Memoirs of a Magus
by Varin
--Excerpt from the journal of Varin Ke'Shan, Magus of Falconreach.
It has been such a long and weary road for me. Two months have passed without sight of my hometown, Falconreach, and nearly one and a half since seeing neither hide nor scale of Aspirion. The amulet tells me that he is fine but I cannot help but wonder just how well he is doing. Rhubarb and his crew have been good to me since answering true, but even so, trust is short indeed. At least now I am allowed my possessions, with which I am able to briefly dictate the events of these past months.
In retrospect, I never should have listened to the Mayor, who stated that a new town had been found and that he wanted me as a diplomatic envoy. Imagine that, me, playing at politics; I scoff at the very notion. But weak-willed me, I acceded to his wishes and so the journey started. I shall forgive myself for sparing you all the details, they are as any trip across long distances: dull and boring. The real excitement came when Aspirion and I came to the settlement. Without even a touch of warning, Aspirion decided to learn how to fly on the spot and winged away. Shock and awe found a companion with surprise as a group of oddly clad people speaking entirely too fast (and with peculiar accents) ambushed me. Far too stunned to even fight back, and of course being on a diplomatic mission, I wisely decided to stay my hand. Perhaps in hindsight I should have just loosed that fireball...
Threats were made, irons were clapped, and explanations were thin. Apparently this group of pirates, (who would name themselves as such, I am not sure), were recently invaded by a band of ninjas and they took me for one of the stragglers. Never-you-mind the flowing robes and staff, but I applaud them for being thorough. Never once did they, as they would put it, “fall for” my ninja tricks as I tried to talk my way out of confinement. I can not say as I fault them; if being raided by a plethora of shadow warriors, I believe that I would be at the height of paranoia myself. However, even so it rankled more than a touch. As if being mistrusted and having my life threatened was not enough, they even made me attempt to show them the “ninja arts” of walking on water and swatting arrows out of the air. Which reminds me to ask someone at the Tower to give me more training in the healing arts once I return.
I really must say, after all of this, when Rhubarb discovered how a “guest” was being treated, I have quite a bit more respect for him. Why someone in his position was not apprised of the my situation much earlier I will never know, but it heartens me to know that one person in the pirate town of Osprey Cove is competent enough to tell the difference between a Ninja and a Magus. He had offered to allow me to escape in the dead of night, knowing he would most likely be to blame. I merely offered up the advice to him that he may do as he likes, pirates are not constrained by the typical social norms. I would, however, be more than willing to prove myself without risk to his status or station. Well, it appears that I had passed with flying colors; how was I to know it was a test to see if I was one of those, “dirty, lily-livered sons of sands?”
Even with the rough treatment, coarse language, and the occasional theft from passing merchant vessels, I did not mind these folks that much. They seemed rather good-natured and high-spirited when not carousing, gambling, murdering or thieving. Perhaps once they actually allow me to leave I could schedule another trip back here, but for now I'm trusted merely enough to wander around the Cove. Oh, to see your majestic flight once more, Aspirion.
