Veldus's Leather Journal

A fancy, dark leather journal is embroidered with a small bantam guar, and a name to the right of it in the center of the journal: "VELDUS". It is carried securely in his satchel, which is on his person at all times while out of the house.

---

11/22 -

Business is fair, as usual. Suran calls me home, though I don't quite know if I'm ready to head back, yet. I will go eventually, that is for certain. Trading opportunities, though, are far more versatile in a province where everyone finds your usually-normal home items as foreign curiosities, or comforts to remind you of a home you once lived in. It truly is strange.

I found myself in a small group run by Shattered Grove's director, I think she said her name was Alena. An eccentric but well-to-do young woman is my first impression. She's hosting a group for treasure hunting, and I assumed it would be a little opportunity to get my feet wet in a method of resale-free stock collection. Let's hope that goes to plan, and my poor feet are not mauled off by bear traps hidden in some lost-in-time ruin. I suppose I can just toss that Gavyn man in front of me. Strange man.

I sold a blue bug lamp to a former Hlaalu, and I'm set to sell another to an altmer that a man affectionately nicknamed "Gold-Flesh." Turns out, her name is Estre, and she seems to be a real stick in the mud, though I suppose that's only due to some dramatics playing out between her and some rickety old mercenary. Not my cup of tea, though; I'm not one for delving into those dramatics. Money is the first priority.

Still, that Hlaalu I sold the bug lamp too. Hloriella, she calls herself. She seems nice enough. A bit rough around the edges. I favor the bluntness. As captivating, and tempting as she might be, I dare not become too integrated with my customers. The discount was a silly idea, and I was blurred by that. I shouldn't make that mistake again.

That town is strange. It is good to be home, finally. Remember to stow the blue bug lamp to sell to Estre.

11/24 -

Items Sold in Shattered Grove
10/21 - Bug Lamp x1 - 9 Drakes
10/23 - Bug Lamp x1 - 10 Drakes
10/24 - Bug Lamp x1 - 10 Drakes
See Niaali'jo tomorrow for amulet sales

---

What is with the fascination in bug lamps? I enjoy them as well as the next man, but they're just lamps. I suppose they have their cultural appeal, and the Dunmer in town seem to find significant interest in them, so the market does as the market does. I need to keep my focus on mercantile affairs, though. Hloriella cut me a raw deal with that kiss on the cheek. I knew I shouldn't have let my emotions get in the way of my money-making, she cut me two Drakes. I should've asked who was doing the cheek-kissing. I got one big, sloppy smooch from Alena on the cheek instead. What a day, that was.

Today was debatably more eventful. Estre, the child frolicking around in the body of a grown woman, refuses to acknowledge my heckling as anything less than a threat at her own life. (Keeling over due to a 'stick up the arse' joke? Really?) She refused to take the lamp, but I left it out for her to grab just in case she were to change her mind behind my back. So long as I don't have possession of the lamp, it matters not to me. I'm not going to sell merchandise twice, unless it was resold to me, of course. (For a lesser value.)

Hloriella's lapdog, Andur. He seems nice enough. I almost felt bad for him, admittedly. Perhaps using him to get a leg-up on my chance with Hloriella wasn't all that great a move. I really should not be doing that, anyhow. I've found myself putting money aside to order bug musk. For her? The stuff is expensive enough to put me out of a job! Still, the resale value to local Dunmer would be through the damn roof. Maybe...maybe it would be a notable investment. If I could find the right customers.

Side-note: Learn how to cook "Slow cooked Kwama Cuttle, stuffed inside a kwama egg that is boiled in a broth of trama root."

12/4 -

Items Sold in Shattered Grove
12/1 - "The Anuad" - 25 Drakes

Items Sold in Skywatch
12/2 - Bottles of Bug Musk x5 - 450 Drakes
12/3 - Bottles of Bug Musk x6 - 675 Drakes
See Mathiisen noble tomorrow, buying musk in bulk

---

I made a call simply out of a carnal desire, and by the Three, is it paying off. I bought a case of twenty jars of bug musk, along with a small sampler, for a thousand Drakes—nearly my entire fortune. Oh, how it has paid off, though! Within a few days, I have made a very ample profit. Now, as long as I don't tell them it's made of bugs, the nobles will continue to purchase. If they do figure out that it is made of bugs, I hope that they will still be enticed enough by the smell to continue buying. As much of a lucrative deal this was, however, I do not think I will purchase another case anytime soon. It is simply too high risk. If one crate is lost in transit, I'm down half my savings. If nobody purchases it, I'm down half my savings. So on, so forth. I will stick with small goods, and use my remaining profits to import some fine Dunmeri foods onto Auridon. Perhaps I can cook up some of that "Slow cooked kwama cuttle." Bah. I don't think I can import a whole kwama egg. It's unfortunate.

I gave a small sampler bottle of the bug musk to Hloriella, though it does look like I can cut my earnings and leave one more, full-sized bottle to the side for her. I question whether I should, however. As entertaining as it is to try and see if I can win her heart through pretty baubles, I do wonder if it is worth the effort to put that much stock into a relationship. Perhaps I'll ask her to dinner, and see how she fares. Then, I can decide whether or not to give her the rest of the musk. Eugh. Out of context, that sounds a bit gross.

Alena seems to be faring oddly. Knocked a tooth out, her hair is falling out in droves, and I swear she is slowly melting from the neck down into a puddle of boneless flesh. She must have been born under the sign of the Thief, as it seems that her luck has run out rather violently.

Take note to spread out your wings and bargain with more people. Sold a book, "The Anuad," to an Altmer noble named Amare. Alena nearly screwed my sale over by pawning off her copies of Vivec's sermons to the woman. Thankfully, I managed to reel her back in. If I was half the merchant I am, I wouldn't last a day and a half.

Some people have no knowledge of personal interaction. I wonder if I am a hypocrite.

1/6 -

Items Sold in Shattered Grove
1/3 - Pewter Figurine, Red Mountain - 70 Drakes

Items Sold in Skywatch
1/2 - Guarskin Drum - 50 Drakes

---

Another year, another series of hasty decisions. Hopefully, I will be home soon.
The New Life Festival was tonight. A raffle was held in which a vintage wine was stolen, but I do not know if I am upset. If Cantose had won it and smashed the bottle, I would have been incredibly upset. Angry, even. That brute would dare waste such a fine piece of edible history. That sounds weird, actually. "Edible history." The things I write.
Eating contests and frog races were up next for the daring festival. It was quite a treat. I won a whole ten Drakes. I'll buy myself a fancy glass of wine with it to make up for the loss. The night was ended with paper lanterns, and while it was a nice gesture, I was partnered with Cantose of all people. My only wish on that lantern was to see the sweet relief of my homeland. To see Vvardenfell once more sounds more like a work of the imagination, rather than that of fact.

Alena is off to Vvardenfell. Little do they realize, I have finally worked up enough coin to return home. I would like someone to come with me, though. I am going to save up just a tad more, enough to purchase a portal first, so that I can clear my bounty and make sure everything is well-to-do. After I take a portal back, I will use my remaining coin to charter a ship home. I'll take two individuals with me, though I don't know who they will be yet. Alena is a preference. Who will be my second?

Met a charming woman with -antlers- on the beach during the Festival. Obviously new to town. Alena and I spoke with her. Miss Talana...Talanar Tal. I can't spell her name. Seems nice enough. Veterinarian. Seems very self-conscious and insecure, I presume due to the whole altmeri pride factor that comes with growing up on the Isles. The Altmer are such a proud folk, it's almost endearing, though in a...backwards, grotesque sort of way. Promised I would speak with her at some point this week. Make an effort to, so she doesn't think I hate her. I have no ill will of course, the lady seems like a fine enough stock. Can't make enemies, however. I can already tell the other wood elf in town is particularly sour with me, though I admittedly can't remember why. Think I made a condescending joke towards her. Oops.

1/8 -

Items sold in Skywatch
1/6 - Thirty-Six Lessons of Vivec, Complete - 250 Drakes

---

Don't take your necklace off. Don't. Do that. Again. And don't fling magic around again like some bumbling idiot. I don't know magic.

Thrice-damned atronachs. Damned treasure hunting expeditions. Damned be my attempts at sociability. What a strange and horrendous place I find myself in. Alena's little "Crows" expedition went well enough, disregarding the flesh atronach that took a stone nap on Adrian's face. Alena has plans to do something in Vvardenfell, but I only know vague pieces. She 'admitted' what it was, and while I wish her the best of luck, I can't help but wonder if there's another reason to it.

Following the conversation we had on it, Adrian stepped in and offered us some wine. Alena declined and subsequently departed, but Adrian and I stayed behind and shared some sort of Skingrad concoction while I emptied a bit more history into him than I dare wanted to. Nevertheless, what's done is done, and he picked up a bit of an obscurity from my behavior: That I was attracted to Alena. Hah! I 'admitted' my undying affection, but in retrospect, Alena is far beyond my measure of connection. She doesn't wish to see the coasts of Vvardenfell again for more than brief visits, whereas I wish to go back. That fact, as well as her prior relationship with the bumbling fetcher (apologies, Gavyn), immediately kills the possibility. All of my advances are purely satirical, as they are with everyone else. I'm not crying for help, it's a gods damned business tactic. The point is that I do not make romantic partnerships with BUSINESS partners. And that is that. Nothing more will become of my frivolous flights of fancy.
Last time, though, you made quite a killing off bug musk.

I need to write about something else. It would be very strange if someone were to see me writing about one specific person. Maybe several different people.

Cantose is a stone-headed embarrassment.

Okay, I am through writing about others.