The Full Compendium of Mark The Attuned, The Lion

Vol. 3, Chapter 4: Monster-Mouthed Islands & Crooked Lords: Tasha's Tale

It was time to continue the hunt for Briggsy's relics. I caught wind that Tasha at Ancient Spire Outpost knew her as she grew up. Currently, I was at Galleon's Grave Outpost and planned to head there soon. Who told me this information? None other than Senior Trader Meg. I sat and talked with her for hours. Her tattoos are standout and gorgeous. Honestly, I haven't felt the tug of love on my heart in some time, as women often have a habit of drinking kraken ink in my circles, and blackened smiles are not so attractive. In the end, I stupidly agreed to do a cargo run for her. I had no idea how the ledger even worked. I just wanted to impress her.

Eventually I figured out I was to deliver what looked like booze to Emerick on.. Some Wondrous Store I hadn't heard of. Huh. I scoured my map for a long time and sailed all the way out there. It's then I realized that this was a place of the Hunter's Call! I talked to Emerick and agreed to bring him back some megalodon meat. I have him the delivery, with 3 broken bottles sadly, and went back and forth to him a few times before I got bored and tossed the ledger into the ocean. Sorry Meg. I like you but this is a chore. I did however, run into a Crested Queen meg along the way to Emerick! Indeed, it took a hearty bite out of me ship, but I patched it like no tomorrow and shot the beast to The Ferryman! 

I collected its meat. I don't eat meat at all. I don't know how to cook it. I burned a lot in truth... But somehow Emerick thanked me and paid me for it along with the undercooked stuff too. Nice man. But, now I was going to stop lollygagging and start hurrying to Ancient Spire to talk to Tasha. I had much to ask as I pulled up to the Outpost.

 She and I exchanged words, and I suited up in my grandest adventure uniform, including a new buttoned red jacket which was rather standout if I say so myself. I still carried a fine sword from Briggsy. I was first sent to Thieves Haven, which the child cheekily told to be a monster island due to it's gaping archway! 

Indeed, I sailed into the arch, and found a shipwreck. I climbed it and, after my journey to the top, I found the 3 heads mentioned in the story along with the key I sought. I think I would indeed make this my base if it were possible one day! Similarly, I was sent to Plunder Valley, with it's bird statues, and found me other key. Finally, I went to an island with statues of fish! I was deeply surprised at how lonely my journey was thus far. 

It was then I got shot in the back and fell over. 

This coat is reinforced, but I felt myself bleeding. I turned onto my back quickly and saw a skeleton captain and two armed goons with cutlasses. I scraped myself off the ground and disarmed the Captain  quickly, who pulled out a large cutlass himself and dueled me! His goons were no match, but he did slash me a couple times! In the end, I knocked his hat off and jabbed him in the face. Ouch! But it took his head clean off and I got his stupid skull. 

Indeed, I followed the confusing directions of the child, and got to where I needed to be, finding Briggsy's chest. Back at my ship, I found both keys fitting the lock, and obtained the treasured crown spoken of by Tasha. She would be amazed when she saw it! I began sailing back, but saw an ashen skeleton on an isle in the night and couldn't resist but hop off and fight. 

He was lightning on his feet. Inhumanly quick he ran to me, and slashed me in the water. I jabbed through his ribcage and got us onto land. Quickly getting in a defensive stance, I dodged to the left, jabbed, hopped over the poor idiot's head, and toppled his blunderbuss wielding companion to bits. He had a sapphire! 

It was a speedy battle between me and the ashen crewmate, but my strength outweighed his own. I took him down, and took his dumb face with me to my ship, throwing his little key into the ocean. 

However, I knew that Flameheart's skeletal forces were around. A tornado was near. Sure enough, the Alliance of the Ashen Skulls, 2 skeletal sloops, rushed me on both sides. It was not hard to sink the first within a few expertly placed shots. Alas, the other smashed a clear hole in my ship I had to repair! My back end was blown out as I patched the mess. 

Throwing water overboard, I returned to the cannon but then the ship rammed me entirely! I threw a fire bomb onto their ship but some of it spread to mine. I tried to patch and bail at once, using the water to quell the flames, and it worked, but I sailed away from Ancient Spire unintentionally. It's then I realized I did indeed take a bullet grazing when they passed by too. The Captain got some shrapnel in my side. Bastard. Picking it out was horrific! 

I sailed back to the outpost and found the remaining sloop sailing around. I aggressively chased it, and landed a shot right on the Captain himself, blowing his chest out! His crew sailed off in a panic and I returned the relic to Tasha. She was impressed that the stories indeed had truth, and I was rewarded quite handsomely. 

Tasha is sweet, but a bit much of a dreamer to me. 

I feel like hunting some beasts and looting some vaults!