How exhilarating! The alcohol has mostly worn off, but my head is spinning from all this excitement.

Just after my last entry, I entered my first dancing competition, and it wasn’t a total disaster! Erikka agreed to be my partner, and she is just as talented as she is beautiful. I would have fallen over my feet if it wasn’t for her, but together I think we looked pretty good.

After the dance, we had a masquerade. I didn’t win that, either, but I didn’t make too much of a fool of myself. I wish I could wear this costume every day...

Uh oh... someone just showed up. And by showed up, I mean he just popped out of thin air on the middle of the stage. More later.


P.S. Thog is the reason we can't have nice things.

Ohhh… I’m feeling a little sleepy right now. The party’s still going, but I’m taking a little break to rest and clear my head. I told the waiters at the party to mix my drinks weak, but I think they must have misunderstood me, because the room looks like it’s spinning and I don’t think it’s magic.

The party’s been really fun so far! I’m dressed like a pretty priestess; Amaryllis was great about helping me make my costume (hers is fantastic!). I actually feel almost beautiful tonight. The drinks are helping, I think...

I decided to go talk to House Tharask because I’d never really met any other half-orcs before. First I ran into this orc guy, who was a total jerk. He tried to hit on me, which was just gross! Ugh… as if I’d ever consider a man, much less an ORC man. He reminded me of my father, which was not a memory I wanted to dredge up tonight. I managed to brush him off, though, and I haven’t seen him since.

Anyway, after I lost the jerk, I met a lovely half-orc woman named Erikka. She’s wonderful! I can’t believe how nice and normal she seems, but I guess she’s had a pretty normal life. Her parents were both half-orcs, and they loved her and each other. I’m envious of her background, but even more envious of her looks. She is the first half-orc I have ever seen that isn’t terribly ugly. Hmmm...

We talked for a long time, but she wanted to visit with a few of her other friends and her family members, and I needed to sit down. So here I am, writing in my journal. I think we’re about to do something else fun now. Oh! The band is tuning their instruments; it must be time for dancing! I will write more later.

I am a terrible person. I may have wanted to kill Karkanna sometimes, but I didn't actually want her to die! I feel like it's my fault she died, too. If I had just gotten to her a bit sooner, I could have saved her...

Yesterday, on the way to retrieve the party favors, we were attacked by a duo of vicious bears. Although everyone fought valiantly and the new party member did some serious damage, we could not kill them fast enough. Karkanna took massive damage and died almost instantly. We gave her a warrior's funeral and moved on.

I feel terribly guilty. I knew I shouldn't have thought such lawless thoughts about her. She may have been an annoying bitch, but I pray to Dol Dorn that wherever she is now, there is a lot of ale.

After the bear attack, we traveled to a cliff where the AWOL airship was tethered. After levitating up the cliff (I have decided I rather dislike flying), we boarded the ship and discovered the rogue captain tied to a chair. Ru questioned him, and though he seemed confused, we were able to ascertain that he had been unconscious for several days and that his crew and passengers had disappeared into thin air. It's certainly a mystery.

Furthermore, some of the party favors had been destroyed - specifically, a bunch of glass tubes that I am told produce sunlight. I wonder who would have smashed them...

The party is only a few days away! I need to think of a costume. In fact, I should go work on that now. More later.

I am feeling a bit more optimistic about life today. I think I am finally starting to belong somewhere, and things are getting exciting.

When last I wrote, we were down in the cogs of Sharn. I haven't even talked about Sharn yet, have I? My goodness.... all right...

Right after I got to Sharn, I went to a bar to have a drink and perhaps rent a room for a night before going to live in one of the city temples. My simple little plan didn't take into account the fact that Sharn is a rough place. Within an hour of my arrival, I found myself running away from a crazy, invisible murderer, and the next day I was wanted for the same murders he committed.

Well, not just me. Me and nine of the other innocent bystanders in the bar that night. I guess it's better than what happened to the REST of the innocent bystanders...

Anyway, those of us who got away were rescued by Evanwroat, this odd little man from the House d'Sivis. In return for his help, I agreed to join up with the other fugitives and run errands for him. I don't know that I agree 100% with everything Evanwroat has asked us to do, but it's better than sitting around.

So that's about where I was when I wrote my last entry (I think that perhaps I am not as steadfast in journalling as I ought to be). We travelled down into the dark, steamy underbelly of the city to collect Evanroat's debts from a bunch of goblins.

When we got back above ground (thank Dol Dorn), we found out that Evanwroat and his wife are planning a party! I am very excited to attend. It will be the first one I've ever been to, and it's a masquerade, so I will even get to look better than I normally do. And Evanwroat's wife hinted that she is inviting some other half-orcs that I am supposed to meet. I'm not sure I want to meet any others like me, but I hate to disappoint her. She is such a sweet woman.

But before we can go to the party, we have to complete another errand for Evanwroat. The favors for the party are missing and we have to go find them. So right now we're marching halfway across Eberron in search of the things, and already we've had to battle with Ankhegs. I wonder what other dangers we'll meet...

I think the perils of adventuring are bringing me closer to my comrades, and this makes me want to sing with joy (if I could only carry a tune).

Dru and I have been fast friends ever since I saved her from a tentacle-inflicted death (twice) down in the cogs. She isn't exactly the most lawful person I've ever met (okay, the girl's a thief), but she seems pretty nice anyway.

Kerowyn and I have reached a kind of understanding. We have a lot in common: we're both clerics, both far away from home, and I think she hates orcs about as much as I do.

I like the warforged. They are quiet and easygoing and don't even seem to notice that I am half-orc. I suppose all organic bipedal creatures must seem pretty similar when you're made of metal.

I don't really know the others well enough to judge if I like them or not, but they all seem like more or less good people.

....all of them except that dwarf bitch. I just can't stand her. If only she didn't sleep in her armor....

I ought not to think such thoughts. Such a thing would be out of line with Dol Dorn's laws.

I shall write more later (I promise I really will this time).

It occurred to me that it might be useful to keep track of my thoughts, because it seems as though I'm going to have some adventures. Besides, my current adventure seems to involve a lot of waiting around, and I could use something to occupy me.

So I suppose I should begin at the beginning. I came to Sharn hoping to get a fresh start on my life. But even that isn't really the beginning. The beginning is back in a humble temple, back in Ayandair.

I owe everything to Dol Dorn and His clergy. Without them, I would probably be dead. After the death of my mother, they took me in and raised me in the ways of the temple, never treating me any differently despite my dark beginnings and my hulking, ugly exterior. And yet, I cannot bring myself to accept a quiet life as a temple cleric for the rest of my existence.

I have never felt as though I truly belong there. For one thing, I barely fit in the tiny bedrooms where the clerics sleep. But worse than that, I will never get used to the horrified glances of children as they look upon my frightful visage. Whoever heard of a cleric with tusks?

I am envious of the elven cleric in my party; with her lovely eyes and flowing hair, she looks the part of a graceful healer. (I will elaborate on the rest of my companions later.) In any case, each startled child reminds me of what I am: a monster, the bastard child of my bastard orc father.

I hate my father. I will find him one day. I don't care that I don't know his full name or what he looks like. I will find him, and when I do, he will pay for what he did to my mother.

For what he did to me.


...I don't really feel like writing anymore right now, but I will record more details of my current exploits later.