinnamon Star is famous for its watered brew.”

“I will have a full flavored draft or know the reason why!”  He drew back his fist to swing on me.

“Malador! What’s the meaning of this!?  A large man in a sea captain’s coat was standing in the doorway.  He quickly strode to where we were standing and I recognized him as Samwell Trovbane, a merchant captain and huge rival of my father.

“Cap’n Sir, I was just trying to get an ale that tastes like an ale. Cap’n Sir.” Sputtered Malador.

“Well, you’re not likely to find one here.  Look around you man! This place caters to pups. “The rest of the crew is across the street at the Slaughtered Peacock, the real tavern.  No offence barkeep.”

“None taken.” Said Varro, who was obviously amused at this exchange.

Trovebane turned back to Malador.  “I would suggest you join your shipmates at the Peacock or better yet find lodgings for the night we hoist sail first thing in the morning.”

“Yes, Cap’n Sir.”

Malador gave me one more defiant look before stomping out the door.

“Can you believe that’s my First Mate?  You could probably do a better job for me than him.”

“I’m sure he does a fine job when he’s not in his cups Captain Trovebain.”  I said generously.

“Ah, so you remember me young Tarmikos?”

“I am honored that you remember me Captain, but I no longer go by my father’s surname.  You can call me Gerard of Kleine.”

“All the better, and you are quite right, under normal circumstances, Malador is an excellent First Mate.  However, I am in need of a boatswain if you are in need of a job….or an adventure.”

Menolly’s words echoed in my ears: “You can come back by to see me before you leave.”  I desperately wanted to prove her wrong and stay with her, but I knew if I did I would have to face Revlis and I just wasn’t ready to do that yet.  He didn’t even know I was his uncle.

So it was that the next morning I found myself the boatswain of the Crimson Hawk.

We sailed north to the mainland and then east along the coastline, picking up both cargo and passengers.  The first two passengers we picked up were a dwarf cleric, a woman named Pax and a Barbarian gnome called Grizzlegar.  Soon after they came aboard, as I was going about my duties as boatswain, I came upon Pax, hanging over the railing.  She was obviously seasick.  I told her I would go to the cook and get something to settle her stomach.  I noticed she had a patch with the symbol of Kord embroidered on her tunic.  It turned out she was making her first pilgrimage to the Temple of Kord on Thunder Rift, The concoction I had brought her seemed to be working and she listened excited as I told her she was in for a treat seeing the Temple and view from the mountains for the first time.  I also told her she would really really like Panril Shortankard, the Abbot.

Later that night, Malador shoved me rudely awake.

“Don’t think I’m going to give you any special treatment Tarmikos, just because you’re friends with the Captain.  Now I need you to check out the passenger’s sleeping quarters.  Our new passengers have complained about rats.”

 I ignored him calling me Tarmikos.  (He must have eavesdropped on the conversation at the Cinnamon Star)  I just did what I was told.  On the deck, Pax and Grizzlegar offered to help me track down and kill the rats.  Grizzlegar struck a deal with Malador to get paid for our trouble.

We were able to accomplish our task and after some haggling with Malador I ended up letting Pax and Grizzlegar keep the bulk of the reward.  We had found various treasure in the rat’s nests (that we kept from Malador) chiefly a small dolphin statue.

Pax and Grizzlegar went back to bed but I stayed out on the deck.  So far Captain had made good on his offer of a job but not much of an adventure yet.  Looking out to sea, I got the feeling that was about to change.