Today’s snippet, titled “Rizlin’s Road Diary, Part One”, is a piece I wrote about an NPC in my Pathfinder Campaign (sort of the “King Maker” adventure path). The intention behind this was to illustrate events occurring in the world, but away from the PCs. They’re supposed to be writing their own pieces about actual in-game events. We shall see if any materialize.
Be forewarned, there are mature themes and naughty language below.
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Arodus 18th, 4709
Dear Diary,
There is a strange new scent in the air at the Temple of Abadar’s Arm today. It smells like adventure!
Obviously, I am quite excited to have been chosen – more than just the honor of being the spiritual guide and personal healer of such an important man, I will be joining an official charter commissioned to map a great swath of the Stolen Lands!
I imagine my uncle will not be terribly pleased to find that I have willingly put myself in such a dangerous position, but to be perfectly frank – to the Hells with him! I am my own woman, an independent, grown woman of eighteen years. He granted me leave to join the Golden Order, he shall simply have to accept my choices therein.
The gentleman who has hired me goes by the name Gavriil Matav. His troupe is called Phoenix Rising. They will be heading south to give aid to a rancher’s family, displaced by bandits of a sort. Just sort of kind and noble act in which I long to participate.
Before my uncle marries me off to some ridiculous fop, I want nothing more than to spread the Golden Word and give any aid I can to the people.
~Rizlin
Rova 2nd, 4709
Dear Diary,
I have just spoken with the gentleman again – Gavriil, that is. Though he originally expected to be gone only three days, it has been two weeks since I was officially hired.
This time tomorrow I shall be mounted on Sathyan and we shall be riding with Phoenix Rising toward Restov. How excited am I? Entirely. I have been packed and ready to depart for days and days. Sincerely, I do not know how I shall sleep tonight.
I feel half a girl again!
~Rizlin
Rova 5th, 4709
Dear Diary,
I shall not have time to write tonight, for my rear is sore and my thighs exhausted.
Still, I felt the urge to share what I have learned about this troupe so far. Gavriil is the leader, a handsome young man with impeccable manners and eyes a girl could lose herself in with no difficulty. His second appears to be a tiny blonde woman with the heart of a lioness – her name is Lexi Novokovsky (or something similar). Neither she, nor her tall, raven-haired lover, Zehavah, have had much to say to me but truly, they seem pleasant enough. I think perhaps they are just lost in the novelty of love.
I hope one day to experience that myself.
Both Lexi and Erin, a big blond man, are holy warriors. Neither have heard the Golden Word – but she follows Sarenrae with such verve, and he, Iomedae, fervently. I am so pleased to know that in addition to the good they do by being pure of heart – there are sacred vows dedicating their lives to righteousness.
Ryven is a small, wild little man with oiled muscles and many a lurid joke! I have never heard such ribald limericks and bawdy songs. I think I blushed more in the past three days than ever before.
There is another female in their party – a woman named Rachel. She is a sorceress, they tell me, but a quiet and studious sort. Perhaps one day we shall be friends for she seems educated and mannered – but for all that we must have in common, by merit of our high-birth, she is quite cold and distant. Perhaps in time, a friendship will blossom.
Dear Abadar! It has grown so late and I am still writing… I must sign off now, Gavriil likes to pray at the very earliest light of dawn and I do so need my rest. Riding all day is more exhausting than I would have thought!
~Rizlin
Rova 8th, 4709
Dear Diary,
Tonight I had the most fantastic meal I have enjoyed since I left my uncle’s home! Make note, Rizlin, the Salted Calf is THE place to eat sumptuous food in this city.
Restov is a wonder – so much less muddy and dirty, so many fewer rabble rousers. It is utterly unlike the stinky streets of the capital. Still, it is not precisely an idyllic place. There are vagrants in the darker corners of the city, and crime, and hunger. So many hungry little faces. I feel so awful thinking about how scandalously I indulged – but a girl could not help herself when faced with scallion & garlic mashed potatoes, herbed gravy over seared duck breast, bacon and rosemary dressing on fresh greens, and a rich salted caramel sauce over a pear and pecan tart.
I die just thinking about it. Drooling.
~Rizlin
Rova 11th, 4709
Dear Diary,
Ashamed to admit it, yet I must, here in my most private thoughts at least – a real bed is a miraculous thing. Although Gavriil has spared no expense in creating a comfortable living space in his tent, the pillows and blankets cannot replace the sheer pleasure of a mattress. Sure, the one here at Leveton is straw-tick and itchy, but it is a thousand times better than the ground, even with the pillows.
Leveton is not what I expected, precisely. It is a few small buildings inside a wooden wall with just a handful of people living inside. They’re lovely, kind people – humble, salt-of-the-earth-types. I quite liked Svetlana, Oleg’s wife, and Oleg himself, though he is a surly type. Gruff. He reminds me of my uncle on the days when he forgets to put on his lordly mask.
There is a girl here who looks at Gavriil with great affection and no small amount of longing. I hope my own secret attitudes are not so easily deciphered upon my face.
~Rizlin
Rova 16th, 4709
Dear Diary,
How queer a day this has become! When the camp stirred after dawn – three of our number failed to awaken. No amount of nudging or pinching or splashes of cold water disturbed them and though I tried to reassure the others that their friends were alive but bespelled, they worried just the same.
Zehavah, Ryven, and Rachel remain in some strange deep slumber even now. I will continue to feed them broth and honeyed water, to care for them as best I can, but I cannot see an end to this unfamiliar magic. And magic I am fairly certain it must be. Though for the life of me, I cannot figure out why only the three of them were affected when so many of us slept around the campfire last night.
I pray the slumber is short, but… they lay bound to travois and are all but unmoving. It is eerie and terrifying. This adventure has so many unexpected twists – I did not anticipate all of this.
~Rizlin
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Note: Image is “Dear Diary” by NC_Graphics from SXC.hu