As we do not understand his tongue, I as Captain, felt obligated to write of our new ships armourer personally.

It is a common practice for the Cloven Nemesis to travel the Eastern Spice Trade routes, and occasionally we aid those ships to heavily burdened with their spice cargos by carrying some of their cargo for them. Our preference typically is to carry Cloves, due to the high market value and usefulness in some of our more entertaining endeavors. One day while transferring cargo from one such Eastern trade ship we came across this strange easterner, lashed to one of the masts. We are not sure if this is something that had been done for pleasure or punishment. (Some of those eastern customs are rather of an odd lot.) Our Helmsman seemed to take a liking to him, so we decided to take him with us. We do not understand the tongue he speaks all that well, but he is learning ours, which is a good thing. The members of the other boat all called him Tao Qi Gui, so we have decided to call him Tao Qi for short.

In the first couple of months he has shown a proficiency with metal work, so Eisdrache and I have decided to make him our ships armourer. He also seems quite apt with a sword, though the ways with which he uses his sword are strange and personally I don't think he could last five minutes in a heavy melee, though Eisdrache assures me that Tao Qi will be a good addition to the boarding party.

When last we set anchor at the Barony of Carillion, Tao Qi seemed to make a quite favorable impression with the Baron of Carillion. So we think we will keep him along for the ride. It was certainly entertaining to watch him carousing with the ladies, particularly the Baroness.