Day 36

Natasha

Selkies moved into Padarak today. Their abilities as thieves will be very useful to the city. Let's hope the king recruits them soon.

One of them is an old friend - Yu'arro. We had a quick catch-up before I headed out on my quest.

"We're the first Selkies here, then?" asked Yu'arro at one point.

"Yes," I said. "If you don't count the king's advisor."

"Chime?" she said. "She's basically Clavat."

"Part-Clavat," I said.

"Look at her clothes," said Yu'arro. "She's hardly a proud Selkie."

"She has the king's ear," I said. "You won't be treated badly here."

Yu'arro didn't seem convinced. What's wrong with her? We were always fine in the old kingdom. What's her problem? That there aren't enough Selkies in town? Who cares? She's got friends.

I was glad to head out. Arnold, Tabatha and I headed for Panclare Brightwood to explore. Not a bad day's work.

Effie

Sian and I went back to the Glisera Oasis today. Before we left, I saw her talking to one of the new Selkies who've moved in.

"Did you know that Selkie before?" I asked her.

"Fa'temm?" said Sian. "Yes, we were friends."

"Think she'll volunteer?"

"Nah," said Sian. "Not her style. Her sister Yu'arro will, though. Fa'temm said it's all she's talked about since they arrived."

"Is Yu'arro a good figher?" I asked.

"She's a thief," said Sian. "So her expertise is in finding shortcuts and picking locks and stuff. It's a Selkie thing - they learn those skills from an early age. We won't get lost so often if we get Yu'arro on our side."

Sounds good to me. Hope the king recruits some Selkies. I'm fed up of getting lost in these places.

Day 37

Arnold

The king has recruited two Selkies as adventurers - Yu'arro and Sasha'jee. Natasha's met Yu'arro - we talked about her on our quest (oh, and more about that in a bit). Nobody seemed to know Sasha'jee.

"I've got a friend who's a Selkie," said Tabatha. "Er'miil. She moved in today. She's going to try her luck with the king too."

"It seems strange," said Natasha. "The king's hired no new adventurers in weeks. Then suddenly, he hires two at once."

"He's been waiting for Selkies, you think?" I said.

"I'm not sure I understand his way of thinking," said Natasha. "Selkies make good thieves - but there's no reason he couldn't have trained a Clavat thief. My friend Currie would be a great thief, and he's been up to the castle every day this week. But no."

We were on a quest to the south. We're making good progress to the west, and the king decided it was time to head in a new direction. We've started at the Carcus Southway, a really wide, paved road. All in a day's work, this one. Toughest fight any of us faced was when Natasha found a Biting Wasp. Tabatha found the boss, and it's just a Worm. Wonder how it's going at the oasis?

Sian

Effie found the Glisera Oasis boss today - it's a Sahagin Lord. Shudder. Still, I bought Scale Armour this morning, so we'll see how I feel if the behest comes to face it.

We had a pay rise today. The king's spending a lot on adventurers lately. Fa'temm's sister Yu'arro has been hired as an adventurer.

Fa'temm said she was delighted - Yu'arro's been unbearable in the house, apparently. It'll be nice to get to know Yu'arro a bit. She's always seemed a bit intimidating, but I'm sure she's fine really.

Day 38

Sasha'jee

I'm in.

The king hired me, no questions asked. Ha! Yes, I will take your money, sire. I will fight your battles and grow stronger. And then I will take your head.

My old friend Nicholas is working at Jeffrey's Sword Shop. Good to see a friendly face. I wonder how he'd feel about my plan? He can't be happy with this child for a king - a king who doesn't seem to recognise Nicholas's value to the kingdrom.

But no, I will bide my time. I went to the Pallum Dei Caverns to train today. Yu'arro was there too - another new adventurer with some catching up to do. Over lunch, I asked her what she thought of the king.

"He's doing a good job, isn't he?" said Yu'arro. "Considering he's so young."

Alright, so she's a fool. No problem. I'll find my army soon enough.

Sian

Back to the Southway with Arnold, Natasha and Tabatha today. We're all working hard all of a sudden - I think we're all feeling like we need to prove ourselves a bit more now that the king's got seven adventurers. We finished our exploration in record time.

Day 39

Yu'arro

We're so far behind the Clavats! It's just horrible. I was hoping we'd be heading out together, fighting the same fights ... but no. It's like we're the new kids in school, staying behind to catch up. We don't have the money to afford the weapons or armour they've got, and they're ploughing on ahead.

There are three of us now - three Selkie adventurers, training up in the stinkin' Pallum Dei Caverns. The new girl's Er'miil. She did drawings as she went. Seems strange, but maybe it's her way of mapping the area.

We really need better weapons. We could do with daggers. Better than swords for our skills. The king means well, but he doesn't know the first thing about Selkies.

Effie

The king sent me to kill the boss of Carcus Southway today. Easy enough - a Worm.

I met Sasha'jee, one of the new Selkie thieves, today. Bumped into her in the item shop. She asked something about the king's judgement. I should've answered immediately, but I panicked! Did she know about my wobble? I stammered that I trusted the king, but I didn't sound convincing. Yuk. I don't want anyone thinking I'm guilty of treason!

Day 40

Er'miil

We now have five Selkie dens in the city, and an adventurer has been chosen from each. There's me, Yu'arro and Sasha'jee - and the new two, Lum'lii and Te'mii.

I haven't met Te'mii yet, but Lum'lii's hilarious. Full of jokes and fun. My friend Otto says she's got a reputation for playing pranks. Sounds good - we could do with some more fun. Sasha'jee's a bit of a cynic, really, and Yu'arro's super focused.

I've drawn portraits of Yu'arro and Sasha'jee to go on my wall. It's nice to feel like I'm part of something, but my sister Mir'raan says it's important to keep drawing. I shouldn't get lost in adventuring and lose who I am.

I trained at the Pallum Dei Caverns with Sasha'jee again today. I drew the Fountain of Restoration for Mir'raan. She seemed happy to get it.

Natasha

Arnold, Tabatha, Sian and I headed for the Glisera Oasis to take out the Sahagin Lord today. I got there first, and did the deed.

I have to say, it feels a bit strange that the Selkies are sticking together in one big group, while the rest of us head out together. Are they talking about us? I bet they are. I don't like cliques. Never have.

Day 41

Tabatha

A gaming hall's opened up in the city. My friend Er'miil is delighted - gaming halls are where Selkies like to hang out. Er'miil doesn't even play the games - she just goes there to draw. To each their own.

The king asked us to explore Erithrow Cliffs today. It's in the north-west, past the Goblins' Den, and there's malignant Magicite there. We all went - sorry, all the Clavats did - apart from Effie. Effie went to check out the Beltevra - get this - spent the day gambling in the gaming hall! She's so weird.

Sasha'jee

Slowly, slowly, progress is being made. I've got better armour now, and I killed six Bitsy Bats at Kubito Grotto. Er'miil came too, and she was taken out by a Goblin Mage's Fire.

When I got back, I saw the Clavat girl Effie at the gaming hall. Good - I'd been wanting to speak to her. I struck up a conversation, found a way to bring things round to the subject of the king.

"He sent a group to the Erithrow Cliffs today," I said.

"Yes," said Effie. "That's a good idea, I think."

"Everyone wins if they bet often enough," I said. "Assuming they don't lost it all."

"The king is doing well," said Effie, and it sounded robotic.

Good. She can't speak her mind yet, but it's a matter of time.

Day 42

Lum'lii

Went training with Yu'arro today. Went to the caverns at Pallum Dei. She was proper grumpy about it.

"Cheer up," I said.

"We'll never catch up," she said. "We're here to mop up, that's all."

"Oh, how terrible," I said. "And there was me hoping we'd get to face the Evil Death Lord of Hellfire and Dismemberment on my first day."

"No, it's not about glory," said Yu'arro. "The Clavats have gone to the cliffs again today. They've been sent to hunt the boss. So tomorrow, the Clavat king will give another Clavat adventurer a medal in front of their Clavat friends and Clavat family."

"Doesn't matter," I said. "Who cares what the Clavats are doing? Let them have the limelight. If you have to be a Clavat to get a medal, I can live without medals."

"It's not fair," said Yu'arro. "Something needs to change. They needed us when the whole world was poisonous. They needed us then. And now the miasma's gone, what? We're at the bottom of the pecking order again?"

"You don't have to play their game," I said. "We'll do our own thing. Because we've got something they haven't."

"And what's that exactly?" asked Yu'arro.

"We know we have to work harder. They're complacent. They assume the world is theirs for the taking. They'll become arrogant, and that'll cost them."

Natasha

I took out a Lizard Lord AND a Lizard Priest today! This is becoming easy.