Lies for Leira

[Blu C Fox]

(FYI, these should be read as if they are spoken as the character in question doesn't keep a journal for reasons that are probably obvious)

There are more ways for me to lie to you then I know how to count. I can leave details out, put in details you don't want to know, or add in details that never even happened. I can answer exactly what you asked instead of what ya thought you did, or answer something else completely. Can use illusions and disguises to trick your eyes and ears. Tell big lies so shocking they are believed for just long enough, or little lies that slowly build up until I gets what I'm looking for. I can tell different lies every time you ask, or keep my story the same the whole time.

And very rarely, when the wind blows blows just right, the very best lies are the truth. Perhaps this is one of those time. Maybe.

I'm called Valkyrie. Or Tinika. Or Sylvia. Or Marl. Or Jay. Andrea, Sparrow, Annette, Nunn, or even Lilly Tamirand Nefta the 3rd once. There are even some who simply call me "Hey you!" I even have a name I call myself, but only a couple know it and I bets you aren't one of 'em. Because the truth is names have power, and only fools and madmen give out their name freely, and there is nothing more satisfying than walking into a room and having everyone greet you with a different one.

But names are funny things. What makes Duke Elton's name belong to Duke Elton? It isn't who he is or what he does, no. That is what most of the idiots think, isn't it. No, what makes Duke Elton's name belong to Duke Elton is very simple: That is what peoples call him. So even if you pick a new name, a false one to cover up the old, eventually it too becomes real.

So I AM Valkyrie, and Tinika, and Sylvia, and all the others. I am, in every way that matters. And sometimes that makes me afraid.

But not, perhaps, as afraid as you should be. Cha?

[Blu C Fox]

If there is one thing that is almost as important as names it is blood. Which is funny because I keeps running into people who don't believe that at all. But if you asks most anyone if they'd be willing to give you a vial of their blood just before you goes to visit a magician or witch you can bets they'll say no.

Anyways, blood is what forces elves to be boring and rude, looking down their nose at anythings not involved with elves. It makes the hin folk fun to hang around. Makes the dwarves as hard as the rocks they loves to sleep with. It lets sorcerers tap their magics without any learning and makes others smart enough to do the same without any innate talent at all.

And it makes my blood boil to find new ways to make trouble every day. When blood pulls you it is difficult to stay in one spot for too long, especially when there are things to see and people to mock. Even more when there are things I want involved - and believe me there are lots that I want.

Like back when I wanted to make the Fist loose face, so I started to tells everyone that there were Drow in Fist uniforms. After alls, who could tell with the way some of 'em wear helms and armor buttoned up so tight nobody could see even a patch of skin? Why'd I get the idea? Donnos, but when I heard the Dukes got an open audience I got another idea too.

Reports the slander stories I'd heard going around. Why? Blood again, donno. But the game makes it run hot and it was fun to see if I could. Even got the Dukes to let me investigate the stories that some person was spreading. And I did such a very good job too, cuz the moment I was on the case all the stories stopped. That is just how efficient I am.

For a bit it looked likes I might even get a job working for the Dukes. Oh the rewards I could get, and just imagine the fun! But again blood started to call, whispering its voice in my ear and I knew it was time to go. Off to the North, because that is what it told me.

Maybe some of ya don't understand what it is like, but that is just because you've never tried to resist your blood before. But take it from me that when blood calls you better answers. And so I left quickly as I could, leaving the service of the Dukes and without so much as a word to those I had most fun with.

So for the next months I lived on the move, pulled by blood to the North, always wondering what put out the call.

[Blu C Fox]

One of the things about blood is that if you feel the pull long enough you start to hear what it wants. None of it makes sense at first but there is meaning there. Like how those tree lovers can understand the growling of a beast if you hear the voices for long enough you starts to understands them.

And the voices are confusing. They mostly falls into two groups. The ones in control are the loudest and the ones ya hear first. They are the ones that make the blood pull ya from place to place. Their demands come through clearly as whispers and can quickly get so demanding it is hard to sleeps. Second group of voices are more subtle, I didn't even notice them for several years, they are just a hint on the wind, and they has a different tongue completely. But now I understands them too, and they mostly wants the others ignored. And sometimes the voices argue with each other.

I learned to finally understands the voices on my way north and found out quite a bit about them. First, lots of them seem like they could be followers of Leira which is funny and makes me wonders if they are a blessing from her. Second, as much as the voices lie it is worth listening to them, sometimes they can give warnings and sometimes they point out fun opportunities. Last, the ones in control of the pull wants something.

And it can hurt very bad to go against what they want.

[Blu C Fox]

On my way north I first ran into Waterdeep. Now I know what you are thinking, why would anyone wants to go to a city that is underwater? I thought the same thing when I first heard the name, but it turns out Waterdeep isn't under the water at all! You would think they could come up with a better sounding name.

Once I arrived the voices quieted enough for me to explore a little, though I still felt that boiling in my blood pulling me to go farther north. There is a lot to see there, actually, and a whole bunch of merchants. I was able to find all sorts of nice things other people had dropped or lost. More than enough to get a nice room for the night.

If there is one thing about Waterdeep I didn't like, though, it was all the guards. A girl can't hardly throw a dagger without stabbing one in the back. And there are so many stuffy rules, just like most cities. Then once you do what they say they get even MORE upset just cuz ya happen to have horns and eyes that glow red in the dark. As if you're some kinda monster or something.

Anyways, it was while I was in Waterdeep that I found the first key. At least that's what the voices called it. Looked a lot more like a gem encrusted box to me. It was also the first time all the voices started to agree that it was something I should rescue. That never happened before. It was quite... interesting.

Nows I had learned long ago that it is generally a good idea for me to listen to the voices, good for me at least, and that is when they are always in disagreement. So what do ya think I did when all of them turned out to wants the same thing? It isn't like I could risk doing anything else. Of course the city's guard that happened to see me didn't feel quite the same way. Thankfully after a swift kick and a good chase around the city I was able to convince them I wasn't worth the troubles.

Still, after trouble like that, fun as it was, I knew it was probably time to move on. Besides, even though the voices were purring happily for once I could still feel that pull North.

[Blu C Fox]

There are several rules that a respectable sneak has to live by, cha? While not all follow them they are the sort that quickly find out there isn't anyone willing to stick up for them anymore and tend to come to a sudden end, usually in a dark alley.

First rule is don't sell out you're friends. This is easier than it sounds for me cuz my kind rarely have many true friends. Second rule is to help your friends out when you can. Don't do that and they aren't friends for very long. Last rule is don't even think about touching the followers of Ilmater.

That last one is a rule I've never broken. While other gods may say they are good, Ilmater and his worshipers are usually the only ones who really do anything worth talking 'bout. Their orphanages even took in one like me and they are the one place every sneak knows they can go if all else fails.

Sometimes people think me and my type take advantage of that, and I suppose they might be right. But there is one thing I do know, those who harm followers of Ilmater end up with lotsa enemies in dark places.

[Blu C Fox]

You may wonder why the Ilmater thing is important. Let me tells you.

The roads are quite dangerous to travel alone. There are bandits, bad weather, animals, and bounty hunters out there looking for you. And those are the least of your problems. There's also orcs, trolls, giants, ogres, and anything else that happens to think you look yummy. With so many things out to hurts you it is a good idea to have someone to watch your back when you sleep.

And that is where the Ilmatire come in. There are usually roving bands of monks who follow Ilmater, roaming from place to place and suffering to lessen the amount of pain in the world. I'm not really sure they understand how things work, I always thought Ilmater promoted suffering in place of another, not simply suffering. Seems to me there is an unlimited amount of pain to go around, and any sneak on the street can tells ya that.

But they travel a lot and will let most anyone join them, cha? Even better, as I already telled you most are smart enough to simply leave the Ilmatire and those with them alone. So on my way North out of Waterdeep I fell in with one such band and had a mostly relaxing trip. They made it so I could travel more openly and relax some, and I kept nasties away. It is a good arrangement, especially for me.

I showed some of them the little box to the monks, but none of them knew what it was. The voices didn't like me showing it around, though, so I only did it once before I tucked it safely away in my pack. Least it was small, small things are easy to hide.

[Blu C Fox]

With the help of the Ilmater monks I was able to make it allllll the way to Neverwinter without much of a problem. Coulda kept on going too, if I had wanted. But you know, the voices.

Neverwinter is a big city, though not as big as some other places like Waterdeep. That is usually good for me, makes it easier to vanish into the crowd when there is a crowd to vanish into, cha?

There's lots of interesting things in Neverwinter. While I was there I picked up a few things. I almost got one of their clocks, but ended up simply grabbing a pretty lamp instead because it was smaller and easier to carry. This time the guards didn't give me any problems.

Can't say the same for the Shadow Thieves though. They must've seen me and next thing I know they was following me around everywhere I went. I only noticed them by chance, but after I realized that everywhere I went I had someone trying to tail me. Soon after I realized there was enough of them it might make it hard to disappear all the bodies.