Captain's Log/Text

::Ships Log The Hatesfury. Captain Slithir, Start Date AK 5897::

Entry 1

Six days transit with stolen horses for G.H. Awful nags, they stink my whole ship up like shit

Entry 2

Loads of Stardust to B.K. in Ellegesh City. Tried to cheat me, the lousy bastard. En route to Prophet's Landing to try and offload a bag of star rubies and a chest of false ones.

Entry 3

Hate's Fury is a free ship no more. I had barely passed the watchtowers in the bay when two block dromonds came to 'escort me' to the dock. I have been inspected many times but my papers are newly minted and then expertly weathered every time I expect to come to the landing.

I was prepared when some lackey knocked at my cabin, and haughtily demanded to speak to the Landing's representative of the Claw. The bluff had worked once before, nobody wants to disturb the Claw.

I was not prepared when he appeared in the doorway, all black leather and teeth as sharp as a child's. He slowly scraped a claw to an even sharper point with a soot-blacked blade. I do not remember even half of what I babbled at him, but he did not question me very closely. I gathered that this was happening to every ship that docked in the Landing.

He gave me a choice, and was really very kind about it. I could agree to enlist in Kaezul's navy as a troop transport, or I would be maimed and the Fury burned to the waterline.

Entry 4

Being an enlisted officer isn't so bad after all. I've yet to leave the landing, and my insignia brings me younger whores and fuller goblets at the winehouses. There is some delay with the troops I am to deliver.

Entry 5

Still waiting, four days later. I've managed to find a few other goods to make the trip worth my while. Hopefully I can make a stop without drawing too much notice. What do dirtcrawlers know about sailing anyways?

Entry 6

Met the commanding officer of my cargo today. He's about as bright as my cabin boy. Should have no problem turning a tidy profit on this trip. There are less than a hundred troops, so there's plenty of room for more valuable cargo. We leave tomorrow.

Entry 7

Ordered my navigator to change heading during the night. None of the bucketheads noticed. We'll make port at the red isles in two days at most.

Entry 8

Shit. Fucking shit! There is no way around it. I'm going to have to cut this commander in. He bought my story about a freak gust blowing us off course, but the only thing I Can get out of fat Lazuk is slaves. SLAVES! I have no problem with slaving, but how am I supposed to conceal a shipment of slaves?

Entry 9

This dirtcrawler may not be as dumb as I thought. He seemed disinterested in a share of the profits from this venture and showed no surprise when I mentioned it. Perhaps they expected their pressgang navy to try and pull a little of their own along the way. Regardless, I feel I must not press my luck; there is a limit to how much I can get away with.

Entry 10

We near our destination. The commander of our unit has produced a map of this strange coast, and shown me several locations that he wishes inspect before debarking.

Entry 11

One of the prospective landing sites was absolutely swarming with orcs. They are a different color than those on Ikisith, but orcs are orcs: stupid, strong, and valuable as slaves. The prices of orcs have almost doubled in the last half decade; rumors are that Kaezul is buying all he can for some mining project. I will try and convince this commander to land near some of them so I can sell them when I get home.

Entry 12

We unloaded the troops and set up a beachhead camp in some blasted desert. It's full of scorpions and pumas, and there is strange deathly moaning at night. The commander is interested in pacifying the nearest orc village and I have convinced him to allow me to take away prisoners back as slaves to trade.

Entry 13

Mounting a raid on the orc village today. They were tough for orcs, and we didn't get any captives. We lost only two soldiers, but we expected to lose none.

Entry 14

The orcs sent an ugly little shit to treat with us. The orcs are offering to supply us with food, water and intelligence in exchange for leaving them alone. In this hellhole, it seems like a good idea. The way orcs breed, there'll be naother clan near here that they're sworn blood enemies with, and they'll love us even more if we slaved them instead

Entry 15

Apparently the commander had had a sealed envelope of of orders for me the entire trip. He's decided that I've proved myself enough to command a second load of troops without his supervision. I guess there are worse ways to make a living, and I'd rather ply the seas than spend my days crippled without a ship to my name.

Entry 16

Returning back to the Landing to retrieve my second load. The slaves are petulant. I hope I get a decent price for them or they won't have been worth the headache. Elael damn Lazuk.

Entry 17

At first I thought it was a storm. A day before we should have spotted the Landing, the sky at the horizon was filled with clouds. A few hours later we realized that the clouds were sails. The waters miles outside the Landing were filled with ships of all sizes. Some were many times larger than the fury, others small fishing skiffs, but all were in a pattern to enter the cave at Prophet's Landing. A few small red-bowed skiffs rowed by chained groups and greenskins flitted between them all, coordinating approaches and berths in the docks.

Entry 18

Finally met by one of the skiffs. Despite my status as a successful Navy captain, I will be forced to wait an entire day before berthing at the Landing.

Entry 19

Got a decent price for the slaves, sold the entire lot to a caravan bound west. Not a bad profit either. Almost makes me appreciate that fat son of a whore. Reported to the garrison and told to expect a battalion of troops as well as a complement of slaves for the beachhead I established before, I suppose it makes sense, I know where to find it.

Entry 20

Even after my troops were aboard, I still had to wait nearly a full day to be granted leave to travel out of the harbor. The cove was filled with ships both coming and going.

Entry 21

The troops are one thing, but these imperial slaves are awful! They seem to be mostly privileged house slaves, and the conditions aboard the Fury are a dreadful imposition. They shut up some since I had two of them whipped to death.

Entry 22

Reached the desert again, and began the process of unloading the slaves, troops and supplies. The commander at the beachhead reported that there are several nearby cities that have grown complacent in the years since Kaezul's first invasion. He thinks it's time to make them pay. If there is plunder involved, I agree.