My Written Confession

[Nihils]

[Currently, this journal is well hidden with in his private chambers at a confidential and secure location.]

Dearest Finder,

If you are reading this, then I have fallen into my eternal slumber and you are the one who has found my body. I do hope that old age and retirement have already beset me and you are a trusted Care-Taker, family member, or friend. Perhaps you may even be an Authority Figure of Sorts or even just a simple stranger. Hopefully not the latter, but even so! Regardless of your affiliation, I appreciate you for tending to my body, nonetheless. I do hope you get to it before it begins to rot.. I thank you.

Let us begin.. This book plays parts as both the Chronicles of My Life and My Written Confession. In it you will learn a lot about me that you would never have suspected, and if you did.. I would have killed you.

I am going to start this Chronology by revealing my deepest and darkest secrets with you, for this is a welcomed-burden I have been carrying with me since I was an adolescent.

I, Venson de Wraak, son of Ambassador Venc de Wraak of Dale, the highly renowned Ambassador to namely Gondor and Rohan, among a few other places, am the Great Thief Nihils!

As I am sure this will come as a great shock to those who knew both of my persona's, I wish now to apologize to those I have deceived, but as you can tell, it had to be done for the sake of my father and his reputation. I love my Father and I did not wish to obstruct his career or scar our family name. My reasoning for becoming a thief are really quite simple.. I did this.. For Fun.

I am more than sure, if you knew me personally that is, that you are asking yourself 'Why in the name of the Valar would you need to steal, Venson?! You already have everything you could possibly desire!?" Sure, I did.. but there is no sense of adventure, adrenaline, or thrill involved! It is rather easy to grow bored when you are constantly being handed things.. So, why not displace the middle-man and the patience of waiting by simply taking it first? Causing mystery and scandal! Proper drama.

Now, let us define the type of Thief I was. I never stole anything from those I loved. Perhaps a heart or two, but nothing of material value. Also, I never stole from the Poor, unless they were some foolish brute common thug that I have no remorse nor mercy for. I am no scoundrel nor rapscallion! A Thief, most definitely.. A Liar, unfortunately.. A Cheat, Hardly. I took much pride and honor in my skills as a Thief. The only things I preferred to steal were Prized Art, Weaponry, Jewels, and other things of the like. That was all for personal interests, mind you.. I'd steal anything when hired.

I was not a ruthless murderer, either! I only took the lives of those who wish to take mine or, may the Valar forbid I ever be found out, to keep my identity hidden. For sure, I would take death before ever revealed.. And I hope that this book is not found prematurely before death.. If so, I should be behind you now.. Getting ready to stick you with my blade.

Still Alive? Good! Let us continue..

[Nihils]

I. ~THE BEGINNING~

I had everything I wished for when growing up. Not a complaint would come from me until I began my adolescence. I had been learning from so many different teachers at the time, my mind was so wrapped up with my studies to notice anything before that. That was the first time I uttered the dreaded words, "I'm bored." When a teenager who has limitless opportunities grows bored.. The possibilities are endless for the chaos that may ensue.

I was out with my father on one of his business trips.. This time to Minis Tirith. He had met with a few councilmen there and left me to wait. While I awaited in a lobby of a Great Hall, I began to wander. I soon found myself inside a very powerful Politicians office chambers. There I saw a particular gem that I grew quite fond of in a matter of seconds. It was a glorious amethyst studded ring with a gold and silver finish. So, without hesitation.. I took it! I placed it in my pocket and ran down the long hall until I was out of the building all together.

I still remember the sharp tingling sensation I felt charge up my spine as my hand reached out and snatched the bit of property. It grew more intense as I flocked down the hallway til I reached outside.. All the while continuously looking back do to that paranoid feeling of someone chasing me, even though I knew no one was behind me. Yet, I still ran. For some reason, being outside of the Great Hall brought my paranoia to a sedated calm. The adrenaline was more thrilling than anything I had ever felt before.. Even the touch of a Woman.

Once safely behind a tree, out of the view from any windows with in the Hall, I took the ring from my pocket. I scanned it, toyed it around my fingers until I found which it properly fit on (then it was my thumb and to this day, it is my middle finger), flipped it in the air, and just all around enjoyed my new stolen trinket. My concentration was broken when my Care Taker Lora came outside to fetch me. I placed the ring in the lining of my breeches and there it remained until I was home, safe and secure. The ring was never even brought to my Father's attention. After that, I began accompanying my Father on all of the business trips I possibly could, nicking trinkets and other things that I liked upon noting, just to get that sensation up my spine again.. To feel that rush! To be alive! It gets better each time, too.. I assure you, Finder!

Point of this story = I still own the ring. Never forget where you came from. Rule Number 1.

[Nihils]

II. ~The Founding~

Almost a year had passed since my first Pluck(What we in the D.S.S. call a steal), and I had been solo since. It was until I was casing a new Art Gallery lodging up on the Main Cobbles of Dale that I was found by none other than the infamous and most notorious thief DeMarc of Dale and his band of thieves simply known as the Dead Scholar's Society.

They picked me up right as I began to sloppily scale the wall of the place, as if they were some sort of Authority Figures, testing me on how I would react under stress such as that.. Apparently, I passed their test. After being briefed of their activities, I began studying under the higher ranked men.

I had not met DeMarc for almost half a year upon my entering the D.S.S., so I thought I had not. Turned out, the man mentoring me, Bartemus, so far really was him.. I then learned how to be invisible by being in plain sight. DeMarc was a master of disguise and taught me to be, as well.

He took a fond liking to me. I always suspected it was because of my Nobility ties, and that they were simply using me as a key to target my Father and our Estate. After I earned the trust of DeMarc, I brought this to his attention. He laughed at me and assured me my family had nothing of his taste.. Not even the paintings from my Mother. I stood a bit insulted, but I also understood and was quite relieved. The Thieves of the Society were off limits for Jobs. Luckily.. Rule Number One!

Years passed, my training was vigorous and exhausting.. But well worth it in the long stretch. I learned many-a things.. Some fun, others not so much. I learned how to properly scale walls, tip-run, sleight of hand, disguise myself as well as my voice with many accents, and many other deeds. Some made sense.. Others did not, well, not yet, at least. I once had to sit in a darkened room for a fortnight with a blindfold and my ears covered.. Heightened senses and patience were gained unknowingly. I hadn't understood it until he had set us up for a job we would surely fail, but unknown to us. I heard every movement the suspected Watcher's were making when they came in to 'seize us.' Out of a crew of six men, only I and another were the ones who escaped. The rest were banished from the Society.. Myself and the other Man flourished in rank. Turns out, the other man.. Was once again, DeMarc.

Now I was twenty-one in age. I had spent seven years so far working under the Society. DeMarc finally let me start planning my own scores. Some he passed, others he did not.. Suspected they were too bold of moves for me. Turned out he was right.. A small amateur crew did one of the jobs I wished to do. They never made it out of the building. Seized upon entry. Unfortunate..

Never bite off more than you can chew. Rule Number 1!

[Nihils]

III. ~The Finals~

I was twenty-two now, moving along with my most beloved career faithfully! I was eight years into the game already, so arrogance was a given! Plucking and pulling jobs as often as I could.. Which in return made me grow a bit of fame. My larger heists had gotten reported with the local news-courier and were being published for all the citizens of Dale. Surely, an alias was needed to avoid any unwanted recognition for my family's name.

So, Nihils was born! What better way to Welcome a new soul into the many realms other than giving him his own look and personality! All those theatrical classes my Mother insisted on me getting when I was younger truly paid off!(Good call, Mumsie!) I messed with an assorted amount of disguises, accents, ways of walking along with hand gestures, and so many other way until I finally settled on the blond cut with facial hair. I got raised-boots and always where thick leather armour underneath my attires as to be taller and look thicker! I settled on a proper Rohirric accent whilst amongst strangers and Gondorian when I wear a mask.

DeMarc gladly accepted this approach, in fact encouraged to act much more flamboyant. This was the perfect cover, mind you.. A dreary and bored Future Politician by day and a ravaging-clever Thief by night! BRILLIANT! I felt truly content for the first time in my life. I had everything I ever craved and money for whatever I desired that wasn't courtesy of my Father's Bank.

Life Was Sweet.

Then, I got restless.. I wished to leave from Dale to mark my own name outside of DeMarc and the Dead Scholar's Society. I found a place in Ered Luin that was beyond perfect to begin setting up my own Sanctuary that I turned into a personal and private Museum of Sorts, dubbed it the Night Gallery, as I scouted out Jobs in the Bree-Lands.

Once I got approval from DeMarc, I began doing jobs for bits of things to place in my Soon-to-be Museum. I already had many paintings, so I would need larger, more ornamented bits of furniture and such. I succeeded two matching dressers from a Man who shall remained unnamed for respected purposes, and then there was the Ruby Coffin Job.

I had sent out word for a large chest I wished to procure, and this girl I had known told me of one.. Turned out that it was actually supposed to be the Burial Bed, as he called it, of a Powerful Politician from Dale.(In order to undue a bit of its macabre approach, I turned it into a bed-chambers, mind you!) It was about eight months before my initial moving to the other Realms for my personal journey. Well, it was myself along with a few other of my work-partners and most trusted associates of the Society, three to be exact. That would make it a Fourplay in our coded tongue. About four days later, after creditable planning and memorizing the interior build, I got the crew, briefed them and we went to action.

Well, we made our way to his estate, a carriage awaiting us with a rider a quart from the Main Gate. Certainly, this box was suspected to be in his cellar.. This is what I was told, at least. Everything was going by the Norm. We found the cellar door and broke in.. After inside and going to the spot.. We come to find out it had been moved to the Man's sleeping chambers! We went through with the job, needlesstosay.. But it was not easy!

With precision-like movements and proper use of the skills we all had been taught, we tip-quicked through the long hallways of the great Mansion until we finally came to his study. There was a door that led to the side of his room, right next to the Coffin! So, we crept on down until we entered. Four professional thieves making our way! Pilfering right under this Man's nose as he and his wife silently slept. Well, before we Sacked the Coffin, I spooked his desk. Relieving it of a Jewelry Case that I actually lucked out on and surprisingly found out.(From many previous Political-related jobs, I learn they keep very prized valuable possessions in their desks.) Regardless, I gave it to the other crew Men to split out of Charity for the unexpected delay and additional risk!

So, we each grabbed us a hunk of wood and made our way down this Man's house as silent as possible, stifling our laughter as we had realized we were stealing a Coffin! We went out the front door on the East-wing, across the heavily Tree-populated yard and to the front gate where our Carriage patiently waited.

It was the first piece I placed in my Night Gallery once I purchased it and began setting it up. But I ran into a problem while I was on one of my runs to place my loot there. I had come to realization that I was not yet ready to say Goodbye to Dale.. but, I knew I had to!

The Bird MUST Find Its Own Wings and Fly From The Nest! Rule Number 1!