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[Journal] Letters to Home - Harknezz - 07-14-2015
Father,
Just this morning I finally arrived in Ul'dah, the things you told me of this marvelous city could never do it enough justice... My caravan arrived at the gate of Nald, I'm not sure why we didn't enter through the closer gate of Thal, but I am sure the driver had his reasons.Â
I wanted to thank you again, father, for the substantial amount of gil you gifted to me upon setting out... I realize how hard it must have been an dhow long it must have taken to  earn it all, given the poor state of where we live...Â
I also wanted to thank you again for this chance...I know it was hard for you to hear that I wanted to leave our modest home and to stop training to follow in your footsteps, but I sense that I am meant to be somewhere else...And I am glad you understood that I must follow my heart to wherever it might take me.
The city itself, like I mentioned, is more than I had ever pictured from the books and the stories you told me.  I found myself wandering the myriad  of shops and merchants along the avenues and I did as you had mentioned and I purchased for myself a simple set of armor, as well as a sword and shield to protect myself. I should also admit my folly as I purchased a plethora of other things, some of which I might not even need...Â
Rest assured though, father, I kept enough money set aside to take up a very nice room at the Hourglass, and  after taking a short mid-day nap, I spoke to a very nice Lalafell who seems to be the matron of the Quicksand. I told her I was looking for work, and feared she might turn me away for lack of experience or reputation, but she mentioned she also helps run the adventurer's guild and might have work for me. She also told me I should seek training of some sort, but I fear I am still unsure of what my future holds... Perhaps time will tell. Until then I plan to explore the city and seek out what work I might find.Â
I shall see to write again very soon, father, and until then know that I am safe and following my dreams in the city.... I hope this letter finds you well, and I want you to know that I miss you.
With love,
Alec
RE: [Journal] Letters to Home - Vale - 07-14-2015
<deleted>
RE: [Journal] Letters to Home - Harknezz - 07-17-2015
Father,Â
This is my second night here in the city, and it has surely been my most active as well. I spent the day as I did the day before, exploring the city and helping the refugees however I could. After that I had a nice lunch at the Quicksand and then set back to work.
The day picked up later in the night when I returned to the Quicksand for a drink before I retired for the evening. I met a man and woman there, and though they beat around the bus alot, I could easily tell they were fishing to get me involved with something. After some time another of their number joined us and we went outside to talk more. They offered me their aid, and a position within their company, but I politely had to refuse, I remember the lessons you have told me about accepting aid from those I know little about, even if on the surface they seem sincere... I do not wish to make the same mistakes our people have in the past. I believe I upset one of their number, as I heard him mumble something upon my leaving, but their leader seemed to understand at least.
My chat with them did help me though, as I believe I have decided what to do next. I hope you do not think less of me for it father, but I am going to seek training under a master to become a Knight, like I wanted when I was a much younger boy. I feel like it is the best way to protect and help the people around me, and I know it is a far cry from what you wanted from me, what you had been training me to become...but I feel those skills will help me all the same.
Anyroad, after retiring from the conversation with the members of Advent I went back to my room to leave my sword. I had been told a rumor about a tavern and decided to chase it. My journey took me quite far from Ul'dah, but at last I found it, and I was not disappointed.Â
It is quite hard to enter a place where you know no one and enjoy yourself, but all the same I did. After spending some time looking around the marvelous grounds of the place, I headed inside for a drink. The building was stunning, and as I headed downstairs to the tavern, I could hear singing echoing around me, and it was quite beautiful. The bartender seemed to be mid-story but poured me a drink all the same, though he never said a word to me. I took my drink and had a seat at a table alone for a time, enjoying the echoes of joyous conversation around me. Then, heading back upstairs, I found myself distracted by the building itself, it was huge, and must have costed a fortune to make. As I was looking around I was approached by a woman who introduced herself as the leader of the Company that owned the building, and as casually as I could, I asked her all I could about them.
She was quite the pleasant conversationalist, and the things she told me about the group she runs were pleasing to my ears. The group, like myself, seeks to help the people of Eorzea, and I find myself drawn to apply to join it. I fear this letter has grown much longer than I had planned father, and I am sorry to make you read my ramblings, but I wished only to keep you up to date with what is happening in my life away from our little home. I am off to seek a master to train under, and to seek employment with a Free Company, wish me luck. I promise to write again as soon as I can.
With love,
Alec
RE: [Journal] Letters to Home - Harknezz - 07-29-2015
Father,
I am sorry it has been so long since I last sent word home, but things in life have become hectic for me, and much has happened. I will try to keep this letter short, as I am writing it in the Company I joined's archives between my studies into cryptology for my duties as part of their strategical division. The Company I joined, the Harbingers of the Dawn, is a group of good people, with some of the same goals that I have found myself seeking. With time I hope to find a family among them, but only time will tell.
Since joining I've met alot of people, and heard many stories and things. I still haven't told anyone about who I am, or anything about you, just like you asked. My training with the sword is progressing at a decent rate, I suppose, and I'm at least good enough now to hold my own against my sparring partners, and have been offered by another new member of the company to train with him as well, and I can hopefully hone my skills some more. There was an...incident of sorts in which I had to use the skills that you taught me, but it was with someone outside of the Company, and I am pretty sure my secret is safe, as I didn't give full details of how I fought him when I made my report to the Company archives. I was a bit out of practice though, and the man got in a few hits, even catching my fist; so, I have decided to train some in private with it, to keep myself honed, in case it comes to using my skills.
As for the people of the company, I have met many interesting people, but if I were to list them all then it would surely be more a novel than a letter I was sending to you, so I'll list but a few. There is the leader of my division, a girl by the name of Edda Vincents, and I know very little of her yet, aside from the rough edge she shows to the majority of the Company. During my interview, she was not as probing as I had expected, surprisingly, and my skills seemed adequate enough to her to give me a place among her men. The lieutenant, Eilk, however, is an odd man. Since my induction into the division, he has taken to giving me near-nightly lessons on various things, mostly involving conversations he overhears me having, but he seemed confident I was close to being ready for my first assignment. I've also met the Company chef, Lucifer, who originally offered me a spot as his assistant, if only he knew about the last time I tried to cook, eh? Haha. Does the tent still have burn marks from that? I figure it does.
I see my letter is getting quite long already, and I should begin wrapping it up, but there is one more person  I wanted to mention this letter. Her name is Anadl, and she is a member of the Company's martial branch. She's a lovely girl, and I must admit I've taken quite the liking to her. The man I had the incident with was her brother, and also the man who tortured her and caused her to lose both her legs, her eye, and her hand. I won't go int depth on the events that led to him being capable of doing these things to such a lovely girl, but I will tell you that I plan to help her in any way I can. Despite the harsh things that she's told me have happened to her in life, she is remarkable, and you would like her father. I know you're likely wondering why I am mentioning so much about her, or perhaps not, after twenty-one years of raising me, I think you know better than even I when my eye has been caught. But, I digress again; the reason I want you to know so much about her father, is because she is Garlean... I know you're likely trying to think of a way to knock me senseless from where you are, but know that I have kept your teachings in my mind. But, I still trust her, I can't explain why, but I do, father. I've offered her my assistance in something that I won't mention here, and I'll do my best to keep you updated in the future.Â
Anyroads, I miss you father. I know you're not sentimental, but I am. I hope things go well in the cave, and that the other refugees are doing well.Â
With love,
Alec
RE: [Journal] Letters to Home - Harknezz - 08-02-2015
Father,
I sincerely hope this letter finds you well. Things in the Harbingers have been moving as fast as ever, just my speed, I can imagine you saying sometimes. Haha. So what has happened since last I wrote you? Ah yes, the foremost thing I'm sure you would like to know about is the tournament I have entered. I fought my first match two suns ago against the Company's giant of a Groundskeeper, Worren Tigre. The man fought well, and he was a veritable wall of muscle, but my speed helped me steer clear of most of his attacks. He did get one solid punch in on me before he yielded though, and it knocked one of my teeth out, but I did as you taught me and used his own hit against him, letting the momentum flip me around to strike at him once more. I must admit, it is nice having won, people see me as more than some pup with no experience under his belt now, and my win earned me at least some respect within the Company.
I know you're thinking how much a fool I am right now, but don't worry, I was careful as I fought, and my style has evolved enough it's nearly unrecognizable. I only know of two who might suspect something, both members of the Company. One goes by the name of Maruud, I'm not sure his last, I only caught his first in passing. The man has a profound knowledge of the Fists of Rhalgr, as I overheard in a conversation afterwords, but he made no mention to me that he might suspect. The other however, has likely figured it out, but I am unsure. His name is Scorpio Shirica, a member of the Strategic Division like myself. He owns a pair of goggles that he says are Sharlayan in design, and they could show him the aether in my body as I fought, and it was to he that Maruud later spoke to about the Fists and their ways, so as a man of learning I expect him to have pieced together the puzzle. I requested he keep the information to himself and the Saint, leader, of the Strategic Division and he agreed, but I am not fool enough to trust blindly.
I have noticed that since joining this Company, the people here are far more tolerant than outsiders, allowing all who serve the common goal among them, so long as issues do not arise. Because of this I do find myself slowly coming to terms with who I am, who you made me, father. I used my abilities in that fight and found no trouble for myself, so I will likely continue to do so, in the hopes of winning this little tournament.
In the other parts of my life, things have been no slower. A woman I considered a friend left the Company just today, but not before including me in some strange web of lies revolving around her. She told me falsely of rumors spreading through the Company about me, and the reputation I had with the Matriarch, Lady Covington. I spoke to the Matriarch after only to find out it was a lie, and that she had also told her I had tried to kiss her. I'm unsure what brought this about, but it was shocking to hear, and during our meeting, she even went so far as to insult the Matriarch as well as the Saint of the Strategy Division before resigning from the Company. I can only hope I was able to stop the rumors from spreading before they reached Anadl's ears, she has had a hard life, and has an Ala Mhigan's trust that I must earn because of it. Sorry, I know sometimes I say things that confuse you, and I know already that that might be one of them, so let me explain. the girl has had such a hard life, filled with people lying and betraying her, and because of that she is hard to earn the trust of, much like our own people. I was a fool a few suns ago and tried to kiss her, feeling a moment that was not there, and because of that she ran from the Hall upset. I tried to apologize that night, but she ignored me as she left, so later I went to leave flowers for her in a spot I knew she visited privately, only to find she had fallen asleep there. I thought it best not to leave the flowers and the note I had written and instead went inside to fetch a blanket to cover her up so she didn't catch cold.
Since then we have spoken more, and I am entirely unsure of what there is between us now. She asked me why I cared so deeply for her, and I tried to explain, but sometimes words alone cannot do justice to the matter of the beating heart. I told her of the moment I started feeling this way, of the nigh we met and she was too proud even as she could barely stand to take my help to get up the stairs, and I had to tell her I was drunk to and make it seem as though she was helping me. She is a strong woman father, even after her life has shown her horrors and pain, and I can't help but admire her for it. That plus her beauty makes it hard for me to even think rationally around her, it's like I am on a roaring rapid and I must say I am enjoying the ride, despite the bumps and splashes.
Ah, but you do not want to hear the ramblings of a heartsick pup, as you've told me in my younger years. In that case, I will end my letter here, sparing you from my musings. As I said father, I hope this letter finds you well, and know I am safe and following my heart, as I told you I would.
I know you're thinking how much a fool I am right now, but don't worry, I was careful as I fought, and my style has evolved enough it's nearly unrecognizable. I only know of two who might suspect something, both members of the Company. One goes by the name of Maruud, I'm not sure his last, I only caught his first in passing. The man has a profound knowledge of the Fists of Rhalgr, as I overheard in a conversation afterwords, but he made no mention to me that he might suspect. The other however, has likely figured it out, but I am unsure. His name is Scorpio Shirica, a member of the Strategic Division like myself. He owns a pair of goggles that he says are Sharlayan in design, and they could show him the aether in my body as I fought, and it was to he that Maruud later spoke to about the Fists and their ways, so as a man of learning I expect him to have pieced together the puzzle. I requested he keep the information to himself and the Saint, leader, of the Strategic Division and he agreed, but I am not fool enough to trust blindly.
I have noticed that since joining this Company, the people here are far more tolerant than outsiders, allowing all who serve the common goal among them, so long as issues do not arise. Because of this I do find myself slowly coming to terms with who I am, who you made me, father. I used my abilities in that fight and found no trouble for myself, so I will likely continue to do so, in the hopes of winning this little tournament.
In the other parts of my life, things have been no slower. A woman I considered a friend left the Company just today, but not before including me in some strange web of lies revolving around her. She told me falsely of rumors spreading through the Company about me, and the reputation I had with the Matriarch, Lady Covington. I spoke to the Matriarch after only to find out it was a lie, and that she had also told her I had tried to kiss her. I'm unsure what brought this about, but it was shocking to hear, and during our meeting, she even went so far as to insult the Matriarch as well as the Saint of the Strategy Division before resigning from the Company. I can only hope I was able to stop the rumors from spreading before they reached Anadl's ears, she has had a hard life, and has an Ala Mhigan's trust that I must earn because of it. Sorry, I know sometimes I say things that confuse you, and I know already that that might be one of them, so let me explain. the girl has had such a hard life, filled with people lying and betraying her, and because of that she is hard to earn the trust of, much like our own people. I was a fool a few suns ago and tried to kiss her, feeling a moment that was not there, and because of that she ran from the Hall upset. I tried to apologize that night, but she ignored me as she left, so later I went to leave flowers for her in a spot I knew she visited privately, only to find she had fallen asleep there. I thought it best not to leave the flowers and the note I had written and instead went inside to fetch a blanket to cover her up so she didn't catch cold.
Since then we have spoken more, and I am entirely unsure of what there is between us now. She asked me why I cared so deeply for her, and I tried to explain, but sometimes words alone cannot do justice to the matter of the beating heart. I told her of the moment I started feeling this way, of the nigh we met and she was too proud even as she could barely stand to take my help to get up the stairs, and I had to tell her I was drunk to and make it seem as though she was helping me. She is a strong woman father, even after her life has shown her horrors and pain, and I can't help but admire her for it. That plus her beauty makes it hard for me to even think rationally around her, it's like I am on a roaring rapid and I must say I am enjoying the ride, despite the bumps and splashes.
Ah, but you do not want to hear the ramblings of a heartsick pup, as you've told me in my younger years. In that case, I will end my letter here, sparing you from my musings. As I said father, I hope this letter finds you well, and know I am safe and following my heart, as I told you I would.
With Love,
Alec
Alec
RE: [Journal] Letters to Home - Harknezz - 08-06-2015
Father,
I was hoping to recieve a letter from you before I sent another of my own, but I know your distaste for writing, and I understand. Since I wrote you a few suns ago, I've fought in the tournament two more times, winning both. My first bout was with a Miqote that used two daggers, attacking swiftly, and he was as fast as me for much of the fight. We found ourselves in a dance more than a fight, dodging attack after attack. In the end, he was able to hit me once, but he made it worthwhile, sending a hard kick into my family jewels. I was able to hit him much more though, and in the end he yielded to a swift punch to the spine.
My second fight was much more intense, and was basically an exchange of blows until the fight ended. It happened earlier this very sun, in fact. I lunged at the Miqote swordsman and the exchange began. He was able to strike me in the ribs and then he picked up my shield and used it to slam me in the chest. In the end though, I emerged victorious. My next fight is a sun from now, and after having seen my opponent, I know it will be a good fight, after all, we are in the semi-finals now.
Other than that, little of note has happened. the piano was replaced, I helped repair it, and by that I mean I held things while someone skilled worked. I'm not sure when I will write again, but I'll try to send you an update on the tournament at least.
With love,
Alec