21 Marpenoth, 1373 DR

Will this nightmare ever end? For seventeen days I have been under this hateful sentence, buried unfathomable leagues underground, prisoner of the Sanctuary Watch. Of course I could leave this wretched city any time I wanted, but I would never be able to return. As much as I thirst to be free, exile into the Underdark would spell my certain doom.

If it were only that my fate rests in the hands of a wealthy man, Councilor William Donrick, my prospects would be bad enough. But the House of Donrick has only recently come under good fortune, leaving me at the whim of a man made newly rich. Though I cannot be sure, I have cause to suspect that the only reason he has not yet released me is because he thinks me a threat to his interests. If true, what a noble spirit, this Donrick!

He told me a week ago to "be patient," and assured me that he keeps his own counsel. But I have been more than patient, and this is the same man who now employs the very Watchman responsible for my imprisonment, if he even still lives.

Oh, dear Parkus. You were such a perfect tyrant. It would be a pity if you died still clinging to your vainglorious Helmite pretensions. If you are truly dead, I trust that the hatred and power-lust that forged your soul in life has guided you through to the Barrens of Doom in death. That is the fate you truly deserve. Hate flowed in and out of you as easily as water flows through netting.

I shall see soon enough what Councilor Donrick has planned. He spared my life, and for that I must repay him. But if it is true that Donrick has lied to me, he will truly learn the depth of my patience. By my own blood I swear it.

It is only through the will of the Black Hand that I endure.

Mid-afternoon, 21 Marpenoth

So, it seems that Donrick is a man of his word, as well as a man of considerable resources. Not only is my sentence ended, but the law by which I was convicted has been repealed. That's twice I must now repay him.

Just in time for disaster, too. There was a foolish attack from Lower today, and I nearly lost my life in the confusion. The leading men of Lower came up armed to recover the body of the young man William Pearce Danielson, which had been piked up at the stairs.

Beshaba must have been watching, because their freedom raid for their dead comrade came only minutes before the Council voted to give him back to them anyway, without a fight. Worse still for them, they sent wanted men up to claim the body. What did they think the Watch would do, just let them walk away?

The rebel leader Aurin Guerini was among those captured, and his trial should begin shortly. So much power, only to fall so easily. Perhaps I could interest Lady Falkland in this troubled man's tale of woe.

29 Marpenoth

So much to write about, and so little time.

Just after my last entry, I met Captain Maia Gray, an impressive woman who offered me the position as her second in the Kenning Trading Company, with the chance to command my own ship. An offer like that does not come around every day, and of course, I accepted.

What I did not know at the time I took the job was that Belo Macasta has a significant stake in the company, which puts me in a rather difficult position with regard to Donrick. Surely he is not foolish enough to try to collect his due from me at the expense of Macasta, but after what happened last night, how can I be too sure?

Yesterday the Watch and the Spellguard annexed the Canal where our offices are located. Being the resourceful woman I am, I of course knew about the raid days in advance, and I was able to prepare accordingly. But I am still at a loss to explain who ordered it or why. I have heard that Donrick himself had a hand in it, and while that makes sense, there are reasons to believe it may not be true.

Normally I would have supported such a move, but this -- this was ill-timed, at least for Kenning Company. It would have taken weeks to earn the respect of the locals, and I just didn't have enough time. That Derby gangster Wilder has already promised vengeance, and though his threat rings hollow, it is a sure sign of things to come.

Even more vexing, I learned that the Council never voted to authorize the raid. Could this be a sign that Sheriff Azzam is closing his grip on power? If so, perhaps things are not as dark as I'd thought. I must find out who this woman is who controls him. I suspect she is the key to understanding this riddle.

So many problems. I really must hire an assassin, and soon.

14 Uktar

It's a truly beautiful thing to see your adversaries come to ruin, but it is so much less satisfying when you've not done it yourself.

Donrick and son are dead, destroyed by the potency of some crystal they found out near the Sand Caverns and unveiled at the ball they hosted yesterday. I saw it all unfold with my own eyes, but for some reason their deaths still feel hollow. Donrick the younger was at least worthy of respect, and I would have very much liked to see him violate his dignity by begging for his life. At least this means I won't be repaying my debt to him!

Sheriff Azzam has not been seen, he is presumed dead as well. I would much rather see him remain alive, but it is a relief to know I am prepared for the worst should it occur. I had already made arrangements to install an emergency mayor before Donrick's body even had time to get stiff! Flexibility is the mark of both warm corpses and well-laid plans, and I shall take it as a sign of Bane's favor that I am ready to move forward regardless of what happened.

With Fireheart on the Council I should be able to pull together a majority when I need one, but something tells me this is going to be a very bloody Council term. There may never be a better time to get a Maritime Law passed than now, so on top of everything else, I'd better get to work on that right away.

I suppose I should have written about this before, but Captain Gray is gone, and I am now Captain for the first time in my life. We still haven't got a ship, or uniforms, or navigation equipment, or even a company sea-song, and we're beset by enemies and obstacles all around, so there's not too much to celebrate just yet. But it's a start at the command I've always wanted, even if it does begin thousands of fathoms underground.

Still no luck finding a cat's paw, but at this rate I may not need one.

16 Uktar

After all this searching, I finally found an assassin -- come to kill me!

It was Plop, that fool hin who works for Celeste. The little bandit ambushed me in front of the City Hall. I was ready for something like this, but even now I still have trouble believing Celeste could be this foolish. She takes nothing from her father. Elza truly is the better of the two.

The Watchman on duty was worse than useless. It was painfully clear as he stood with his mouth wide open while I fought off the attack that he was completely unprepared for anything like this whatsoever. The knave arrested me for pointing out his bald incompetence to his face, and he even dared challenge me for using a weapon.

When I asked Lt. Lothor if a citizen has the right to defend themselves, he said "it depends." If I had killed the scamp, I could have been charged with a crime. What use are these Watch if I'm safer from an assassin outside the gates!? I'll see that legal oversight amended before all this is through.

But for now, my first priority is the eradication of this little pest. Attempted murder on two Councilors and one Captain of the Kenning Guard should be enough to qualify Celeste for a bounty, so there is little point in posting one myself. I hear that she has enlisted the aid of a devil, and if that is true, a bounty is useless anyway.

Celeste Macasta may be a foolish little girl, but she has clearly made some powerful friends for herself. I can deal with her well enough by myself, but her diabolical allies must be met with the fist of an angry god. I have resisted it until now, but the time may have finally come for me to seek the aid of a power far greater than any she can possibly imagine.