Yelling in technocolor

MS - 30
Since I cannot seem to write a decent song about this hideous floating atrocity, I have decided to keep a journal, but heavens knows I am not a structured man, so my entries may be few and leagues between.
It is safe to say that I almost miss my homeland of sand and sun compared to this accursed buoyant menace. What was I thinking? I've been on a boat two other times in my life and neither was a pleasant experience. I have no idea what possessed me to think that I would get my so called "sea legs" and things would improve. I seem to be losing more food over the side of this wooden harlot of the sea than I am eating.
Which is a shame, because there is a cook aboard that makes it almost worth the meal to have it revisit the other direction.
I suppose I should be a good little talesmith and get this story up to date.
The first of many surprises seems to be a good enough place to begin. My second night in the seaside town of Sasserine and I met the most agreeable elven gentleman. The idea for this journal actually came from him. His name is Istyrin and he comes from a consortium of sorts who seek out knowledge. We were like long lost brothers. We both seek knowledge and turn it into a kind of magic. Well he and I talked and drank into the night and then parted ways, I thought, for the last time.
To my surprise and delight he was waiting at the docks to board this... ship. We exchanged pleasantries and have been conversing on a pretty regular basis.
The second great surprise came the first night on the ship. Apparently I am not the only bard aboard. He is a bit of a surprise to me, because his skills are in the culinary arts, not the musical, which I find amazing. He is a master with him pots and spoons.
That same night came the third surprise when I came to become the acquaintance of a charming thing named Thairis. Her voice lent beautifully to my zither and her songs, which she eagerly taught to me, were beautiful. I taught her some of the songs that I knew as well and felt very drawn to her.
Unfortunately, she met with an "accident" aboard and was lost to this world. I only hope to meet with her in the next. Toffus will pay for this atrocity, one way or another, and I just may have a hand in it.
We have lost a handful of crew on this voyage, though I am told it is common to lose men at sea.
Our captain keeps hinting that he wants me to write a song about him and this voyage. I doubt he would like any such song written by these hands.
I feel my stomach lurching again. I may or may not write more. We wi-