FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Simon's Journal

You find a leather bound journal, on the inside cover are the words

"BELONGS TO SIMON J.

---

" The last name is scribbled out intensively, the first name has crossed through it but is still legible. Underneath the words written are

"Belongs to MeanMug, I'll kill you if you read this."

Important Dates: August 5th 1553 (Simon's Birthday) July 12th 1552 (Richters Birthday) February 20th, 1550 (Peck's Birthday)

April 14th 1569

That's it, I've had it with them not listening to me. I will not stand for these injustices to go on any longer, Richter has been missing for 3 years now, and Father and Mother still deign to do nothing about it! I will have to figure this out on my own, without them...maybe I can ask Chance or Melissa to...no. No one will believe me...they haven't so far. They will just rat me out to Father, I must do this by myself...it's the only way.

July 19th 1569

Well it has been a while since I wrote in this old thing, I'm surprised this hadn't been pilfered off my person and sold for some silver. It's been 3 months, and I have heard nothing, and gotten no leads, but fear not! For someone yesterday was telling me about another small cat person he saw not too long ago. I have traveled far from home. I believe I am in the Sunspire Kingdom now, I have been here once or twice in my youth, so I am figuring things out, taking odd jobs and helping people to make some extra cash, as they say. I do believe things are looking up for me!

July 21st 1569

I do say, luck has found me well! Someone saw a Felis matching Richter's description a couple months ago, word is that they traveled towards the Iron Kingdom! They said the Felis was quite comfortable...they must have brainwashed him or beguiled him into leaving his home behind! The Scoundrels! A few more months of traveling and I will have Richter back myself! How easy this was.

[Many more journal entries are listed, talking about his journey to the Iron Kingdom, it takes another 6 months to make the trip to the Iron Kingdoms, his first Journal entry after entering into the kingdom takes on a slightly different tone.]

January 29th 1570

My, This is...different to say the least. It's so very loud here, this city...Dur'Thold. It has a certain...quality to it. But this is the first step into finding Richter, I must do my best to gain some ground on this investigation. So far I have an Emblem and I know a few faces, though I cannot hopes to draw them. But I shall not lose hope!

February 4th 1570

Well, this has me in quite a pickle. I seem to have misplaced my pouch of coin! I hope the Tavern owner can give me time to gather some more or find it, meanwhile I may have found a further lead! I am meeting with someone tomorrow to talk about this emblem! They seem to know where its from. Things are looking up for me.

March 6th 1570

It has been quite a month, my last update seems so far away at this point. The man I met with lied to me, he only wanted my coin...and when he found out I had none well...he wasn't very happy about that. I tried to run, but he was just faster than I. Curse these small legs. I was able to keep my clothes and my pack, with this journal obviously...but my necklace...my mothers necklace...it's gone. After a day of wandering I went back to the Tavern, but Fargo didnt let me back into my room, said I hadn't paid up! I tried to tell him I got robbed but he didn't believe me, called me a freeloader. I haven't had a restful night since then, sleeping in alleyways and trying my hardest to get work...I have to keep going...I must find him.

[The entries from here on become more sporadic, sometimes weeks, sometimes months, even a couple years between entries, when the writing gets consistent again is where we pickup.]

December 16th 1579

Been a long fuckin time since I wrote in this thing, 9 fucking years, I cant even read the old shit, fucking young and naive, full of wonder and hope and all that goopy shit.

I cant even say that, I'm about to fall into the same fucking trap again. Been awhile since I laid on a warm bed that didnt smell like fucking piss or worse. They said I could stay if I wanted...they had a use for my talents. What, climbing? Being small and useless? Cant even find him...trail went cold so fucking long ago.

This fucking pointy eared douche, Captain Cutter or whatever. He said I had a gift, usually magic users aren't that swift or whatever. I fucking punched him in his knee for that, they held me down and everything. I just glared at him the entire time, he said I had a mean looking mug. I like it.

They offered me something, a position and proper training...I don't know...I can't let myself be fooled...it's gotta be a trick right?

February 1st 1580

I...took a chance. I still don't know if this is the right course. Its...I'm scared. I went through training, through Commander Karn's course, that big bulky motherfucker is a hardass, but I appreciate it. He did something to me...he humbled me. We all worked together, slept together, ate together, I tried to stay by myself...tried to just learn and survive on my own. I thought I was being strong, boy was I wrong. We had to survive in the wilderness for a month together. I took off the first night, and was found unconscious on the 5th. Fell out of a tree and just...couldn't get back up.

I thought I was dead.

Julie found me, her and Uther carried me back to their camp. I didn't know their names, I stayed away from everyone at the beginning of training...but that...they showed me that being in a team mattered. Julie treated my wounds and a few of the others went to get food. They spent the rest of the night talking and taking turns sleeping. I didn't say anything, I wanted to but I didn't. But it was nice, hearing people laugh and talk again...not having to worry about a knife in the gut...it was all nice.

After I recovered I did my fair share of hunting and chores, one night while we were all around the fire Peck took my hood down. She scratched my head with her talons, gently. I got lost for a second, but then I heard them laughing at me, I was fucking purring! I took my knife out and whirled on her but...she looked confused. She asked me if I was alright, I didn't know what to say...I just told her no, I wasn't. She sat me back down and continued to scratch. I don't know why, but I let her. The group didn't laugh at me, they just smiled this time. I think I fell asleep if I'm being honest.

You all will probably never read this, but Julie, Peck, Uther, Grug, Steel...you guys saved me from myself.

[The line above is circled with a heart pointing to the circle, a dark black feather taped onto the page next to the heart.]

[The journal bounces around from this point, describing his teammates, Julie, a Half Elf Battle Cleric, Peck, a Kenku Inquisitor Rogue, Uther, A Wood Elf Illusion Mage, Grug, A Goblin Artificer, and Steel, A Human Ranger. Going through various adventures, getting lost on a scouting run through the mountains, taking down a bear together and eating like kings. Simon also talks about his relationship with his friends, as they get closer and closer, they open up with him and after he lets them know about Richter, they formulate a plan to take a long leave of absence and try to find him together.]

August 12th, 1581

I...fucking hate Spiders, like so much. We were exploring some land for a new armory on the west side of the Krang Mountains, fucking huge spiders all in it. I dont know why we cant just kill them, now we have to work with a relocation squad to fucking move them. Fucking ecosystems and shit, I can understand like...I dont know some wolves? Some Birds, maybe even a fucking like...pack of feral Gnolls or something. But fucking spiders? Ridiculous.

[The journal takes a turn though, as we come up on the third year of Simon's time as a scout in the Iron Kings ranks.]

July 16th 1583

Another cakewalk mission for us, we just had to scout out some Valley over in the east part of BSC Land, guess this will be the new FOB for this side of the conflict. We found the best site for it fairly quickly, almost too quickly. Peck thinks I am crazy, but I told her that I am sure something or someone is watching us. I've cleared the perimeter about 7 times since we set up our camp. We took turns, but I still didn't get a lot of sleep, I couldn't help it. Something just doesn't...feel right.

Oh well, Peck keeps begging me to come to bed, I guess I can let it go just this once.

July 20th 1583

They stuck me with helping run ropes up and down, for hauling the sides of the buildings. This new tech is sweet, being able to construct these buildings fast reminds me of toy sets from the burrows when I was a kid...Haven't thought of that place in a while...seems like a lifetime ago. I wonder if mom is okay...Anyways, it's been fun but it keeps me so far away from Peck. She keeps telling me that I am lucky, she wants nothing more to fly some days, and I get to climb around like that. I tell her it's more of a curse than a blessing, at least she can reach shelves without having to climb. I wonder if I can find a mage to teach me some flight magic...she would love it.

After this day there is a long skip in the entries, it picks back up a month later.

August 25th...26th...whatever fucking day. 1583

They are all dead.

I knew someone was watching us, I fucking knew it, they all told me to relax, it was an easy op, no fucking issues. Now they are all in the dirt! I'm the only one, as far as I know...some fucking construct...Golem...Warforged, it was standing right over her, I coul-

[The rest of this paragraph is scribbled out violently.]

I was on top of one of the watchtowers, helping like normal. I saw torches on the ridge. I knew exactly what it was. We were finishing up the work for the day, the base half setup, a good chunk of the forces out gathering. I scrambled down the side and ran to the command tent. As I came in I told them what happened...then explosions sounded all around us. The tent started to catch. I couldn't hear what Captain Cutter was saying...all I could think about was the squad.

As I darted around the camp, I saw that the savages had torn through the camp at this point, they had bombed a good portion of our forces in the initial attack. Nothing but charred corpses and screams from that whole side. Julie and Uther were over there the last time I saw them, I...

When I got to our tent it was a mess. I had to fight a couple kobolds tearing up some remains of another soldier close by, Grug saw me... he helped me fight them. We were both relieved to see each other. But...before...

The Golem appeared behind us. We turned around with weapons ready but...it was so large. It picked up Grug by his head...it tossed him to the side without one. I ran into the tent, I saw Peck gathering her gear in the corner. Getting ready to help us fight...But the golem took the tent down in an instant. I was caught in the covering, I couldn't see...all I felt was a push, and then a sickening thwack. By the time I got the cover off...I saw...

Peck was lying on the ground motionless. I didn't know what to do...I didn't hear Steel yelling at me as she tackled the Warforged. I didn't hear anything.

She's dead right? She sacrificed herself to save me right...She has to be dead. Grug is dead...Steel died fighting the warforged right? Julie and Uther had to be exploded...they are all...Dead.*

[*This page in particular is covered in stains, hard to see but definitely water damage on this page.]

They won't find me, I ran the wrong way. No one will find me...Hopefully I'll die in the woods, or get found by some dirty kobolds and eaten alive.

But for now, I think I'm just going to keep moving...make them work. Whoever tries to find me.

[The Journal once again skips around a lot. A page with full names, seeming to be in reverence to his fallen comrades. A couple of pages later on have the words "SHE'S DEAD" and "IT'S ALL MY FAULT" written on the pages over and over. After a long pause in entries, pages are skipped and the Journal picks back up.

December 15th 1584

Almost the end of the year...someone found me. I was hiding in this town, keeping my head low. Someone caught on to me, said I didn't have a normal gait, said I looked like I've seen some shit. Said I should come to the Crow's Caw tavern at 2:33 if I wanted to hone that gait and do something to get my mind off of whatever was troubling me. Fucking screwball, but at this point...I'll either die or have something to show for this. I don't know...fucking of course it would be at the Crow's Caw...she's gotta be looking down on me right? This has to be a sign...Right?

December 19th 1584

A Thieves Guild, of course. Fucking lowlifes...but then again...what am I. I deserted my friends, I ran away from everything instead of dying and fighting. Maybe I deserve this, maybe Peck is doing this cause I let her die.

For what it's worth I'm sorry.

I guess I can do this for a bit, again maybe I'll just die in the gutter like I deserve.

[The Journal Entries once again bounce around, MeanMug talks about his experience training his skills, learning to use magic in conjunction with his considerable skill at staying hidden and just generally being a sneak. He starts to liken himself with a rogue, someone who uses wits and dexterity to fight his foes...After a while of this the Journal picks back up within the last few months.]

May 29th 1589

A lead...a fucking lead. I cant fucking believe it.

Someone came in the other day, finally had some info on the logo I've had in my head for years. The Knife with the Blood, someone found out that it belongs to some House of Evisceration. Weird cult shit, but fuck I have to take this right?

It's been so long...is Richter even alive? But I have to take this right? They told me to check with the bounty man, he would have more on his side.

May 30th 1589

It is an actual fucking lead, I will never forget that bastards face, Scar on his upper right eyebrow, crooked nose, fucking pointy eared fuck. He took Richter, I have to find him. I don't care about the money 500gp is nothing. If I can pick up any sort of lead, anything...maybe this will be worth it.

Is it worth it? I hope so...God I hope so.