Grimey - Familiar Faces

Good day at the quarry today bashing the rock apart. Grabbed me some nice fist-sized chunks of marble to take home and carve up for Clyde. Them rocks are perfect for my specialty. I’ll carve those figures Clyde was telling me about and get them all polished for the lad. He’ll like that for some ore. I need the ore to make some more hatchets.

After unloading the rocks at my cabin I headed to the pub at the center of town. Lo’ an’ behold Leo was there. Leo's one of the few sea-travelers. He comes from Southern Island, which is southwest from here. All the time he's spent on the water has colored his skin several shades darker. He stands at about shoulder-height to me. Long black hair, darker features than most. Good man that one. Comes around here during his travels to share some stories and do a little trading. Leo is, how would you say, very clear-spoken. When he wants to make a point he can get just about anybody to understand him no matter how many drinks have been flowing.

Leo was dressed in black. He had on a light linen shirt and heavy pants. Hearty looking boots on his feet told me he was set for traveling. A dagger in a black sheath with silver patterns that looked like winding vines was strapped to his belt. Lad was prepared for a rough road. Leo rarely shows off his weapons.

At the corner of the pub sat Leo's quiet companion, as always. That guy usually just sits alone with his drink. Large, muscular guy with dark features like Leo but short hair. Nobody bothers him. Besides, he don’t talk much so we get our stories from Leo.

I gave Leo a frosty pint and listened to his latest story. He and his large friend heard that banshee numbers have been rising around here so they sailed from Southern Island for a hunt. They've been in the nearby southern woods, probably close to Woodlawn Village. Apparently the two hunters spent a few days taking out an entire swarm of banshees. Impressive, but too bad they didn't track them to the eastern woods where the main population of banshees are. But hey, less monsters is always better.

Two things always strike me about Leo. First, he's very clean, which is very uncommon for these parts. His hair is kept straight and tied back and his skin doesn't have any dirt stains. Second, he has strange markings on him. Looks like he put black paint on his skin that never washes off. Makes me think he's trying to give himself fake scars. One of his fake scars runs along his left arm. It comes down from his sleeve and is curved like a blade with the point ending on at his wrist just below his thumb. There’s another one that comes up from his neck and curves along his face and ends at a point just below his right eye. He probably has more paintings but those are the only ones I’ve seen. And I bet his buddy has a few as well.

Leo and his friend came to Quarry to relax for the night before they head back to Southern Island tomorrow. Leo says it takes two days to make the trip. Not a bad hike if ya ask me.