Personal Log, Firesday, the 17th of Candel, 643 CE. Aboard the Excelsior, traveling in the Great Sea towards the Million Isles.

It is with a heavy heart that I bid farewell to Redwain. Along with Len and Menck, I have boarded the ship ‘Excelsior’ at the behest of Marquis Freewind. A few hours ago, we departed this broken continent in search of new lands and relics unearthed during the great tidal wave that coincided with Versperax’s alleged destruction. The Marquis has proven to be one of the few allies left in the world to House Har Hend and arranged passage for us on this vessel. It is my first time aboard a ship, but I find the rigor and precision among the crew as something I can grow accustomed to. I am uneasy with using Kaldarian technology, but this was the path set before us by our benefactor.

My thoughts still return to the events at Castle Brecia. While I do bear responsibility for the alienation of several of the other ruling nobles, our house was abandoned in their time of need. We chose action instead of words. Now that the threat has passed, the sacrifice made by my people mean little to those who seek nothing more than the next advantage.

In many ways, I am relieved to no longer face the stares of sympathy, regret, and shame that I saw on my way to the ship. Every other house bent the knee before Vesperax’s forces. But House Har Hend did not. We never surrender. Our people may be gone, but we chose death as preferable to enslavement. My only refuge from questioning whether I should have died with them is the memory of Bar Hend ordering us to warn the King Rothis of the coming onslaught. We were forced to watch the destruction of our homeland. We convinced the pompous nobles of Redwain to take action instead of wait helplessly for their doom. We stood in front of the mightiest force ever to set foot on Redwain, and we emerged victorious. 

And the reward for our sacrifice was exile.

The storm has passed. Versperax is allegedly destroyed. His soldiers have no memory of their deeds and are shells of the beings they once were. How can my nation avenge itself with the monster now gone? What purpose do I have, with retribution no longer possible? Service to Har Hend is the only thing that I have ever known. And now, I have no one to serve and no one to take vengeance upon. A rage has built inside of me that I do not know if I will ever be able to purge.

Now, I fear what our “agreement” to the Marquis will bring. I trust Len’s judgment, but the Marquis plays the same games as the other nobles, including that coward Count Osmere. I will not be a pawn to those without honor or courage. The only purpose that I can set myself to is the rebuilding of House Har Hend. Be it on a distant isle or on the site of Castle Hend, we will rise again. 

This I swear, by Claw and Venom.