Barwing's Grimoir...

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Part I - Rashemen years

It's funny where I am now and what I'm doing. Fate has thrown me into a yet another new region of the world. And it all started in Rashemen. Yes, I was born there. A daughter of a woodcutter husband and a passionate alchemist, student to a local witch wife. I do not recall my youngest years, yet we were a happy family, living if a desolated spot in the forest. With all the Thay about it was actually easier for mom to gulp down a potion of invisibility of her own brew and sneak back home, rather to live in a city and get picked up from the street to a slave caravan. Dad was sharp too. Oh my sweet daddy... I can't believe how my heart melts on the very memory of him. He never cut wood near his home and always snuck back, never to leave traces. I think it's because they thought I was really precious to them. Perhaps that's how parents see their only children. I don't know.

I was a lively kid. Growing brown hair, and brown eyes... I liked to run around and unlike the kids of other cultures I did not cry whenever I tripped. Or maybe it's the sign of passing time. Or maybe I was just tough, hehe... One way or the other I did wander around the forest and always knew my way back. I suspect it was mother's influence. Some spirit always looking after me, protecting me from harm. I love my mother. She was passionate about something. She had her alchemy hobby and was just mad about making new mixtures and potions. And I was always there happy to take a sip and be influenced by their effects. She knew what she was doing and would make sure it's not harmful. She was a true professional. I even played hide and seek with my dad having drank one of my moms potions of invisibility. Back then I did not know he had a ring of true seeing on him to avoid being followed. So he found me anyway even if I was see through. Cheeky bugger... Hah!

And then... Like in all life, things change. I've grown older, six, perhaps seven. My mom took me to the witch that taught her. I'm not sure if my mom was meant to replace her if she passes away... I could actually see mom work. How fascinating is that! Mom said that in order for me to grow smart I need to communicate with other races in their languages. I didn't even know there were other races out there. So we started learning elven. She was proficient in it already having studied some of their alchemy work. I drank a lot of potions back then to speed up the process. My mind swallowed words, phrases, language constructs like a sponge! Two years later I knew elven. And with little accent too. Then came the Wizard's slavers tagging along an army coming to the city.

My mom and I snuck past any hostile soldiers undetected and left no trace. I have no memory of what happened to the witch. I don't have much of any memory to do with Ra...

...

*illegible scriblings*

...

We got home and panic filled the air. Everyone was looking out the windows to see if they're coming. In the end they did came. A part of the necromantic specialists somehow convinced the spirits to guide them to our home. They broke in and dad tried to form resistance. They had the chains ready. Some magic was cast but I don't remember much. A stocky built man came and slapped me in the face. I blacked out, only to wake up crouching in a small cage on a cart, on my way to a new home.

Thay.

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Part II - The road to Thay

That was it. Me locked up in a crude cage, taken from home, halfway to somewhere, halfway from home. That was the day I lost my heart. No more running around in the forest, no quirky potions, no peace and quiet. Rashemens forests were all but a memory now. I was there, on a dusty road waiting as dust settles on my cheeks, eating whatever I am given, drinking water whenever provided. Ahead and behind me, more once free citizens, now animals in cages. I was hoping they didn't cage my guardian spirit back then.

My dark hair wasn't helping as well. I felt hot and tried to cover my head with whatever rags or blanket I had.

In the long periods of travel, one must concentrate on something else they'll go insane. I left the troubles of my world for a while to dive deep into the memories of the earlier days. Mom had dealt with people of weaker minds, broken, paranoid, insane, bent down by powerful spells... She said back then, a soul sick person is one who doesn't accept the reality, denies it. One who does not accept the new way of how things are now and lives the life of the past no longer true.

I saw much tears and crying from other slave fellows in the caravan. I remained calm. I didn't want to break. I wanted to remain silent, yet I wanted it so much I started to get annoyed with myself I needed reminders.

An old man trailing behind my cage passed out. The Thayans being a merciful bunch as they are, thought to relieve him by tying him by the feet to my cart. That would at least save him some walking. I don't think it saved him though as he stopped moving at all after some time. Then he was cut off and left in the middle of nowhere.

I could stay in my memories forever though. I was a curious kid. My keen ears tried to follow whatever the conversations the slavers were having in a language I could understand. As much as whole statements were absolutely enigmatic to me, names of places, valeys and city did not escape me. But there was also the wind I tried blocking off by shielding my ears with my hands. It worked!

Tired exhausted. I was just knackered. And to think people survived this far walking. I could barely stay sitting. One slaver came over to my cage trying to catch a conversation. He was oppressive in that. He poked the cage a couple of times with his sword trying to make me react to his derogatory comments. But I only had images of Rashemen in my mind and darkness of my eyelids in my eyes. No reaction. That's so mature. I am so proud.

After countless days of travel we've reached a major city. And I mean major to a point it turned out to be the very capital of Thay. Just as the journey was heading to the end, it started to rain and it turned cold. My blanket I was covering my head with, now covered all the rest of the body. The slaver was no fool I give him that. Going for the capital is always getting best prices, even if it means a couple of extra days of traveling.

The stench grew as we passed the outskirt thatched huts and the citizens looked in no better shape than some of the people trailing behind in the caravan. All of them ignored us. Caravans like ours must be a daily sight here. After all Thayan economy would collapse the day no single slave would be traded and tax of it collected. A tip if you're planning to overthrow the regime.

Market. Where the wealthy meet the ones doing the dirty work. Amongst many specialising slave stands - gladiators, sex slaves, peasants, spell guinea pigs, there were stands with fruit and veg, magic trinkets and those of conjurers of cheap tricks and palm readers. We've set our location as a stand with no specialisation. Just slaves. Funny how I not spoke a word since the day of our departure.

This was a golden day for our temporary master. He sold one bulk of 20 slaves to some newly made 'noble' for his estate. 7 and 5 people groups went to the arena to slice the remaining guts out of them. We've also had a few time wasters and people who like to banter, until our master puts their jaw back straight with his fist, so no more ear bending takes place coming from their mouths.

I wasn't sold immediately. My turn came after four days of trade and despite many favourable words being said about me, I never heard on the way, and very often contradicting those that were said. I think they didn't like my empty sight and the fact I've been mute all that time. Though my plan of staying this was had a flaw...

All it takes is an old school male, to realise the benefits of a mute woman. One not built too well that can be slapped about and such... And one such male did arrive. It was a newly promoted Wizard associate, just 'promoted' few days back from the apprentice. That added more to it as no longer bound by a master, he could unleash all his frustrations gained throughout his apprenticeship. And so I was sold. He even bargained to keep me in the same cage I traveled in. Then I did not know what was my purpose, but one thing he said came true very soon after. He said I will become Thayan. A Thayan slave, with no future, yet Thayan, speaking the language and doing my slave duties. No more Barwing of Rashemen.

Leaving my homeland I lost my heart. That day my soul was gone as well...

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And that one too...

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And even this one...

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And perhaps that one just in case.

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ok last one. I promise.

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Just promoting.

Part II has been updated. This post will be deleted and replaced with a new one, once Part III is up.

Thanks My Readers