[coronatiger]

12th of Mitra’s Second Month, year 412

O Ashtar, Mother of Snakes, Keeper of Death’s Door, hear my confession!

The captain told me we’d arrive in Sam this evening, having passed Byblos yesterday. I replied that this was good, but gave him a sad sigh. We broke the fast with soup, again.

I received instruction in how to handle the ship from the captain. I pretended to be fascinated and even shouted at Lunari: “Look! I’m steering the ship!” The captain explained the difference between a ship and a boat. Boats like this travel on the river, while ships are at sea.

Lunari asked if the boat could go as far as Guling, but the captain declined. He didn’t want to try to traverse the boggy delta in the south. I assume he has business upriver as well.

I had lunch with Xipil who had had ample time to think and asked me how the bounty hunting business worked. I explained while we ate, and then I brushed my teeth, and we prayed a little before I returned to the captain’s side.

When it was time to disembark, the captain gave me a gold coin, presumably for the rowboat that he had taken possession of. He also exclaimed that it had been a pleasure to have me on board and that I was more than welcome back. I thanked him for the journey and called him an angel. “A Mhalak?” he responded, eyes beaming with rapture. Thinking quickly, I said yes. We walked down the gangplank, and I heard him tell the crew how I had called him a Mhalak. Lunari asked me how he could experience such a mood, and I told him to find religion.

The docks are a short walk away from Sam proper, although the distance between has long since been filled with buildings. I showed the way up towards the city, while telling Lunari about the horrible side effects of crow’s toes. In Grogg’s hearing, of course, and Lunari chimed in, until he discovered a brothel. Xipil and I agreed to meet him and Grogg for breakfast at the Lazy Hound Inn tomorrow. Anyone could show them the way, once they got up to the old town. Grogg asked if Xipil and I could take their luggage. We glared at him until he realized his stupidity. His load probably weighs more than Lunari, Xipil and me put together.

Xipil and I walked on, and soon arrived at the office. I took him around to the back entrance. It didn’t feel right to return through the public front office of the bounty hunters, not when I was coming back from a holy quest.

The building houses many people, almost like an inn. I was welcomed back by old acquaintances and got rooms for us. Xipil wanted a room of his own, and had to pay one silver piece for it. I got my old room back, happy that it was available, and retrieved my meagre belongings from storage. We left our packs in our rooms and went downstairs to the temple in the cellar.

It had been a long time since I washed properly, so we took our time cleansing ourselves. Inside the chapel room, we found Rhuk and two others, and I beamed at her. I thought I’d seen one of the others before, and they looked to be from the Farmers’ Republic. Rhuk introduced them as Nils and Lise, and asked about Xipil. I let him explain who he was and how he had come to the faith.

I consulted Rhuk regarding the prophet in the south, and she was very suspicious about him. There would be a Meet tomorrow night, she revealed, so I could hope for more advice then. I also told her about Batto and his soldiers. Rhuk warned me not to poke my hand inside that hornets’ nest.

Xipil and I wished the others good night and returned upstairs. He asked me if it was possible to get up on the roof. I said that shouldn’t be a problem; the window on his room could be opened. We left our dirty clothes to be washed, and entered our rooms. I brushed my teeth and went to bed.

O Ashtar! I surrender my life to Your coils. Take me while I sleep, or grant me another day in Your service, as You will.


13th of Mitra’s Second Month, year 412

O Ashtar, Mother of Snakes, Keeper of Death’s Door, hear my confession!

I woke up, feeling fresh and restored. It was good to be home again! I brought my blades down to the back yard for a practice session. It’s been over a month since I used my knives. Other believers practiced as well, and I greeted both old friends and new. Xipil arrived after a while, and I suggested we should head over to the Lazy Hound, but he wanted to shoot some targets with his bow and arrow first.

Lunari and Grogg had already eaten when we met them, so I ordered breakfast for Xipil and myself, indicating that Lunari would pay. I told the others there were quite a few things I needed to take care of now that I’ve come home, so they could spend the day resting if they wished. As I had some free time this morning, I offered to show everyone the sights of Sam. They took me up on it, but Lunari wanted to see my tongue first. I refused.

I started the tour by showing Lunari where all the whorehouses are located. That should keep him occupied and out of my hair. Lunari asked what I knew about trade to Guling – is there any lucrative merchandise he can buy cheaply here and sell when we get there? I had to admit I didn’t know much about trade, but we talked to a fellow who claimed that timber would fetch a good price in Guling.

Sam’s not a rich city, and definitely not known for its public displays of art. I showed Lunari that there are wealthier parts of the city, but those communities are gated and guarded, and he wasn’t allowed inside without an appointment. Grogg was tall enough to look over the wall, but the guards didn’t like that he did so, and asked us to go away. Grogg muttered that he didn’t see anything interesting inside anyway.

Xipil wanted to visit the temple district. I explained that we didn’t have one, as such. The temples in Sam were more scattered than they are in some other cities. I took them to the Mitra temple first, and Lunari asked if there was a pleasure cult somewhere. I told him there was, but I didn’t want to take him there, because I didn’t know if he’d come out again. Instead, I brought them to the Anati temple. A statue of a nude woman decorated a fountain in front of the temple to the goddess of cleanliness. Anati is depicted with clothes in the Prince’s Cities for some reason, where Lunari and Grogg live, and Lunari in particular couldn’t keep his eyes off her.

It was time to eat, so we found a restaurant nearby that served fish, vegetables and wine for lunch. Lunari kept staring at the Anati statue up the street, and Xipil asked if there was anything that could get them chased out of town. I repeated that they shouldn’t mention the Farmers’ Republic, otherwise the laws are mostly similar to those of the Prince’s Cities, as far as I know.

Xipil and I left the others; there was talk of them visiting the Anati bathhouse. We had another practice session in the back yard, although I spent much of the time talking to friends. I learned that we Ashtarites have increased our presence in Talan, so if I hadn’t had anything else to do, I might have gone there.

We had dinner in-house and I kept socializing while we ate. I retrieved the head in the sculpture Lunari had made, and brought Xipil to the chapel. We weren’t the only ones to arrive early for the Meet. I wondered if it was proper to bring a head inside the depiction of another’s head and prayed for guidance. You told me clearly that it wouldn’t do, so Xipil and I left.

We found an axe in the workshop and destroyed Lunari’s artwork. Time had taken a toll on the head inside, even packed in salt, and it was a mushy lump that I dropped into a leather bag and brought back to the chapel. This time, we only washed our feet and hands (and Xipil’s tail). We had, after all, done a thorough cleansing not half an hour ago.

I told my story at the Meet. A woman sniffed with disdain when I mentioned the Mhalak, Mitra’s messenger. I quite understood. After the formal part of the Meet, people drifted into groups to talk or pray, as they wished. The priest beckoned me to approach, and I instructed Xipil not to follow. I didn’t know if we would go to a place someone of Xipil’s low rank shouldn’t see, but we just found privacy in a side corridor. The priest warned me that the Mhalak has been observed near Guling. I gave him the severed head, which he promptly passed to someone of lower rank to deal with.

Rhuk was at the Meet, too, and offered to bring my party to Ur on her cart. I repeated that one of my companions was a troll, in case she had forgotten, but she said her cart would be empty but for passengers, so it wouldn’t be a problem. I had already arranged to meet Grogg and Lunari at the Lazy Hound around breakfast time tomorrow, and told Rhuk that we should be able to leave around midday. I talked to more friends, glad to be home.

Xipil asked what I thought about individuals who don’t go to You when they die, like Grogg’s ghostly raven. I told him of my deep distrust of such people (and birds). You are the Keeper of Death’s Door, I explained, and without Your blessing, we can’t hope for a good afterlife. Xipil wanted to know if I knew of any way to send such individuals to You. I didn’t, so I asked the priest. He said You would grant me knowledge when You found that I was ready. I turned to Xipil and translated that low-ranking people like us weren’t trusted to know. Xipil remained in the chapel to meditate when I went to bed.

O Ashtar! I surrender my life to Your coils. Take me while I sleep, or grant me another day in Your service, as You will.