Jamsey Hoss - Journal of the Errant Knight

For character backgrounds and journals.
User avatar
EdinSumar
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2016 12:01 pm

Jamsey Hoss - Journal of the Errant Knight

Postby EdinSumar » Wed Jan 06, 2016 11:16 pm

[Most of this journal is an entirely uninteresting sight.]

[At the top of the first page are red markings.]

K I C N : IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII
S I C N : II


Flamerule 28

First entry. So it has come to this?

This journal belongs to Jamsey of the House Hoss.
Third son to Duke Valace II Hoss and Errant Knight in the service of the church of Siamorphe.

I am not a writer and this is not written for your enjoyment. It is merely here to grant me a clear overview of my past, in the event that I might require such. The priestess thought it would be wise to start such a journal, so I have done this. If you are reading this, I am most probably dead and gone. You might even have killed me. I congratulate you on your meager earnings, in that case. I at least hope for my legacy that the glory outweighed the material prize of the slaying.

Signed,
J.H.

[...]

Flamerule 3

When I originally set out on this journey I will admit I had my misgivings. Surely father had better need of a third son than a glorified adventurer prancing about slaying the odd rabid bear and chasing away goblins from the cattle of peasants. A Duke will need commanders, lawmen, and administrators, after all. It is entirely seemly that those of his blood should take up these professions in his service. The blue blood does still command considerable respect, and for good reason. All men are better served with such scions of aristocracy in the lead.

In the time since then I'll have to admit that I've been pleasantly surprised, though. The work with the church of The Divine Right has proven everything but boring and predictable. Even the admittedly rather predictable skirmishes with various humanoids have turned into solid practice for what awaits once I finally return to the lands of my father. These are all tests of leadership. They are testing my nerve, and my ability to function under pressure. It's been about two years of these tests now, and I foresee at the very least a solid half of a decade to come.

Signed,
J.H.

[...]

Eleint 11

The trials continue. We've been in hot pursuit of a few unimportant scoundrels in the wilds in the vicinity of the city-state. They go by the names of Percey, Haulfast, Taverik, and Morwayn. The local watch say they've seen Haulfast and Morwayn before, but that their friends are new players on the field. We have reason to believe that they are involved with the smuggling that has been going on, as well as some of the less savory dealings in the sewers. This is largely undignified guesswork and information-mongering. It is nonetheless the sort of stuff a magistrate might need to know how to do. I will swallow my pride that I might hone my skills in this important matter.

I do not think I will be a magistrate. I might very well work with magistrates, though. I surely will for the rest of my errantry, and perhaps after, when I return to the lands of my father. My father will need folk with the skillset of those I am currently leading for the border segment of the province. It is good that one of his own blood will have experience in equipping and commanding such men, then. A clear understanding of what exactly the job entails certainly helps.

Tomorrow I will travel again to the city-state, and leave these men here to scout for the base. In the city-state, we will attempt to find the rackets that the four scoundrels are operating. They must be working with someone within the city, nothing else would make any sort of sense. Haulfast and Morwayn are wilderness types according to the watch, so it must be Percey or Taverik who gave them the bright idea to start smuggling into the city. I'll have men of the city watch help me track down people who might know of these men.

Signed,
J.H.
Last edited by EdinSumar on Sat Jan 09, 2016 11:16 pm, edited 2 times in total.
My profile name is my actual name.
My profile picture is my actual face.
Fite me.

User avatar
EdinSumar
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2016 12:01 pm

Re: Jamsey Hoss - Journal of the Errant Knight

Postby EdinSumar » Sat Jan 09, 2016 1:38 am

Eleint 23

We've found clues leading to an abandoned warehouse in the docks. We have reason to believe that the two city-based members of the smugglers - Percey and Taverik - might be directing things using this warehouse as a sort of temporary headquarters. We have good reason to believe that the Gang of Four Men - as we've come to call them - are the central administration of all major crime in and around the city-state. I shall look forward to putting down these men in the name of Siamorphe. Nothing is lower than a smuggler and a thief.

Signed,
J.H.

[...]

Eleint 28

There are certain things I've learnt as a noble that a common warrior might not learn. Though I shan't be able to speak of all warrior cultures - perhaps somewhere nobility is an aspiration for all who wield the sword. I speak here not of administration or strategy, but rather of the courtly arts. I speak of etiquette, and even (regrettably) intrigue. There are many rules to observe. In the end, though, all of these many rules fundamentally boil down to one central point - a true noble mustn't be rude. Rude manners and coarse tongues are the signs of a charlatan unfit to bear the heavy duties Siamorphe has foisted upon the higher classes.

I have reviewed what I've been taught, so long ago. Basic etiquette is sometimes heavily strained by but a few months in the field. I shall endeavor never to become naught but such a charlatan of which I speak. Noblesse oblige, after all, and my nobility obligates me to act as a better man than the mere commoners. Let it never be said of Jamsey Hoss that he is a despicable creature, let me never bring that shame upon my house. Sooner shall I seek to die than I allow dishonour to fall upon the name Hoss, and the name of my father the Duke Hoss. I have already dueled two men who took my fathers name in vain.

Signed,
J.H.

[...]

Eleint 30

More and more petty violence is showing itself in the slums. The lowest of the commoners are temperamental creatures, but this violence is foreign even to their nature. Something must be spurring them on. Even the dogs are becoming restless and bellicose. I do not know what this Evil is, but I fear it might be connected to the Beastlord, or perhaps the Dark Sun. I tremble even to write their titles, for I will not write nor pronounce their true names. There is certainly rabid madness afoot, among both beast and man.

Signed,
J.H.
My profile name is my actual name.
My profile picture is my actual face.
Fite me.

User avatar
EdinSumar
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2016 12:01 pm

Re: Jamsey Hoss - Journal of the Errant Knight

Postby EdinSumar » Sat Jan 09, 2016 11:57 pm

Marpenoth 6

I've been very busy interviewing members of the Gang of Four Men these last few days, and I've hardly had much time to do anything else. One of the servants brought me wine. It seems not all of them have been informed of my lifelong choice of abstinence from drink. It is no matter, however. It has been hard for me to get some good food in these parts. I miss the Cormyran cuisine. Soon I might try some falconry again, to sate my boredom, but there is very little wild so close to the city-state. I hear so much good about Sembia, but right now, I have a hard time seeing it. I would rather be in Cormyr, or perhaps even back home in Tethyr.

Banish these thoughts from my mind. I have a job to do. I have reason to believe the Gang of Four Men are somehow involved in the matter in the slums. I do not know how, yet, but I've seen people we know to be members of the Gang mentioned when the troubles in the slum are brought up. This might all be significantly more insidious than we first thought.

Signed,
J.H.

[...]

Marpenoth 9

We have their full names and simple descriptions:

William Percey - Fair of hair, Chondathan (scar over left eye, heavy smoker, very strong)
Oswolt Haulfast - Dark of hair, Chondathan (widows peak, right eye is lazy, might have a moustache?)
Falk(?) Taverik - ? (we've yet to find consensus)
Gorwyn Morwayn - Dark of hair, Ffolk (Maskarran Priest, given to melancholic moods, elf blood?)

These were all obtained from confessions involving low-level enforcers from the gang. Problem is - and here is where it gets tricky - that many of the informers swear that one, two, or even all of these men are dead. The information provided is contradictory, and we have reason to believe that different segments of the gang might have different versions of the story - which only complicates matters further. We spoke with a low-level half-orc enforcer (I've always had a hard time stomaching the half-orcs, myself) and he swore up and down and to all the gods in the planes that Haulfast and Taverk were dead. Just a few hours later, a rapscallion admitted that Morwayn, Taverik, and Haulfast had all been assassinated on the orders of Percey. Further such confessions and pleas have been coming in for most of the last tenday.

Something fishy is going on, though. And I think I might know why. Details on this later[1]. Each and every one of the persons we've interviewed have claimed that Falk Taverik is dead or otherwise indisposed. He is unique among the Four in this - everyone else is being vouched for as living by at the very least one person from their own gang. But everyone - and I do mean everyone - claimed that Falk Taverik was among the dead. This is very strange. I am going to go out on a limb here and attempt to find out more information about Falk Taverik. He's known to be a somewhat mysterious figure[2], and it looks more and more likely that he is the key to all of this.

May the Divine Right keep me safe.
And may Torm guard my back in all things.

Signed,
J.H.

[1]: We've found amulets dedicated to the Dark Sun on some of the gang members. As such, we have reason to believe that at least a subset of the Gang of Four are actively worshiping the Dark Sun in cabal. Perhaps (though it is unlikely) the organization is really just a front for an organized sect of his worshipers. I do not hope this is the case, and luckily - as noted - it is unlikely.
[2]: We've had plenty of descriptions of Falk(?) Taverik, but few of them seem to agree on very much. Sometimes he is a very tall mulhorandi with buck teeth, and sometimes he is a powerful sorcerer (robes and all) wearing clothes made of the skin from his enemies. He's definitely a Cyricist, though, and might be leading the Cyricist faction (or whatever it is) in the Gang of Four Men. This is highly unlikely, since the only other thing they seem to all agree on is the fact that Taverik was the newest member of the leadership, and was more like an underling to Morwayn - who was a Maskarran priest.


[...]

Marpenoth 11

I saw a bird today. A blue one.

I am so bored.

Signed,
J.H.

[...]

Marpenoth 16

Something truly horrible is afoot.

I think they know who I am. Actually, I am almost entirely certain. I woke after a disturbing dream that saw the bright light of Lathander quenched by a black ink-like substance. I woke screaming. I had a moment to relax before I had to scream again. Someone has painted on my windows. The priest says that it is goat blood. It was a pointed sun, the symbol of the Dark Sun - Cyric. I now have more reason than ever to believe that we are indeed dealing with a cult, rather than a simple gang. Or, perhaps - as some have theorised - a cult using a gang as a cover story of sorts.

Well, at least I am not bored anymore. Still, I am unsure if exchanging my boredom for high blood pressure was the most humane way for the gods to approach my prayer. Ilmater have mercy. I can not stay here for long. I've switched safehouse with help from the watch, and they've put extra guards at the door during the night. I don't feel comfortable being pampered to in this manner - I've never been one to ask others to fetch my goblet, much less to guard me with their lives.

I hope I can soon find the trail of the madman who has started this.

Signed,
J.H.

[...]

Marpenoth 18

We found a lead!

A proper lead, even. We found someone willing to rat out Falk Taverik (that is his name), or at least someone he believes to be Falk Taverik. The priest and the mage both say he is telling the truth, so I am willing to believe him. The man has many scars, and he seems altogether rattled. He's a skittish sort, afraid of his own shadow. He tells us that Falk Taverik booked passage to Impiltur, not many days ago. He's planning to set up another operation in the area around Sarshel, a new cult. The informant is a gibbering mess when asked about what this will entail, and will not stop speaking about rats. Rats everywhere. We're shipping the poor man to the asylum run by the Ilmatarii.

I'm taking a boat to Impiltur, tomorrow. The watch tell me that they can handle the cult in the city-state. They tell me that the cult seems to have fractured recently. Apparently Morwayn was their priest, a priest of Cyric - not of Mask. We have reason to believe that Taverik killed him for some reason before he left. Without clear leadership the cult has broken into open civil war, as they always do without a few bullies at the top to keep them in order. I shudder to think what might await me in Sarshel.

Signed,
J.H.
My profile name is my actual name.
My profile picture is my actual face.
Fite me.


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests