Musings of a Future Baron - 13. Trust

Toilday 4 Desnus 4710

And with that, our fight with Tartuccio is over. I write this entry safe and sound in Oleg’s Trading Post. We arrived late, but tomorrow, we celebrate, and the day after that, we journey south to the Stag Lord’s fort. Though I am thinking about taking Jhod to the Temple of the Elk, just so he can see it. He’s already asked my blessing to restore it once the Stag Lord has been defeated, and I believe I will allow him to do so. It will be nice to have the Stag God’s blessing over our lands. Though if I can introduce some of the elven gods to the new barony, that would be even better.

Theofrid made it safely to the trading post, a little morose over losing his spellbook. Fortunately, Tristian recovered a book from Tartuccio. It should make the gnome happy. I know it could not have been easy working for that vile sorcerer, but he is gone now, and it is time to make peace.

Wealday 5 Desnus 4710

Today I informed Keston Garess of Tartuccio’s fate. A thousand gold for ridding the world of a gnome. I wonder how much my price would be. Come to think of it, I bet the Stag Lord has a bounty on my head by now. I wonder if I could collect it myself.

Then again, the 7500 gold I have already should be enough to at least get started building a nation, right? How much does a barony cost? Hells, I doubt even Linzi knows that one.

It didn’t take long to find Theofrid, the gnome trading shots with Amiri on a training dummy. For some reason, his magic seemed very cold today, not the fire I had first seen him with. I wonder if that has anything to do with the heterochromia in his eyes? Though I doubt anyone could go through a kobold imprisonment and emerge unchanged.

I gave him the spellbook, and he almost lost control, tearing up at the trust I placed in him. I’ve lost my spellbook before. It is never a pleasant feeling to be without your spells, like you are missing a part of yourself. My spellbook is just as important to me as my bow. I just explained that if he was going to help me defeat the Stag Lord, he would need a weapon. Honestly, there are no hard feelings. Even Lady Jamandi wasn’t sure she could trust me. Why would I be upset that another stranger made a bad choice?

Okay, yes, I was hurt. I admit it. But it would do no good to punish him; he was already punished enough by Tartuccio. I’m not here to spread resentment. We’ll see how he does, but I don’t think Theofrid is going to let me down any time soon.

Desnus 5 4710

Hello my old friend. I don’t think he realises this is my spellbook. I know these pages better than my own body.

I won’t tell. But I will work to be the best mage in his kingdom. I owe him that much.

We head out in the morning. The break was a relief, but after an uncertain number of days in a cell, with nothing to do but stare at a wall, I’m ready for action. Freezing the dummy felt good, it was nice to cast again after so long. I think one of my hairs turned white in there. I’ll have to watch carefully, but no one can accuse the Stolen Lands of being boring. If this is the Bleaching, it is too late for me already.