An Introduction

So, I decided to finally start a journal, being that I have been assigned a new post for my indiscretion.  Bah, it's not like I killed the arse-faced devil who insulted me.  I only made sure the clerics would be busy for some time fixing him up.  Matters not though.  I'll accept my new post and do my best to be an exemplary example again. 

A bit of background for those who read this journal, so that you may understand my choices better - I'm a freak of nature, a mistake, cursed by some standards.  A dwarf with magic.  My grandfather's 'blessing', passed down through the blood. Every now and again in our family line a child is born with a wisp of magical talent - and shamed by it.  I was sent at a young age to my Grandfather to learn how to use my abilities.  He's a charlatan, who believes that will alone is enough to impress changes upon the world.  I know better - careful study, exhausting research of spells, diagrams, chants - this is how you make true magic.  I convinced him to enroll me in the Academy to learn all I could from them.  If I was to be cursed, then I would make my curse useful, at least.

I spent most of half a century at the school, until my Grandfather would no longer pay for my studies.  His business had come into a bit of trouble, and he needed help.  So I was apprenticed to a blacksmith to learn the arts of crafting, and working with my hands.  In my spare time - what there was of it - I learned other arts.  Jewelry craft is my favorite hobby, but stone carving is a close second.  I soon learned that people will pay for magic items that are useful, and that with a bit of a start up loan I was able to turn my Grandfather's business back around.  Now that he is well on his feet again - even if I can't stand the old dwarf, at least he cared for me and helped me with my education - I find myself restless to see more of the world, and to put my skills to firm use.  I joined the Legion.

My first years in were quiet.  I've fallen into military life well, and the structure and regulations suit my nature.  My skills are useful here too, as I have spent many hours in the armory smithy aiding in the repair and mending of armor and weapons, as well as carefully crafting my own.  I was moving up through the ranks, doing well and possibly on track for officership, when the incident happened.

Off-duty hours are a dangerous thing.  Being one of the few female dwarves in the Legion that I've seen, I became very interesting to a good number of the males, until they found out about my curse - no male dwarf wants to be responsible for concieving another mistake, even accidentally.  I found my leave time to be very lonely, even surrounded by crowds in taverns and inns.

One night, at the Tumbling Goose, I was enjoying my fourth or fifth brandy, trying to get too drunk to care anymore about my own lonliness.  I had three days of leave, and while I would be sleeping in my quarters at the barracks, there was no reason to not spend some of my pay here.  Then he walked in, and spotted me at the bar.  Olviettane was a thorn in my side from the time I met him - grand family, fine cut of face, impeccable in his uniform or day-tunic.  His eyes were kind most of the time, even when giving orders.   I learned that those eyes lied, that there was very little kind or gentle under that fair exterior.  He invited himself to join me at the bar, and bought me another brandy.  I was a bit shocked at this, as it had been some time since any other dwarf in the service would consort with me.  We chatted a bit about life in the Legion, and what we were before.  I must have been quite far gone by that point, because I told him my family secret, wishing in my heart that this time it would not matter.  I'll never forget those words - that vile venom that spewed from between his lips - "Mage-born trash.  I can't believe I was wasting time on you."  As he turned to leave, something in me snapped.  I couldn't tell you why I didn't immediately fry him with a spell - it might have been kinder - but I started swinging, and didn't stop until three of his friends pulled me off of him.  I don't remember much until I was at my CO's tent, being reassigned after paying for the medical care and losing a month's wages. 

Currently I've been assigned to a group of misfits and troublemakers, too useful to get rid of by not structured enough to put in with the rest of the Legion.  There are two scouts - one of whom has a pet skunk and a severe marajuana habit, the other has a trained dog.  Both seem quite capable as scouts.  Then we have a bard, whom I don't think has had much real training but tries very hard to follow the regulations to the letter of the book.  Our chaplain is a druid - a bit strange and sometimes a little off kilter, but a good man.  There is one other member of the group who I haven't quite a got a grip on, but she also seems mostly competent to me.  Then our Company Commander showed up.  I'm still not entirely sure of his rank - I haven't seen him wihout his cloak on to be sure.  He seems bound and determined to turn this group into the most 'by the book' soldiers that he can.  We'll see how it works out for him.  I estimate that after this first patrol he'll give up trying to make Simmonds into anything but barely sober most of the time. 

He said we're going on a six week patrol and he wants to see us do it in better time than that.  So it probably is really a three week patrol that we need to be back in five weeks on the outside from, and he is trying to show us how good his leadership ability is by padding the schedule.  I won't burst his bubble, but with this group, we'll be lucky to make it back in two months. 

Reminder: Send a letter to Grandfather when I get back from patrol, it's been two years.

First, A Story

Sergeant Abigail Minhara Hearthsblest is my latest character in an RPG - Pathfinder, this time. 

The world being used in this game was created by my good friend Red, and a search for Eris-Tull will bring you to his blog.

But this page is for my character, and for me to chronicle my character notes so that I have a nice easy reference.  Most of this will be written in character, with only short posts of items that are not.

Note: If it is in Italics, it's not in character. ;)

Sergeant Hearthsblest is a Hemgar (surface dwarf).  She is a 4th level Legionaire, 6th level Wizard at the start of game, with a background of Adept (which means she has the ability to be a Scorcerer.  It was a role-playing choice to make her a wizard as she is a LAWFUL Neutral character who doesn't believe that magic can work without the intense study and ritualism that wizardry demands). 

In this game, all characters start out as soldiers in the Legion.  The group is definitely the Omega Company (Robert Asprin's Phule's Company), a dumping unit for misfits or malcontents - those who do not fit in the orderly structure of military life but that the brass doesn't know what else to do with.  I'm creating this blog to be this character's journal & notes, hoping that this campaign will continue on for some time - I'm very excited about it.  Next post: An Introduction.