Betrayal

It is with regret that I report an abject failure on behalf of my party, the Holy Rollers. Not only has their betrayal shown their weakness of character but also my ineffective leadership. It will take time to right this ship but such are the trials set in our path. It is through the crucible of life that we become harder, better, faster, stronger, more able to endure the pain of existence and ready ourselves for the after. I pray for the Light to guide us through the darkness ahead.

The new Scarlet Brotherhood converts were true to their word, working diligently to smuggle handfuls of slaves out of Port Julio in exchange for the fabulous gem in their possession. Unfortunately, we had many many handfuls of slaves to rescue and the longer we waited, the better the chance of interference from the locals. We sent pleas for aid out to our allies, receiving responses from the heretic BalaSoto in Bastia, Sheriff Kai Lan of Bonevale, and the smuggler Bandit.

BalaSoto volunteered to help us and sent ships immediately, Pelor bless him. Kai Lan refused aid citing concerns over starting a war, unsurprising that an uncivilized elf did not have the fortitude to do what is right. Bandit sold us berths on Cledus Snow's strange motorized sailing ship. Between them, we were able to much more rapidly account for the high head count and get underway.

The ghost ship The Shadow harried us as we sailed, heralded by the supernatural mists that roil in its proximity. It chased us and the much slower ships of BalaSoto's until I began to formulate plans on how to challenge it. By all accounts a futile effort but standing idly by was not an option. We hatched a scheme to draw it away from the slower ships and hope we could outrun it. Bandit reported "Smokey" up ahead, by which he meant the pirates that pass for the law in Monmurg, and we hoped to lure the two antagonist forces together and escape in the chaos.

After a daring bit of seamanship from Bandit and Snowman, our plan worked and The Shadow did indeed become satiated by the destruction of the two Monmurgian ships. Good riddance to them all. 

Some of the devout followers of Procan in the crews insisted that we stop to give offerings at a colossal statue in the middle of the ocean in thanks. I was glad to allow them to recognize a legitimate member of the pantheon when we were so often confronted with heretical petty "gods" during our adventures.

The rest of our travel was swift and uneventful, which the crews attributed to Procan whose domain is the sea, after all. That is all well and good but of course I know all thanks belong to Pelor. Kai Lan did not want the slaves moved through his village so we relied on the smugglers' knowledge of the coastline and they came through with a little cove sufficient for our needs. Coincidentally, it was the same location at which we were duped by the seamonster during the Candy Mountain fiasco. Zimon looked fiercely around for the creature but could not find it.

A short march saw us arrive in Horizon and I set my right hand Abraham to organizing the settlement of the new residents. Meanwhile, we needed to inform Danconia the Khajit that we were not going to sell him the gem that we recovered after all. It was clearly sent to me by Pelor to aid in his glorification and would be used as such. As soon as I could figure out how.

There was some complaining from June and Zimon, distasteful greediness that I attempted to sate with a frankly absurd offer to buy out their interests in the gem. They declined under veiled accusations of it being "cursed" and needing to "get rid of it", but I could see through the subterfuge. They simply wanted it for themselves. Danconia accepted my decision to keep my gem but demanded that I supply the gem's name. An absurd mockery from a skooma-addled up-jumped peddler.

We retired to our tree-top villa and rested after our long travel, the others' slitted, covetous eyes bothering me enough that I sought seclusion in my chamber. I awoke in the early morning hours and reacted to imminent danger, throwing my pillow in my place and drawing my sword from concealment. Finely honed adventurer's instincts saved me from being murdered in my sleep by a magically silent and concealed figure, hard to see in the darkness, creeping up to my bed.

I charged it, bellowing for the guards, and struck a mighty blow only to find that it was Zimon the bounty hunter, my friend! Betrayal! I was both angry and disappointed, but above all, cautious, as he is a capable warrior in his own right and had the upper hand what with me in my underwear and all. When June the Heathen rushed in to join the combat I knew the treachery was deadly serious. She grasped at me to take the gem and in the scuffle I sought escape through the only exit available to me. I dove out the window, the savage little fighter clinging to me and clawing greedily at the gem, and we both dropped the long way to the ground.

Stunned and bloodied the both us, she recovered first and struck out with her sword. When I awoke I was in chains and the thieves had handed over the gem to Danconia the Khajit, piss on his monstrous form, to get their blood money. Kai Lan arrived and correctly acknowledged that I was the wronged party. In my anger I demanded trial by combat, but settled for release to Horizon considering that I could not trust either of them to abide by any rightful laws of men.

I arrived to find an unusual welcome orchestrated by the magician Boblin, a choreographed dance routine by dozens of townsfolk. Clearly a distraction, I had him removed from my presence and retired to my quarters. Zimon and June both have contributed to the restoration of the fortress at Horizon and I have not yet decided upon an ultimate course of action. Until then, I have banned them from the headquarters and my immediate vicinity. I will focus on administering my rapidly growing domain and pray for guidance on how to heal from this betrayal.

Yours with heavy heart,

Knight Paladin Percival
Lord of Horizon