Ikai is OK

Hello everyone… I uh guess that even if you didn’t read my letters it must have been a bit worrying that you didn’t receive any for a while. I’m really sorry. There is a lot to be sorry about and I am. Good news is I’m ok! I’m finally ok and it’s not thanks to me.

I will try to explain what happened in the past weeks. It seemed so long ago that I was my normal self, but I’ll do my best to explain it all because it’s really important and I really want you to understand. Just remember that I’m ok now, ok?

I think the last letter I sent was from when we left for the Ultros. We were resting in this inn, the place where we started actually. I had Neossos back then and all was nice in some way. After some rest we followed the map we had to this really creepy place - it was like the end of the world almost, or it felt like it. We did nearly get crushed by a canyon that closed on its own, if it wasn’t for Neossos I wouldn’t have made it. Anyway there was this super deep cliff thing, it just felt all kinds of creepy.

And the creepiness didn’t stop because we finally found the ship! Well Torag did, it was in this secret lake. Back then I didn’t know the Ultros was still like a super ghost ship thing. I thought maybe it was a little dusty and we’d have to fix it, not that it was haunted! I could sense them everywhere!

Downstairs of in the ship we found these coins which were weird because I suddenly understood draconic. But anyway the important thing was that it was full of GHOSTS. And I mean it, rows and rows of them! We had all these visions, that the captain who seemed rather nasty wanted to punish some people, like some of the important ones on the ship. He asked us to fix it. We didn’t want to but they, the ghosts they now were, were attacking us!

And one of them did this thing… It’s like its face burned into my mind and body and it was horrible and when I woke up, I was taller? It all happened so fast, but… I’m afraid I lost a lot of years there… I did kick their asses after, I even kicked Torag’s ass when he became possessed by one of them.

In the end we saw that captain again, Estor he’s called, and he… He  turned to me to offer me power. I would be the most suited. It felt very wrong, but at the same time, I thought, maybe I can use that to save my mom, and.. And he…

I’ll tell next time ok

An update

Folks, this is Nerean again. You’re probably wondering where Ikai’s next letter is, and why it’s taking so long. The truth is that we do not know, though we keep trusting in our hearts that our boy is well. Surely, with at least Kyrah knowing where he’s from, we would be told if anything was amiss, and we did not receive any message that would suggest that is the case.

However, we heard rumours that the legendary Ultros, the ship that Ikai mentioned in one of his previous letters, has indeed set sail after having been missing for 500 years. It’s said to have departed from Mythros about a few weeks ago. What is especially surprising is this: The rumours suggest that her captain is a siren. 

Now before you take any conclusions from this, I must stress that these are just rumours and might be more hopeful than true. One member of the messenger’s guild, who claimed to have seen the ship’s departure up close, said the captain doesn’t quite match Ikai’s description, being adamant that he saw an adult siren instead. 

We keep trying to stay informed by the guild. If Ikai is on board that ship, it stands to reason that he will not often be able to send messages from there. I am sure that once he is able to, we will receive a message shortly. 

Who knows, perhaps he will be able to convince the captain to come visit our humble dwellings? One can always hope!

A change of fortunes

Oh yeah, so, before leaving Mythros something weird happened: Two of the taverns wanted to give us money! Really, just like that! I think they must have had some argument over which we liked the most or something? It was the easiest way we got money in ever, and it was a lot too! We had to choose between the poor people’s bar that Torag likes (it has a sticky floor and is a bit icky, but the people are okay) and this weird place where I think rich people go for sex. But also drinks and stuff. I don’t know, I thought both places were weird and would have liked a normal one like the one in Estoria instead. We went for the Siren’s Roost, which is the rich and sexy one, because Pachinko said that maybe we could get some connections there. We had our portraits painted there, which was super fun.

Then finally, FINALLY we got out of that place and on the road again! I kind of missed it. We encountered a few of those one-eyed maw guys along the way but nothing happened. They were just picking berries. We ended up at that place where we started, the one tavern I forgot the name of. They were doing really well because it’s where we started, that’s how famous we are now! So of course the first thing I did was to ask the barmaid if they wanted to give us a heap of money just like the other taverns but they didn’t. I don’t think it helped that Astria started laughing when I asked.

Oh and I managed to get Neossos! He’s like half a bear half an owl but also really gentle and I can ride on him. Torag also made a beast, his is really scary, like an ugly dog. He didn’t even give it a name.

Anyway tomorrow we’ll go to get the ship!! I’m not quite sure how we’ll get the ship out of there since probably old and busted. Kyrah did say that where we’re going it’s a really creepy place, something about a passage to the underworld? Well we’ll see. I can’t wait to sail!!

Fun and games?

So about the games. I uhh actually I didn’t join at first because I had this messenger job first - I really was trying to do what I could to get some extra for the weapon that I need to save my mom. When I came back actually a lot of stuff happened - like I think they saved Torags mom, and found out about some bad stuff happening at Lutheria’s temple, and something about a wine trade thing that I didn’t really get? I was helping out with that too - it involved Pachinko disguising himself as Ellie to join me and MAN do they keep on finding new ways of making things awkward for me!! He was all cozy and I’m pretty sure I saw Nyssa (that’s my tiny dragon, if you don’t remember) gagging over it at some point.

Anyway we were also really getting into trying to free the minotaurs, since they’re used as slaves and sacrifices like, all the time here. 

I did join the games eventually and they were fun but I wasn’t very good at it. In the end it was just Torag and Dardanus, although Pachinko and I think Astria helped them with magic. I meanwhile put up a little stand to sell some random stuff to make some more money. Like the daggers that I used and other stuff. I also sold some stuff about supporting Torag or Dardanus during the games. It was fun because everyone was helping, like Pachinko made some songs to attract people, and Nyssa guarded the money with all her tiny might! It worked pretty well, but then you look at the enormous amount you still need to find somehow and it’s actually not that much at all…

Anyway, eventually there were the finals and we were all allowed to join! I was doing the swimming part since I can hold my breath well and I did ok, kinda like the other sport people. Which is still good, right? The others did much better, which that as a group  we actually ended up winning!!  We were standing there in the arena and everyone was cheering, it felt great! Although Dardanus and Torag were really the winners because they got a lot of medals. Torag got some branch to put on his head. When there they were still really trying to tell people sacrificing minotaurs is bad, and actually people started to listen a bit.

Oh also, while the games were going on there was a this really beefy minotaur about to be sacrificed. Of course with the no-sacrifice thing we were doing we wanted to save him and it was actually amazing because Astria and Pachinko used like all their magic to make it seem like Sydon was really angry at all this sacrificing stuff. Everyone was so scared, haha. In the end Falios made him invisible and he managed to get out of there. Now Bullbug the beefy is traveling with us!!

Also we found a person turned into stone. Apparently there’s this lady of coin going about doing that? I can’t really remember but there was also another lady involved that escaped, and somehow we ended up at this rich guy’s house that wanted her killed I think. In the end we didn’t really do much with it for some reason, and I don’t think there were any more people turned to stone. Not that I know anyway. 

And finally… Hmm I guess I should write about the thing with the vineyard… So umm, while I was gone they fixed something for this vineyard guy and he said he’d give this music instrument to us. I think it used to belong to Kyrah before it was stolen. Anyway instead of giving it the guy broke it and then people got angry and somehow a fight broke out. I might have… Accidentally killed the guy, really, really hard. Like.. I don’t know what happened, but it just didn’t make sense for why we were fighting. I guess I didn’t even really understand why we were fighting and how bad of a guy that was, other than especially Pachinko and Torag being really angry. So I felt horrible about that, that I kind of lost myself in the fight like that… I guess it sometimes feels like we’re playing somehow? Like it’s fun to do? Maybe I am a bit like Pythor, but in not a good way I think... Dardanus tried to comfort me in saying that if I wouldn’t have done it he would have, but still.

So we tried to, as some sort of apology, give him a reasonable burial at least. Also apparently he controlled this water elemental used to water the vineyard and now the wine supply to the whole of Mythros is probably going to crap. So uh… That’s… My bad…

Turn to the gods

So then we finally set off for Mythros. Oh Kyrah finally got better from when she was saving me from that giant dog thing in the mines, thanks to Astria, so she could join too.  

Along the way we came across this large weird dude - he was real weird because his face was actually on his chest! And he had a huge maw and only one eye. Actually he was also really sad because he just seemed to have accidentally murdered his human friend. We tried to be real careful but he got aggressive and attacked anyways. Fortunately like all of us had some spell or other thing with which we could control him, haha. So he didn’t really have a chance. I think we charmed him and sent him off to the druids somewhere to see if they could help him, don’t know what happened to him then. 

After that we continued to Mythros and we really had some welcome there! There was a massive storm over the city and it seemed like Sydon was somehow in that storm!! His face at least. And, he shot me with lightning!!! Well I was wondering how to think about Sydon at first but now I’m like screw this guy!! I think even my parents would agree  

Well finally we managed to get into the city and into King Acustus’ throne room. He doesn’t seem nice at all - I don’t think he thought much of us but still wanted us to solve his problem somehow. Also he had like a lover while his wife Vallus was right there, I thought that was really awkward but maybe that’s just me. Anyway there were a few ways to solve the problem but we trusted Vallus in the end - she’s like the goddess of wisdom and knowledge and stuff, so that can’t be bad. But, that did mean that the five gods all were a lot weaker, forever. I mean, that’s a pretty expensive price, right?? I mean, all the gods? Forever? Just when the oath of peace is about to stop?? She seemed to have some thoughts about it but I couldn’t figure it out.  

Anyway as a reward for all this the King got us a map which shows where this really old ship is, the Ultros. They say it's like the only one that can handle Sydon's storms and it's like real legend! It's probably the one we saw in that dream the other time, so weird!! And it was creepy but I'm sure it's better in real life. Anyway I don’t feel like we did a whole lot to earn the map but Vallus said the King also tried to get the boat but didn’t manage and kinda wants us to fetch it now. Well I’m so looking forward to go out to the sea!! So we have to do that next but first there’s a lot to be done here in the city. Really a lot! 

For one, I learned that Vallus got like a lot of powerful healing magic and, well, that potion Esop gave me sure was disgusting, so… I kind of stayed with Vallus for like two hours a while to get my injuries healed, haha. It was really nice actually. I didn’t think about it back then, but it’s a bit weird to be healed by a goddess I guess? I still can’t really believe she’s also my auntie and I can just ask her to help me like this. It’s so different from home! Anyway, I’m sure Ellie will be happy to see me without the scar! 

Next time I’ll tell about the games!