The Tale of Jacob's Adventures in Basra<br/>(sexual conquests omitted for brevity)<br/><br/>Year 1, Day 1, 11:34 AM:<br/>Jacob enters the House of Swords.<br/><br/>Year 1, Day 1, 12:03 PM:<br/>Several demonstrations of swordplay later, Jacob is hired by the mercenary company of Captain Mansur.<br/><br/>Year 1, Day 6, 3:24 PM:<br/>Capt. Mansur demonstrates his spectacular leadership skills by plotting to ambush a group of local bandits through a dubious-looking mountain pass.<br/><br/>Year 1, Day 6, 3:27 PM:<br/>Rocks fall, everybody dies.  Except Jacob, who is capable of catching a falling boulder.  He quickly realizes which tell-tale signs should have tipped him off that Mansur wasn't a very good commander.<br/><br/>Year 1, Day 8, 12:46 PM:<br/>Jacob signs on with a much less incompetent captain.<br/><br/>Year 1, Day 205, 2:31 PM:<br/>Somebody in a Basran tavern insults Jacob's mother.<br/><br/>Year 1, Day 205, 2:32 PM:<br/>Worst bar fight in Basran history.<br/><br/>Year 2, Day 42, 9:03 AM:<br/>Large tribe of goblins pays Jacob many shinies to lead them into battle against the walls of Basra.<br/><br/>Year 2, Day 50, 2:12 PM:<br/>Basran defenses are caught completely off guard when their advance forces are outflanked by uncharacteristically well-positioned goblins.<br/><br/>Year 2, Day 51, 11:15 AM:<br/>By means of a clever diversion, goblin attackers manage to scale the walls of Basra and enter the city.<br/><br/>Year 2, Day 51, 1:00 PM:<br/>Last goblin in Basra is killed, because not even a divine-blooded commander's skills can make goblins not suck at combat.<br/><br/>Year 2, Day 51, 7:30 PM:<br/>Jacob is offered a position helping to direct the Basran defense forces, which he accepts.  The lieutenants responsible for the tactical errors that allowed goblins into the city are soundly beaten.<br/><br/>Year 3, Day 364, 11:00 AM:<br/>Jacob resigns his command, offering no explanation.<br/><br/>Year 3, Day 364, 4:34 PM:<br/>Jacob goes to study with one of Basra's most prominent mystics and herbalists.  Although he (accurately) suspects that the magic practiced in Basra won't work in many other places, it proves interesting enough, and it's useful to learn what he can about local medicine.<br/><br/>Year 4, Day 285, 11:45 AM:<br/>Jacob resigns his apprenticeship, offering no explanation.<br/><br/>Year 4, Day 286, 9:32 AM:<br/>Jacob obtains a berth as a marine on a ship, the<em>Vindicator</em>, set to patrol the western ocean for pirates.<br/><br/>Year 5, Day 312, 2:18 PM:<br/>Something much more important than all this nonsense interrupts Jacob's fun...