Chapter 1 - The Five Heroes, Bandits, and a Dragon

4 Duskar 499 CE

Dear Diary

I almost killed someone today.

Two days I trudged the Oldwoods, an apparent name by my talks with the Satyrs. Good thing they spoke Greece. This island is named Thylea. Brief history lesson with them reveals quite a lot. Things that I couldn't really fit with this language. But the gist of it, some shit had happened way back when. There were immigrants living at the edges of the island, and the natives didn't quite like them. Dragonlords came and helped the immigrants. Natives didn't like it, war happened. Then the Five Gods came and helped the immigrants, which integrated themselves into the island. The actual natives of the land ran away to the Oldwoods and the Heartlands. Oath of Peace was signed and war was over. 500 years of peace, yadda yadda. That's a lot of information I had to take in in the course of about 3 hours.

Anyways, I bid them thanks and farewell and went on the way they told me. There was a small outcropping near the Sour Vintage, a place I could sleep without disturbing and being disturbed by the natives, the Clearwater caravan stop. Quite unfortunate I didn't have a tent with me when I'm two-thirds away from the objective. Fortunate that this dwarven woman offered me her tent.

I secured the perimeter and zipped my tent, and prepared for the night. The moment I closed my eyes, I was back on the ship. The storm rages on, and before I could fully understand the situation, the ship capsized. Water began to enter my lungs. Time slows down, and I watched moments of my life flashes before my own mind. I heard memories of pain and suffering. Those who constantly doubted me. Those who wouldn't even look at my general direction. Those, things, things he called his people. Then I hear something from the back of my head. "Your potential lies infinite. You can, you are, greater than the world expected you to be. Seek my guidance. Go to the Sour Vintage my child."

The death throes of a civilian woke me up. In a jolt, I rushed outside. One caravanner, lies down in the middle of the camp, in a pool of his own blood, crossbow bolt on his neck jutting out. Bandits. This place isn't as peaceful as I thought it would be. It is as if I was back home in Zentrum. Fighting the bandits off was no big deal, it is fortunate that we received help from 4 other 'unique individuals'. The bandit got two of the caravanners, while a birdie fellow got one. I almost got the leader myself, but alas, the time for me to sin has not yet come.

And by the time we realized what happened, there comes a silver dragon, who were supposed to be extinct. The remaining bandits and civilians ran, and the other 4 as well. I tried to lure the beast to the opposite direction, but it seems confused. I confirmed the safety of everyone, which included the dwarven lady I owed a tent with. She seemed to be adamant in joining the other 4s. Well, I did owe her.

They ran into the Oldwoods, for whatever reason. It took us both a bit to look for them, but we managed. Up until now, I haven't had the time to take a good look on these four, and in the short time we rested, we got to know each other. I gave them the minimum amount of knowledge though, as usual.

Magna. One most familiar to me in appearance. Light blue eyes and hair, swept to the side. Almost a human, save for something odd about him. His odd facial hairs and sharp ears are one. He wields a spear and a shield, yet as nimble as one who only uses swords or knives. He writes, just like me, in his little notepad. Eloquent in words, yet not the most articulate. Only origin I knew of him is that he was from the Sour Vintage. A place I was looking for.

Lody. Still looks human, but with black sclera and blue iris. Blonde hair. Seems like a man of God. He casts spells like me, but does it at distance, also divine in nature. Good natured, but a tad bit more cautious than Magna. Eloquent and articulate, I like him in this matter.

Li Wei. The birdie that I wrote about. Bipedal, black hair, brown eyes. With 4 upper appendages, two are human hands, with opposable thumbs, two are bird wings, with feathers and no fingers and thumbs. Plato and Diogenes would have a field day with this specimen. Acts and talks like an intelligent bird would. Cute, if not for the crossbow. Deadly. Also wears oriental clothes. Probably not from this island as well. Outsider like me. Wonder how her wings taste like, chicken? Or pig? Does it even count as cannibalism?

Fauna. A unique entity. She seems unlike the other humanoids here. A nymph, dryad. A magical creature. She says she's nature personified. Highly illogical. Doubtful. However ditzy her approach, she's is quite wise and intelligent. Not as eloquent in words as the other two, nor as articulate as me, she's able to grasp complex concepts. Weird. Appears as if a humanoid, yet not so. Ever beautiful and majestic. Doesn't seem to bleed blood like us. Pale skin, paler than me, yet not sickly. Investigate further.

Luna Falbek, the dwarven lady, told the tale that we are the supposed '5 Heroes' of the island. Said to prevent another big war from erupting. The Oath of Peace is waning and we are to stop them. Says she is a messenger of the Oracle, and that we are to go somewhere to protect a place from a summoned beast. Lody and Fauna disagrees. Lody and Fauna both wants to go to the Sour Vintage, for their personal reasons with the Oracle. I kept my mouth shut and observed. As the debate went nowhere quite quick, Luna grew frustrated and, well, in short, the dwarven lady, revealed herself as a fucking Goddess, all along.