–Episode 19-
-Still Threshing 7th-
-Still Warm, cloudy, no rain, good wind-
-Immersion-touch Grainy-
-Yseldra recovers 3 hp (back up to full), Warren 2 hp
Ep 19: Scene 45: Road to Cragsfall (7th cont)-Interupt-NPC Action-Yseldra Open/Excited
Chaos Factor: 5-Interrupt-NPC Action-Yseldra Open/Excited
I am sitting in the back of a tax wagon, on top of sacks of wheat, with Warren resting quietly against me, and Princeling perched beside us as the drover and guard, followed by several more wagons and another guard, trail behind. Lying against the sacks of grain, which mold to my body, is welcome relief from the stone floor of Lady Tabith’s cellar the night before, and with clouds masking the sun, and a cool breeze, it is a pleasant ride. and the steady clomp of the plow oxen pressed into service could easily l lull me to sleep, but with my mother’s letter, still clutched in my hand, begging me to forgive my father, explaining he regrets his actions and will keep his promises to me, has me wide eyed with excitement. I simply cannot wait to see my family again! The news is too good to be true!
-Morning-No Encounter- Q: Do the guards question me at all? Very Unlikely No
Arriving as part of Lady Tabitha’s tax shipment, the gate guards simply ignore me, dealing with the sergeant in charge while Warren, Princeling and I rest. We pass through the southern gate of the tow, follow the cobblestone road up, passing by a stockyard and tavern, then past a few shops, up through a second gate, and then I see an inn with a Red Pony on the sign out front. “Hold up! We are getting out here,” I tell Sergeant Piet. The drover stops, and Princeling leaps down as I drop my pack over the side of the wagon, then climb down with Warren, then hoist my pack up over my shoulder as I carry my dog inside the inn.
Q: Is the Inn crowded? 50/50 Exceptional Yes
I push my way inside and am surprised to see how many people fill the dining room as I make my way towards the bar counter, “Excuse me?” I call to the woman at the bar, “I’m looking for lodging for a few nights.”
Q: Do they have space given the crowd? Very Unlikely No
“Sorry ma’am, all full up. Gilded Starling is around the corner on the main square. Silver Snake is past the main square before you reach the water gate. If they can’t take you, well, space on the floor here is all I can offer,” Rose shrugs.
-Persuasion 12-
I sigh, “Thank you. Destrus and Pepper told me this was the best place to stay, but I’ll try the others.” I then turn to leave.
-Encounter-Drug dealer-
Outside, on the street, a large man with a hoop earring approaches me, and whispers, “Looks like you’ve seen some hard times, I’ve got some feywander to let you take the edge off for a tenpiece.”
-Persuasion 5-
I glare at him, “If I wanted Feywander, I’d go cut some feybloom and make my own. Why would I buy from you? And that stuff will make you see things that aren’t real and knock you out for hours. Might ought to mention that before you sell people a solution that feykiss could just as easily solve.”
“Who asked you?” he snarls, “Go mind your own business and don’t meddle in mine!”
Q: Is the Gilded Starling crowded? 50/50 Yes (Generate the owner, Jessup)
I roll my eyes and continue walking past, soon finding the Gilded Starling Inn and going inside. This place too, is crowded, but not as much so as the Rose Pony. The clientele is mixed, with a great number of merchant types, and a nearly equal number of their less well dressed servants, sitting apart from their masters and occasionally answering calls to fetch this or that. I approach the bar, “I need lodging for a few days, do you have space?”
The man looks me up and down, “A girl off the road and her…sickly dog? Have you coin?”
“Never mind,” I turn around and leave.
-Encounter-Madman-generate Exedor the Mad- Q: Is everyone used to this guy’s rantings? Very Likely Yes
“Run! Run!” a man screams, tearing across the market square right towards, me, “Possessed! Hound fleshed bitch! Evil woman! Foreigner! Witch!” he screams, pointing at me, then he runs off in another direction. While a few people give him an odd look, most people in the market simply ignore him. A few glance at me, shrug, and then go about their business.
Q: Is the Silver Snake Crowded? 50/50 Yes (Generate the owner, Corwin) Q: Any rooms available? Unlikely Yes
Annoyed by the welcome I’ve received so far, I make my way to the Silver Snake Inn, and head indoors, to see another crowd. As I approach the bar, and old man, skin burned and tanned by the wind, nods his head, “How might I be of service? Does your master require lodging? Servants and their dogs sleep in the loft”
-Persuasion 19-
“I require lodging, and my dog will sleep in the room with me. I will clean up should there be need.”
The old man nods, “Eight tenpiece per night. Meals are two.”
“I may be here several days,” I pull out a crown and slide it across the table. “I need to set Warren here down, and my packs, then I’ll be down for lunch.” I nod towards the gold crown. He understands and hands me a key to my room. Which I take and head upstairs
The room is rather nice compared to most I’ve stayed at on the road. The bed smells of fresh straw, and I quickly secure my pack, locking it in the trunk. Then I set Warren on the bed, and feed him a bit of jerky before Princeling and I head downstairs for a proper meal.
(Generate wench)
I find some space at one of the tables, and an attractive serving wench brings me over a plate and a tankard. There is baked cinnamon apples and a pork pie on the plate, with a small roll to help sop up any gravy that spills, and a cup of wine. “You’re a pretty thing aren’t you? Beautiful I reckon had your hair not been cut?” the wench winks at me.
“Oh, um…” I blush. “Thank you? I guess.”
“So sweet and innocent,” she laughs as she turns and walks to the next table. I soon realize that she flirts in this way with a great many people, and I chuckle to myself.
Q: Does anyone approach me? 50/50 Yes (generate people)
Two armed men, each a decade older than me, squeeze into the table beside me, one bumping into me as he sits, “Watch out girl!” he snarls.
“You bumped into me,” I reply.
“Watch your tongue! Or I’ll show you how to put it to better use than talking,” he taunts me.
Q: Does Elvire warn me about Sadir? 50/50 Yes
His companion looks over, “Best be careful with him girl, he doesn’t brook backtalk from the likes of you.”
-Intimidate 13-
“The likes of me?” I look them both up and down, “And why should I tolerate the likes of you?”
“That’s it girl!” the first man grabs me before I can leap away, and lifts me up with my legs kicking air beneath him, and he starts to carry me outside.
-Fails his dex save (disadvantage due to “clumsy” trait), my stealth 21 to cast-
“Manimpa”, I whisper as I flick my wrist, swinging the scabbard of his sword between his legs, causing him to suddenly stagger, dropping me to the ground.
-Persuasion 14- Q: Will he just chill? Very Unlikely Yes
I step back, “Let me alone. I was eating.”
The man gets back to his feet, glaring at everyone now staring at us, then looking at me, “Bah! Not worth it. Find yourself someplace else to sit”
I collect my bowl and cup and do just that, deciding that it is best not to press this man any further, as much as I’d like to put him in his place.
Q: Was anyone getting up to intervene? Unlikely Exceptional No
I look around, and everyone else is looking away from me, entirely ignoring what just happened. Even the innkeeper and the serving wench. I sigh and shake my head, eating my meal in silence, but saving some of the meat for Warren. Afterwards, I take the bowl and meat upstairs to let him drink from my waterskin and enjoy the warm, tender pork, checking his bandages, “Good thing you weren’t downstairs to protect me. That bastard would have been in trouble!” I grin, stroking behind the dog’s ear.
After lunch, I head out into the market to get a better look at the town.
-Encounter-Drunk being robbed-
Just outside the inn, I notice a man laying on the ground in the adjacent alley, with a second man searching him while the first man kind of groans, half conscious of what’s happening. I take Eveline’s advice for a change, and stay out of it, instead, walking across the street towards the armorer’s shop, then following back into the main market square, and into the jeweler’s shop adjacent to the Temple of Light.
(Generate merchant)
Entering “The Golden Pendant”, I immediately notice the two guards and their dog, but my eyes are drawn towards the handful of pieces on display. Small pendants of copper and silver, rings as well, chains and earrings. “The golden pendant?” I ask, “I see only copper and silver.” I tease the proprietor.
“Fingers light with finer things,” the craftsman smirks. “What is it you are in the market for?”
-Persuasion with advantage 21 (advantage because this is the absolute truth of things, and persuasion is to keep him from having me arrested for having stolen goods))-
I set Lord Otto’s ring on the counter, “This ring once belonged to a Lord Otto in Brinesend, until Lady Tabith stripped him of his rank and allowed me to claim it as payment for the trouble he caused me. I need you to reshape it into a signet ring for myself. I can sketch it for you if you’ve ink and parchment.”
He looks me up and down, and chuckles, “A noblewoman strips a lesser of rank and gives you…a farm girl from down south…his ring?”
-Persuasion 5-
I grin and shrug, “I’m not exactly a farm girl, but yes…sometimes, justice prevails.” I then take the ink and quill he offers, and sketch out the Evenbough symbol in a form that can be used as a seal. “Evenbough! The name I have made for myself!” We settle on a price of 25 crowns, even though I providing the metal for the ring itself already. It is a poor deal, but one struck.
(No Encounter on way to Rose Pony)
I sigh, then head back towards the Rose Pony Inn where I leave word for Pepper and Destrus that I am lodging at the Silver Snake Inn “Tell them that Delia Thorn is eager to take them up on the promised drink.”
-Generate proprietor-
Then I visit the bookbinder shop next to the Silver Snake Inn, the sign for which is a jar of ink tipped to one side.
-Reaction 15- (Marstram’s Arcane 25, my arcane 17)
I enter the store with that eager enthusiasm I always feel, Princeling following close behind. Princeling immediately locks eyes with a white cat perched on the counter, and I with the man behind it. There is that spark of recognition between us. “Your cat found you as mine found me, I suspect.”
The shopkeeper, who is twice my age, smiles, “And you found me, and I found you, what trade may there be, between us two?”
I grin, “I need to purchase a blank journal, quill, ink, parchment. I had the misfortune of losing many of my possessions recently.”
He nods, showing me to his blank folios, “Misfortune falls, on good and ill, but thirst for knowledge, beckons still.”
-Persuasion 14-
I look through the options, but most of his books are too fancy for my personal taste these days, “Thirty crowns for this one, a pot of ink, two quills, and ten sheets of parchment”
“Thirty three crowns,” he replies, “For my friend…?”
“Delia…” I pause, “Yseldra. Yseldra Faust, apprentice to Lady Maeve of Oldenfall.”
-Recognition roll 7, he doesn’t know Maeve or Yseldra-
He nods, “A pleasure to meet you, Yseldra Faust.
Q: Does he propose a trade of lore? 50/50 Yes
“I am Marstram, of the Iron Scholarium. People like you and I, yearn for knowledge, perhaps you have lore to trade?” He suggests.
“Perhaps, I do,” I smile, “If you’ve the reagents to scribe them, something worth scribing, and will accept gems and jewels for the cost of the tools.” I slide of the gem encrusted gold bracelet I claimed a few days ago.
He smiles, “Indeed. Perhaps, this evening, we might see what trades we can make?”
“I look forward to it,” I smile, then depart with my new journal, retiring to the inn, which is next door, where I update my new journal, the one entitled Delia Thorn. And I wonder for a moment why I gave Marstram my name, but then shrug it off. “We will return home soon, for a time at least.” I smile at Warren, stroking behind his ear, “You will enjoy it. Hunting and feasting. Our family’s dogs live quite well, my friend.”
Later that evening, I return to Marstram’s shop, where the two of us retire to his lodging above. Lighting the lamps beside his desk, we eagerly share knowledge. “Tell me of the Iron Scholarium? Is it true that the brightest in Kardashev are taken from their homes as children to learn there? And scholarship focuses on warfare?”
“Hah! Far from it. While it is true that the Scholarium and the Church work together to identify young nobles and sons of tradesmen with a skill for the written word, we are not taken from our homes so much as we are invited to apply. Those who pass the tests are then allowed to study. And…while there are many who pursue battle magic, most, like myself, focus on magics of a less dramatic nature, that will help our families when we return home. My father, was a tailor, but…I decided to continue with my love of books, and so…became a book binder. This also brings me in contact with others who study the elven path,” he illuminates. “Whereas, you were taught by a noblewoman of the south? A…court witch?”
“Yes, I learned what she was willing to teach, and was willing to learn even more. So I have been on the road seeking that which she did not teach,” I explain, we each find something new in the other’s tomes, and I learn a divination that will allow me to see the unseen. Very useful should I encounter another Balgura demon. After we finish, I give him the gem encrusted bracelet and some coins to cover the cost of the inks and the journal from earlier in the day. Then I return to my lodging, eat, share food with Warren and let him toilet, then retire to bed.
(I take See Invisibility, passing my roll to learn, he takes Detect Magic and Tasha’s Hideous Laughter…I assume he passes these as it’s not terribly relevant long term)
–
-Threshing 8 thru 14th-
-Immersion-smell of excrement-
-Downtime Resolution-No Events, No rumors, No looking for work, no gambling-spend 14 gp to support self, Warren heals by the 10th-
-Weekly Wartime Event-Posturing and maneuver of troops-
Q: Is Yseldra’s tower being built at Alorn Wak? 50/50 No
-Pick Up Signet Ring
-Purchase mule kit, for a riding mule and a pack mule
-Process and sell most of my herbs on a blanket at the market
-Purchase 1 mules (advantage to check quality-Faust family advantage, 18 on Animal Handling)
Ep 19: Scene 46: Week of Threshing 8 thru 14th
Chaos Factor: 4-Expected Scene
The week passes swiftly, lodging in the Silver Snake. It is more expensive than I’d have preferred, but not as comfortable as home always was. A poor tradeoff. I learn that Westhold has come under attack once more, and several sellswords head south to find work fighting orcs once more. It is too early for me to depart, but Warren recovers quickly in this environment, though he still has a hard time keeping food down, and it is much quieter after many blades leave the inn. I manage to dry and process the herbs I had collected outside of Mordye, rent a space in the a market, and sell everything I did not personally need. With that money, I was able to purchase a pack saddle, food supplies, a tent, extra blankets, cooking gear, a shovel and hatchet, lantern and oil and other necessaries for a comfortable road home. Then it came time to purchase a good mule.
I visit the horse trader, and standing by the fence, with Warren and Princeling for company, begin studying the animals. The familiar stench of horse shit being and aroma from home I had not missed.
Q: Does he consider me a buyer? 50/50 Yes (generate Tebron the horse trader) (his insight 5)
A man about twice my age with scar over his left eye approaches from inside the corral. “I see you have a good eyed for horses, are you in the market for one?”
I smile, “Indeed I am. I need a good pack mule, strong and steady.”
(d6, he has 6 to choose from! Generate characteristics
(1 steps on feet, rubs fences, 2 exceptionally fleet, rubs on fences, 3 headstrong, stops unexpectedly, 4 exceptional leaper, exceptionally fleet, 5 bucks unexpectedly, kicks, 6 exceptional leaper, rears unexpectedly)
He nods and he and his hand fetch several animals for me to examine. I work with the animals for several minutes, recalling the lessons Master Milliam taught me about judging the quality of an animal, quicky ruling out most of the lot, but finally, climbing bareback onto one of them and riding him around the corral for a few minutes.
-Persuasion 5-
Sliding off the animal, “Alright then, you know as well as I that there’s only one good animal in this lot. I’ll give you twenty crowns for him and we can dispense with the back and forth. You’ll keep an eye on him here until it’s time for me to leave town. I’ll pay ten of these crowns today, ten when I depart with the next south bound caravan. Deal?”
“You’re a good judge of horse flesh, but this animal with worth thirty crowns easily. He’s faster than most and can clear a hurdle in a pinch,” Tebron replies.
-Persuasion 16 vs his persuasion 15-
“But a draft horse that will foal or sire is only fifty crowns. Mules are only good for their lifetime. Twenty crowns, all today, all coin, and I take the animal with me, lodge it at the inn where I’m staying,” I propose firmly.
“Argh…alright, twenty crowns,” he agrees and I pay the man, then lead the mule away. “Does it have a name?”
Q: Had he named the mule? 50/50 Yes
“Swifthoof,” Tebron replies. “I call them as I see them.”
I smirk, and decline to guess what the other animals in the corral are called.
Q: Are Destrus and Pepper in town? Likely Yes Q: Is their next journey south? Likely No -Topic Skills-
After lodging Swifthoof with the other animals at the stable, I joined Pepper and Destrus to learn when their master, Lenquist, was going to head back south. Unfortunately, they are heading east, towards Twin Towers with a shipment of salt and stone. Still, we enjoy a night of drinking together and I ask about other southbound caravans while they continue to pry about how I managed to cross the Lonefields safely by myself, as neither man can dream of such a trek alone. I evade their questions and attribute it to good luck, favor of the goddess and listening to my dog’s advice.
Q: Is another caravan heading south in the next few days? Very Likely Exceptional No (d4+3=7 days till the next caravan goes south!) Q: Can I find a messenger? Likely Yes
Unfortunately, no other caravans are heading south immediately, and they are unsure of when the next one might come through. Unwilling to risk life and lime on another solo trek with no urgency. However, the Chamberlain’s couriers are not so skittish, and I compose a letter to my mother.
“Dearest mother, I have come across one of the letters you sent for me. If it is true that father has remembered his many promises to allow me to choose whether, when and whom I might marry, and that he recognizes that I must control my own destiny, then I am prepared to return home, mend the wounds between us, and discuss my plans for the future. I cannot promise I will remain in Farhold, for I feel called now to forge my own destiny. But I love you, I love my father, and I do not wish there to be a wedge between us, for my heart has never left my home regardless of the names I have borne or the roads I have travelled. I pray you are all in good health, and that Mical was gentle with Eveline, for surely he found her. If she was maltreated or harmed, there can be no peace between us, for she was my truest friend and protector as I sought the freedom I was always promised. I wait now for a caravan to accompany south to Oldenstone. I have learned there is war once more in Westhold, so I am unsure the best path home. You may send a reply to me in Oldenstone, where, as you have undoubtedly learned, I am known as Talia Evenbough, and use the seal upon this letter. Your devoted daughter, Yseldra”
I then seal the letter, and having sold a jeweled pendant taken from a bandit, I pay the relay rider to have it delivered to my mother’s hand in Farhold.
Ep 19: Scene 46: Week of Threshing 15 thru 21st
(letter should reach mother an Threshing 24th, approximately 9 days travel by relay rider)
-Weekly Wartime Event-Grain Blight in Northhold-reduce reserves-
-Spend 7 gp staying at Silver Snake Inn-(the other half is covered by wages)
-no Event-
Another week is spent relaxing in the city. I hear rumors of a food shortage in Northhold, where my supposed fiancé’s father reigns.
Q: Do I find work as a scribe? 50/50 Yes Q: Is there a southbound caravan by the end of the week? Almost Certain Yes
I am able to allay my expenses by working as a scribe alongside Marstram and his partner, helping people compose letters to distant kin or understand those received through post, and of course, simple transcription of books. It is a refreshing labor. As the week draws to a close, I notice a caravan has arrived at Rose Pony, and speaking to the master, learn they are heading south. I settle up my accounts, ready Swifthoot, Warren and Princeling for our trip, hoping to join Master Barstrum’s company on its southward trek.
-Persuasion 19-
“Good Master, I understand you are heading south on the morrow? I wondered if I might accompany your caravan, for safety’s sake. I can perhaps be of use, helping prepare dinner at night while we are on the road?” I offer Master Barstrum.
Looking me up and down, he agrees, “There is always safety in numbers, but your wage will be your full bowl.”
-Persuasion 9-
I chuckle and agree, “Fair enough. I’ve a mule, dog and cat as well, perhaps they should be fed as well.”
“What you do with your bowl full of food is up to you, the mule might prefer grass from the trail,” Master Barstrum replies. I shrug and agree, then plan to meet his company in the morning.
-Threshing 22-daily play resumes-
-Pleasant, Cloudy, no rain, flags fully extended, can sail-
-Wartime event-Natural disaster strikes Hammerfell, Farhold and Irongate-
-Immersion, feel extremely hot or cold-
Ep 19: Scene 47: The Road home starting Threshing 22-Altered add object, reassuring, delightful
Chaos Factor: 4
Master Barstrum is an unsual looking Kardashev merchant for he, and a couple of his men, bear Craglander tatoos on their skin. Of course, his caravan scout is a craglander. The company is orderly, with six cargo wagons, and the captain’s wagon which looks more like the wheeled homes used by circus travellers. Seven drivers, fourteen guards, two guard dogs and a mounted scout.
In spite of the fair weater and strong wind, I feel unusually warm. The heat of excitement burning in my veins, like when I was first attempting to prove my skills to Aunt Maeve after studying spell on my own for weeks, or when I was being presented to court upon my Return. For is that not what is coming? A second Return?
Warren suddenly races up to me, eager for the trek and…he has clutched between his jaws, a leather ball. “Where did you get this?” I ask the animal. He drops it at my feet, and wags his tail. I throw the ball across the yard where we are mustering the wagons, and he quickly returns with it once more. We play a bit more before Master Barstrum announces it is time to move. I put the ball in my satchel, and then fall in behind the scout, as I’d rather be in front of the lead wagon than trailing in a cloud of dust.
-No Encounters that day- Investigation 10-
We make good time throughout the day, marching with near military precision, reaching Mordye shortly after dusk. The men quickly flood the
Split Wagon Inn, while I start looking for Ethna. She is at home, where I helped her carry the buckets from the well.
“Ethna?” I ask when her husband opens the door to my knocking.
Q: Is she surprised to see me? Likely No
She comes to the door, “Delia? Good to see you again.”
Q: Were Barkely and Tongan arrested? 50/50 Q: Hanged? Very Likely Exceptional Yes Q: Is she upset? 50/50 No
I smile and step inside their cottage, “Thank you for the warning,” I whisper, “I might not have…well. There was a bounty on one of the men who attacked me. Here is a portion of the reward.” I give her ten crowns. “Were Barkely and Tongin arrested?”
Q: Does she take the money? Likely Yes
She nods, “Yes. They still swing from the gallows beyond the south gate, crows pecked out their eyes the first day. Maggots burst from them the third. They still hang from the gallows, rotting, with their crimes scribed on wooden plackards around their necks.” She accepts the coins, “Justice was served, and…thank you for…for sharing your good fortune, borne from ill.”
Q: Is there a room for me? Likely No
“I do not forget my friends,” I smile. Then I bid her farewell, and return to the Split Wagon Inn. There being no rooms remaining, I pay a tenpiece to sleep on the floor of the dining hall once all have retired. The food is good. I have grown accustomed to the crawfish and other swamp meats used here in the north.
-Threshing 23-
-cool, cloudy, gentle wind-
-Sense of Gloom-
Ep 19: Scene 48: Threshing 23-
Chaos Factor: 3- Character Interrupt-Warren Action-Excited, Block
Warren and i play with his ball after I load up Swifthoof while we wait for the rest of the caravan to get underway. Princeling enjoys annoyng the oxen as they restlessy wait to be yoked to the wagons.
Soon, Master Barstrum has his company underway, and as we exit the village where a man fell dead during dinner and the priest told us it was divine justice, I look up and see the rotting carcasses of two men who shared a meal with me, just to betray me later. A chill of dispair clouds my mind, as I think back on those who must live in this wretched village. And I feel sorry for Ethna, taht this is her home.
But before we get past the corpses, Warren runs out in front of Toran, blocking his path by bouncing back and forth excitedly in front of the Craglander scout, not barking, but clearly wanting to play.
-Generate encounters- (Caravan in middle of the day)
Q: Does Torag pause to play? Unlikely No
“Get your dog out of the way,” the Craglander tells me, and I step forward.
“Come on, Warren, plenty of time to play later. Let’s go,” I encourage the animal, kneeling down to scratch behind his ears for a moment.
-Animal Handling 11-
“What’s taking so long?” Barstrum barks. Toran then nudges his horse past us, and I pull Swiftfoof’s reins, getting him moving as well. Warren whimpers in disappointment, but follows along after us.
Partway through the day, we pass by another caravan bound north towards Cragsfall. As it is short journey to south watch our caravan’s pace, the two companies pause and talk for a bit. I quickly discern that this company is also from Northhold, and while competitors, it seems a friendly competition.
Q: Do I hear about the King? Likely No
The other captain speaks of having met some pilgrims on the road the day before, and speaks of the war in Westhold, how it seems to be a bit of a stalemate, but there is nothing I hear of particular note. Mostly, I just throw the ball back and forth with Warren while I wait for the caravan to start moving again.
Q: Are the same men on watch as before? 50/50 No
We arrive at South Fort before the sun begins to set, and the guards on duty simply wave us inside. The captain orders us to take over one of the bunkhouses while drovers stow the wagons and tend the oxen. I see there is a smithy here, and maybe a dozen soldiers up and about. A few women are handling domestic tasks and two children are at play. When Warren rushes over to join them, they quickly become excited, for the dogs I see here are all battle trained and foul tempered beasts. I throw the ball to one of the kids, and they quickly amuse themselves playing with my companion.
I head into the bunk house, and see there is a cooking station at the hearth inside, and begin preparing the evening meal for the company. Princeling inspects the bunkhouse, searching for mice, while some of the guards are claiming bunks for the night. I set my satchel on the one nearest the hearth while I still have time.
“You got that fire started fast,” one of the men, and old one with a crooked nose, notes as it is already big enough to start boiling water when he enters the lodging. Having had a moment alone in the place, I used a bit of magic to ignite the dried wood that was waiting our arrival, instead of messing with flint and steel. I simply grin at his observation, not bothering to explain what I’d done.
(other arrivals)
I hear about another group of travelers arriving while I am still cooking, a guard merely a decade older than myself mentions them to the others, “I don’t like the looks of them. No goods, about a score of men, all armed. A few women and children. A couple of mules. No uniforms, no uniformity of equipment. I’d guess bandits from the looks.”
The older man nods in agreement, “I’ll tell the young ones to keep an eye out on the wagons overnight.”
The first snorts, “That’s what they’re being paid to do. Tell the master. They won’t try anything here, just…we’ll need to keep a watch out in the morning.”
Q: Is one of the women at the well? Likely No
I take note of this in my head, but after dinner, I head over to the well to clean our pots. While I see the people at the under bunk house, and note that the garrison is watching them more closely than us, none are close enough to speak with. Even the children with that company stick to themselves, avoiding the two garrison kids and Warren. I shake my head, and walk over towards one of the women.
“Hail, friend. Has the road been kind, coming up from the south?” I ask with a smile.
Q: Does she respond? Likely No
She gets up and limps her way inside the bunk house.
Q: Will this one talk? Likely No
I turn to the other woman, a pretty woman with silky hair and close to my own age, that was outside who is dressed more like Mina of Eveline would than your typical traveler. “She doesn’t like to talk much does she?”
-Intimidate 14-
She gives me a look of pure disgust and follows the first woman inside. But I grab her by the arm, “If your friends seek to meet us on the road, we’ve already marked you for what you are.”
Q: Does she ask? 50/50 Exceptional No
She pulls away, a little unnerved, but sneers at me and spits on my feet as I let her enter the bunkhouse.
Q: Do I spot the men from before? Likely No
Hoping my efforts to avoid future bloodshed have not been in vain, I play with Warren a bit, then return to the bunkhouse, climb up onto the bunk I claimed, and fall asleep in a barracks surrounded by nearly twenty men all in need of bath. Then I realize, I don’t smell particularly well myself after two days on the road. I mutter an incantation that solves that problem before I drift off to sleep.
-Threshing 17-
–Cool, Clear Skies, strong breeze–
-Immersion-Rustling sounds-
Q: Are they gone before us? Very Likely Exceptional No
Ep 19: Scene 49: Threshing 24-Leave South Fort
Chaos Factor: 3-Expected Scene
I was pleasantly surprised to see that the “bandits” were still at the fort as we were leaving. Now they are garrison’s problem, and not ours, for our pace is a hard one to catch…and certainly difficult to overtake with such speed as to arrange an ambush.
Yet the encounter made me uneasy, and every movement in the scrub, every rustle of leaves keeps me on edge. Yet, in the day’s stiff breeze, shrubs cannot help but sway, and leaves must rustle. At least Warren and Princeling seem content, and Swifthoof proves a steady companion as well.
-Encounters game fowl and wolves-
Yet my imagination is a worse adversary than any we meet on the road. Aside from startling some game fowl, two of which fall to crossbow bolts and the shooters area thrilled when Warren gleefully retrieves them and brings them…to me, to hand to them, there is nothing really of note. We spot a pack of wolves who keep a great distance from us. Shadowing briefly, but then darting away when a the caravan dogs start to bark at them. Oh, and the fowl that were shot, are returned to me almost immediately, with a suggestion that I cook them up right this evening, on spits for the shooters, and not in the stew.
Q: Same guard as last time? 50/50 No Q: Do they share with me? Very Likely Yes
Arriving at North Fort, the guards readily open their gates for us, and this time, there are no objections to me bringing my animal, nor any of the caravan animals through the gates. As before, I quickly find a bunk, and then begin preparing dinner. While the water slowly heats, I finish dressing the birds then spit them as requested. I am then one of the lucky few who gets some fresh roast along with my dinner that night.
-Nighttime Encounter- Gnolls- (Perception 5,4)
In the middle of the night, Warren, sleeping beside me over the objections of several of the caravaneers, nudges me awake. He and Princeling are both on edge, but I cannot tell why. So I dress, and go outside, with Warren dashing ahead of me, while Princeling remains inside, nervous.
-History 19-
Then I hear the strange cries…howls as it were. I notice a few more men from the garrison are up and about than I would have expected. Some seem to be looking at something in particular, while others, on other walls, are scanning for trouble. I approach the ones who seem to have spotted something…and hear, “Please let me go…” “Momma! Momma!” “No…I’m…I’m dying…” “Don’t leave me…” in Kardashev or Norgard, depending on the phrase, other words, perhaps in orc or goblin, and it sounds…eerily inhuman.
“Gnolls?” I call up to one of the men in the tower.
“Yes, but not many. Certainly not enough to attack the fort. Might make the road interesting for you lot in the morning though,” he warns.
I shudder, “May I come up? I’ve not seen one before.”
-Perception 15-
The man nods, and I step up through the stairwell and climb up into the stone tower alongside him and the other man with him, their crossbows loaded, but held at ease. I peer into the darkness, following where he points. “See them?” he asks.
“Yes. I see them. Two right there, yes?” I ask, and he nods, then points out another pair some distance away. “I’d not heard of them coming to this part of the Lonefields before.”
He shakes his head, “Nor I. Hate the bastards. The way they taunt us.”
“Last words of people they’ve killed. Memories even they don’t understand. Part of their madness,” I explain.
Q: Is he the guard from before? Unlikely No
The guard looks at me a second time, “How do you know this?”
-Deception 12 vs Insight 4-
I give a soft chuckle, and a shrug, “Travelling swords. Bards telling old legends. That sort of thing.” He turns his gaze back outside. After a time, I retire to the bunkhouse and go back to bed.
-Threshing 25th-
-Cool, Light morning rain, good wind-
-Immersion-feel breath, air-
Q: Are these gnolls part of a larger group? Unlikely Exceptional No Q: Did the Bandits get ahead of us overnight? Likely No -Survival 4-Q: Does he press on? 50/50
Ep 19: Scene 50:Threshing 25-North Fort
Chaos Factor: 3-Expected Scene
It is raining in the morning, and while I wonder if Master Barstrum will continue on, after talking to his scout, Toran, he announces the caravan will sit tight throughout the day.
So I make myself at ease on the bunkhouse porch, watching the gentle rain bathe the earth before me. Warren sits beside me, breathing in my ear. “Ugh, your breath!” I chastise him, before scratching behind his ear, while Princeling curls up in my lap.
Q: Does anyone come to talk to me? Likely No Q: Do we depart after the rain stops? 50/50 No
I spend much of the day doing very little, other than scribing in “Delia’s” journal. Not that her journal is likely to be a long one as I’ll likely abandon the name altogether once I return to Oldenstone. No matter. It is just ink on parchment.
-Threshing 26th-
-Cool, Clear Sky, No usable breeze-
-Immersion-Sense of Lucidity-
Ep 19: Scene 51: Threshing 26-Leave North Fort
Chaos Factor: 3-Expected Scene
While part of me regrets having wasted nearly a full day of travel over a brief summer rain, it was clearly the right decision not to leave the caravan behind. I am unsure I could handle a single gnoll by myself, much less an entire pack! And a pack of gnolls, much like a pack of wolves, is rarely large enough to be a threat to an armed caravan such as ours.
But I am relieved when I hear the order to pack up and move out this morning. I quickly wash out the pot following the morning meal, load Swifthoof, and then fall in behind Toran once more, enjoying the sight of the prairie and of ancient stones passing beneath my feet.
-Encounters-Caravan and Travelling Specialist (I’ll combine those two, as this is the Lonefields-Q: Do I hear about the king? 50/50 No
About midday, we cross paths with another northbound caravan. The two masters speak briefly, exchanging news. I notice that one of the wagons is driven by a pair of dwarves, the wagon is painted as a dwarf carving a half naked woman from stone. “Sculptor?” I ask the caravaneer in dwarven.
-Reaction 17 (rolled with advantage)-Q: Have I seen him before? 50/50 Yes
His face lights up at once, “Yes, the finest in the lands…or at least the finest outside of my homeland.”
-Intelligence (History?) 14 (easy target because…not a lot of dwarves wander human lands)-
“You are…Master Baffin Longbeard, are you not?” I grin, “You made a headstone for my…great granduncle in Oldenfall. I remember how much he admired it when you presented it to him.”
Q: Does he recall the incident? 50/50 No
Looking at me, he seems puzzled, “I make a great many headstones, but very few for people who can admire him.”
“But the Baron Kirn is no ordinary man. It seems he is blessed by Freia herself with vigor beyond his years, and he was delighted to see your work,” I wink.
Q: Now does he recall? Very Likely No -His Insight 18-
“Ah, the young lady jokes with me,” he nudges his companion, “While I have worked for many a lord, I do not recall a young noble woman whose hair is shorn so roughly, for such is not the practice of men. Nor do they walk alongside mules in dusty wilderness. Did you perhaps serve in the lord’s court?”
-Persuasion 11 (advantage finally remembering Rosepaste benefit)
I laugh, “Of course. I was a servant to his granddaughter, and it was she who helped me learn your tongue, so that I might jest with you and a cool summer’s day.”
“Well then, by what name shall I call my jester?” Baffin asks.
-Persuasion 18-
“Delia Thorn, I suppose is as good as any. But should our paths cross again, my name might change once more,” I shrug, “for I seem to shed them as easily as I did my hair.” I tug at my short hair.
He laughs good naturedly at my predicament, but then our conversation is cut short as the two caravans both get underway. I bid him safe travels and the blessings of Freia. He asks Krenax to ensure the weather favors the road ahead of me.
Q: Is Elisa playing her music? Likely Yes Q: Does anyone approach me? 50/50 No (Taproom event) Q: A member of the company? Unlikely No
We reach Long Trek late afternoon, and this time, I make a beeline to Phil’s Flophouse to ensure I get a room to myself. Then I go back out to unpack Swifthoof, check his feet, and ensure he is properly watered and fed, as is my custom each night. I hear Elisa playing her music once more, and as tempting as it is to linger outside and listen, I recall how angry she was that I tried to honor her skill with a gift, so return to the inn instead and enjoy an early dinner. As usual, the caravaneers leave me to my own devices, but I do notice that a man sitting by the hearth seems to be acting unusually jittery. Then I get a whiff of the Feywander he is smoking, and realize that he likely sees things that are not really there. I shake my head and retire to my room, enjoying the privacy and taking advantage of the chance to clean myself up write in Delia’s journal once more.
-Threshing 27th-
-Cool, cloudy, no rain, consistent gentle wind-
-Immersion-Memory from Last Year-
Ep 19: Scene 52: Threshing 27-Leave Long Trek
Chaos Factor: 3 Expected Scene
I am one of the first to wake in the morning, eagerly eating breakfast, feeding my animals and preparing for travel. Then I sit on the porch, tossing the ball back and forth with Warren. We’ll be in Oldenstone by late afternoon, and I am tempted to leave without the others, but I wait.
I think back to my first visit to Oldenstone last year, and wandering the gardens with my brother, Mical, whom I once held in higher regard. He was lamenting that I was too young to become Baron Pond’s bride. I did not realize then quite how eager he was to see me married. I sigh and shake my head, wondering how much of what has happened these last two months is truly my brother’s fault and not so much my father’s. Had he not been tempted in a moment of weakness, would he have apologized for the blow the next morning? I pull out my mother’s letter and read it once more, pondering these things, only putting it away when the master calls his men to form up and move out.
-No encounters on the road- Q: Is Roslan home? Likely Exceptional No
We quickly pass through the farmlands, stop in the village of Deeprock for lunch, then press on to Oldenstone, arriving shortly before dinner. I part company with the caravan in the village outside, and head to Roslan’s home to check on her. “Sit, Warren,” I warn him as we reach the porch and knock on the door. Nobody answers. So I knock again. Dead silence. I shake my head, and enter the city.
Q: Am I stopped at the gate? Unlikely No -Encounter-Chuckhole- Q: Is Haggi there? 50/50 Exceptional Yes Q: Does she smile? Unlikely Exceptional No Haggi Perception 24
The guards pay me no mind as I walk past them, then head south towards the quarry district, but in my excitement, I forget to watch my step and stumble again in that same damned chuckhole that I have tripped on twice before. I immediately laugh at myself and look around for Haggi, and I see her, at her usual place with that same stoic experession she always has.
“Talia, I have warned you to watch your step, did you not listen?” Haggi asks.
I grin and walk over towards her, “Why yes, Haggi, and I should learn to take your advice. Have you seen Casia lately? Or did she leave the same day I did.”
Q:Does she know what happened to Eveline? Likely No
“I have not seen her, but…your hair is red? And shorter,” Haggi raises an eyebrow.
-Persuasion 18-
“Yes, it is. I may have work for you, if you are willing to travel with me. You can start a new life in Farhold. You and your daughters. But I might need a place to stay tonight, if there is room on your floor,” I ask.
“Farhold? It seems a long and dangerous journey,” she ponders. I nod. She closes her eyes for a moment, then agrees, “Yes. A fresh start?”
“You will work in the kitchen or laundry of a wealthy house. Your daughters will learn to clean for them as well. You will have warm bunks, and good food. I’ll see to it when I make the arrangements. If you wish it,” I explain.
Q: Does she press for details? 50/50 No
She nods, “When do we leave?”
“Not for a day or two. I hear there is war in Westhold, so the route home is…difficult. And there is another I hope to have join us on the barge to Kiddimir, where I hope to find a caravan to follow west. As soon as I find her, we can depart the following morning,” then I offer Haggi a hand up, and she pretends to need it and hobble back down to her home, where we unload Swifthoof. I look around her place, “You’ve lived here a long time?”
She nods, “Yes, several years. Memories, both good and bad.”
I nod, “Memories to carry with you, always, for both matter.”
-Encounter-
I then lead my unburdened mule to the stables to lodge, passing by a craglander being insulted and mocked by residents of the town. I shake my head and ignore it, as Eveline would have me do. I pay a few coins to lodge my mule, then I head over to Dorak’s boarding house, entering as though I live there.
Q: Is everyone there for dinner? 50/50 No (Generate attendees) Q: Is everyone there for dinner? 50/50 Yes Q: Do Dorak and Mini have a ton of questions? Likely Yes
Mini and Dorak, along with an unfamiliar man about twice my age, “My bowl?” I ask as I casually take a seat. The unfamiliar man blinks in surprise.
Q: Were they told my identity? 50/50 No Q: Do they believe Casia was arrested? Unlikely No Q: Did they leave a note? Likely Yes
“Talia?” Dorak asks, in confusion. “I thought you had disappeared. There were some noblemen and soldiers here looking for you, questioning your sister. Then later in the evening, she came back and packed her things, asked the month’s rent returned, and she left with them, leaving behind…this note,” he hands it to me.
Q: Does he apologize? Likely No Q: Does he say father recanted? Very Likely Exceptional Yes Q: Does Eveline say she is going back with them? Likely Exceptional Yes
I open the note, and break my brother’s seal, and read the contents, which confirm what my mother’s letter told me, and also tell me that Eveline has returned to Farhold as well. I smile. “Thank you for holding this for me. Now, I believe I left twenty tenpiece for you to wager on my behalf?”
Dorak fishes out the coins and returns them to me, “We broke even by the end of the day.”
“And…my cart, was it left behind? Everything else taken?” Dorak nods and I inform Mini that she can keep the cart for her pies, unless I one day return to Oldenstone to reopen my booth.
Mini asks, “Why…why did you cut your hair so short? And dye it?”
I laugh, “I was wearing a wig here, and had dyed my hair black. You were a good friend to my sister. I have missed you both.”
“Where are you staying tonight?” Mini asks.
-Discussion-Previous Scene-
“A friend has allowed me some space in her home. About…dinner?” I remind her, and she leaps up to pour me a bowl of stew, which I heartily enjoy while questions begin pouring forth about why a noble was searching for me and whether it had to do with the previous incident where two of the Baron’s men had come to take me in the night.
-Persuasion 24-
I remind them that Talia and Casia are not our real names and that sometimes, ones past has a way of catching up, and that sometimes, it is not a bad thing, when one abandons fear and chooses to face it.
After dinner, I return to Haggi’s cottage, lay my bedroll on the floor and pull my blankets over me, and lay down to sleep among friends.
-Threshing 28th-
-Cool, Cloudy, No Rain-Gentle Breeze-
-Smell Wood-
Ep 19: Scene 53: Threshing 28-Oldenstone-
Chaos Factor: 3 Altered increase one activity, remove another
I wake on the straw covered dirt floor of Haggi’s cottage, the smell of old hay filling my nostrils. Sitting up, I roll up my bedding and secure my gear for travel while Haggi and her children still sleep. Then Warren, Princeling and I slip outside and head up towards the market district.
-Encounter-Barbarian
“Hey woman! Ever wonder what it’d be like to be with a real man?” a young, tattooed Craglander warrior asks me, turning from other women who have scoffed or giggled at similar approaches.
-Persuasion 15-
“Oh, I don’t know. Have you ever been with a real man? What was it like?” I ask him with a playful wink as I continue past him.
Q: Does he continue his pursuit of me? Unlikely Yes
He blushes red, “Ouch! Wait up!” he follows after men, “You aren’t like the other women here, your hair is short and you seem…bolder?”
I nod, “You’re barking up the wrong tree, friend, but I wish you good hunting. Perhaps Mini at Dorak’s Alehouse, at the corner of Tanner and Chisel. They’ll be open tonight, and she’s a bit…playful in a way you might appreciate.”
He laughs, “Is she…?”
“Stunning? Yes! Absolutely beautiful,” I reply.
Q: Does he thank me for the lead? Very Likely No Q: Does he overstep? Likely Yes
“But what about you?” he suddenly grabs me around the waist and spins me to face him.
-Intimidation 22-
My eyes flash, “Let me go, now!”
He suddenly realized the error of his ways, and releases me. “Sorry”
I nod, “Forget about Mini. Stay away from her as well, or I will teach you a lesson you’ll not forget.” Then I turn and continue towards the marketplace.
-Investigation 12-
I begin walking around the market, asking about refugees, looking for any that I recognize, but spotting nobody I travelled here with, I purchase some skewered chicken to share with Warren and Princeling as we head back down to the Quarry District.
-Encounter-Mother Madeline-Does she recognize me? Perception 22!-
“Talia Evenbough!” I hear my name called out, and I turn to see Mother Madeline. “You…changed your hair?”
“Yes, Mother, I have. Has a…”
“Letter arrived for you?” she interrupts, “Yes. Two days ago by dispatch rider. With a baronial seal on it, no less!”
I smile, “Please, I would like to receive it.” I gesture towards the temple at the far side of the marketplace and follow the priestess to her quarters, where she hands me the letter.
“You have not been attending worship. Are you maintaining your devotions?” she asks.
Q: Is there more than one letter? Likely No Q: Is this from my mother? Very Likely Exceptional Yes Q: Are travel expenses sent? Likely Yes Q: Is escort being sent to Westhold? Very Likely Yes
“I have been on the road,” I reply, eagerly breaking the seal. As I read the letter, my face lights up in delight.
“Good news, I take it?” the priestess asks.
Q: Does she know them? 50/50 Exceptional No
“Yes. Yes indeed,” then I fold up the letter, “Do you, perhaps, know Rhena, Sena, or Nelly Huskin? Refugees from Westhold. Rhena is about twice my eage. Nelly is a few years younger than me, and very beautiful. Sena a few years older than me, and engaged to marry a man in Stonebridge?”
“No, I don’t recall any new worshippers like that at the temple,” Sister Madeline shakes her head, “but if you see them, please encourage them to attend services, as you should.”
I chuckle, “The goddess has certainly been kind to me,” I pull out 5 Kardashev crowns and put them in her hand, “Thank you for your prayers during my travels.”
I then leave and head to the stables to check on Swifthoof before walking down to the quarry district.
-Encounter- Q: Was anyone injured? 50/50 No
Suddenly, I hear someone yell from above, “Watchout!” as clay tiles fall from a nearby rooftop onto the crowded street below. Fortunately, nobody was struck and the panic stricken roofer above looks down in sheepish consternation.
Q: Is Swifthoof being well tended? Very Likely Exceptional Yes
I shake my head, visit the stables to check on Swifthoof, and if there has ever been a more content mule, I’ve never seen it! The stable hands have brushed him well, inspected his hooves and he is being fed a good mix of grains along with his hay. I smile and start studying the other animals. The stablemaster approaches me.
“Hey there, friend. I’ll need a second mule for a cart. I’d like to see what you might have,” I greet him as he approaches.
“Any mule will do if you aren’t afraid to lash them a bit,” he smirks, but then has his hands bring out some animals to inspect.
-Animal Handling 14- -Persuasion 6-
-5 animals 1st: fleet, rubs against fences, 2nd steps on feet, bucks unexpectantly, 3rd rubs fences, leaper, 4th leaper, bone jarring gait, 5thr rears unexpectedly, stops randomly-
I watch the mules for a bit, then settle on the first one, “She’ll do. I suppose. Fifteen crowns?” I offer.
“You ask or the best in the lot and offer less than and I’d sell any of them for? Thirty crowns!” He counters.
-Persuasion 16-
I look at him in disbelief, “There is nothing in your lot worth thirty aside from the animal I brought with me! I’ll give you twenty gold coins,” I shake my head in disbelief that I am even agreeing to this much.
He nods, “Twenty crowns,” and I count out the coins.
Then he objects, “Half of these are Kardashev!”
-Persuasion 19-
“The offer was twenty gold coins,” I insist with a wink.
He grumbles, half laughing, as he accepts the foreign coins as part of the payment.
Q: Does it have a name? 50/50 Exceptional Yes
“Does this one have a name?” I ask.
“Tanny” the horse trader replies.
I nod and stroke Tanny’s muzzle, “Alright then, Tanny, come along and meet your workmate,” I lead her to Swifthoof and let them meet before I continue towards the quarry district.
Warren, Princeling and I make our way to the laundress row without any further interruption and I start looking for Lucilla, Rhena or any of the other daughters who might be working there.
Q: Do I spot Rhena? 50/50 No Investigation 21 Q: Are they still in town? Very Likely No Q: Stonebridge? Very Likely Yes
Not spotting Rhena when I first arrive (and regretting I had been magicking my clothing clean instead of checking here when I was in town), I start asking around about the woman, and am told that Rhena took her children to Stonebridge when Sena married last week. I thank the laundresses for their help, and then head up towards the keep.
-Encounter-Barbarian seeking friendship (damn there are a lot of barbarians on this default table! I adjusted it for Cragfall, but I should have done it here too!) Q: Same as earlier? Very Unlikely No-
Heading up toward the keep, a tattooed craglander woman comments, “A good dog you have there.”
I agree, “Yes, he’s seen me through some hard travel.”
She nods, “A good companion is hard to find.”
“Indeed. I assume you’ve had several, as far from home as you are. I see many of your kind here though. What is…the draw?” I ask.
Q: Is she fleeing her husband? Likely Yes -History 10-
“Coin draws the men here,” she notes, “I came to avoid marrying a man who took me against my will.”
Noting the bow and quiver on her back and belt, I ask, “I suppose that is kinder than putting an arrow through his eye.”
Q: Does she laugh? 50/50 Exceptional No
“It is not worth a blood feud with his clan, for my father offered me as his bride when he took me,” she confesses, casting her eyes downward.
I nod, “My father offered my hand in marriage to a man I did not know, nor desire to marry. But I was not taken, and my father has recanted. So I return home in a few days to him.”
She nods, “Your father must be a good man.”
I smile, “He is. A little reckless sometimes, but good, at heart. So, what do you do?”
“I hunt. Try to guide caravans if the masters will hire me. Chase bounties if I can. It is difficult alone,” she shrugs.
I nod, “Traveling alone is difficult. I…I am on the road to Farhold soon. I will be meeting some friends in Westhold, but on the road there, I could use a companion who knows how to fight. How to guide. I hope to join a caravan for safety, but another keen eye and sharp arrow is always welcome. Especially if I have to break off for a bit.”
Q: Does she wish to join me with no promise of wage or adventure? 50/50 No
“Safe travels,” she nods, and we part ways.
I soon arrive at Lord Pond’s keep, and approach the guards on watch. A scruffy looking sergeant steps in front of me, a second guard holds two warhounds on leash. “State your name and business.”
-Persuasion 7/6 (advantage doesn’t always help)-
“My name is Lady Yseldra Faust. I request an audience with Baron Pond,” I smile, confidently, though my manner of dress belies my true station.
The sergeant and his companion laugh, “Right! And I’m the ghost of King Free!”
“Ghost of King…Gerard Free? What happened?” my face blanches white at the news.
“What? Oh, killed by assassins a few weeks ago, I hear,” the sergeant stammers.
I close my eyes and mutter a prayer for his soul, “So Prince Jonathon rules Feldhold now?”
Q: Does the sergeant know? Very Unlikely Exceptional Yes
“Ummm…no. Goblins took Firth. Birds arrived the other day appealing for help. His lordship’s knights were discussing…why am I telling you this? You can’t see Baron Pond…whoever you are,” he insists.
-Persuasion 10, 24-
“Very well then, may I speak with Lady Elsbeth, his wife, then,” I tap my foot impatiently.
“What was your name, again?” he hesitates, suddenly unsure.
-Intimidate 22-
“Lady Yseldra Faust, of Farhold. Baron Faust’s daughter, and a friend of Baron Pond,” I enunciate clearly.
Q: Is Baron Pond here? Very Likely No
Suddenly, the sergeant realizes that I am exactly who and what I claim to be, and he calls over a servant, “Please inform Lady Elsbeth that Lady Yseldra Faust of Farhold seeks an audience with her.”
The servant immediately races to the great hall while a guard escorts me to the anteroom.
Q: Will she see me? Likely No
A short time later, the servant returns, “Forgive me. Her ladyship is indisposed at the moment. Is there something we might do to assist you?”
“Please inform Lord Pantron, he is still steward, correct? That Lady Yseldra Faust requests a stipend of one hundred forty crowns that will be repaid by Baron Faust with interest,” I present the marked request that was included with my mother’s letter.
Q: Will the letter be honored? Very Likely Yes Q: Does Lord Pantron attend me? 50/50 No
The servant scampers away with the letter and returns with the letter, another letter, and three pouches of coins, and a scribe. The scribe explains, “We need your signature here, and your seal here, so there is not doubt that Yseldra Faust has claimed this money.” I smile, and sign my name, both as Yseldra Faust and as Talia Evenbough, then use the Evenbough seal.
Q: Does he question it? Likely Yes
“Wait? Are you Faust or Evenbough? I don’t recall an Evenbough,” the scribe blanches.
Q: Is Pond in Westhold? Likely No Q: Kiddimir? Likely No Persuasion 22
“I am both, and also Delia Thorn and Ilsa Lovechild. I have been on the road for some time, but am returning home. I had hoped to thank Pond for his hospitality, and perhaps enjoy another game of chess before I depart. Is he…has he gone to Westhold?”
“He is touring the estates of his vassals, inspecting accounts and such, as is his steward. I am handling accounts while they are away,” the scribe confesses.
Q: Does Sir Karig happen by? Very Unlikely No
I nod, “Unfortunate timing on my behalf then.” I take the coins, thank the scribe for his help, and then leave the keep.
I head down to the market district once more, avoiding a number of children playing in the street, though Warren wishes to join them. I purchase a small cart in which to carry Haggi’s household effects, then retrieve my mules, hitch them to the cart.
Q: Do I see Buck? Likely Yes Q: Does he accept the job? Nearly Certain No
“Buck!” I call out to the old drover, “I need your help. I have some things I need to purchase, and I need you to drive and watch the cart. These are Swifthoof and Tanny,” I introduce the mules, and toss him a gold crown, “I’m Talia Evenbough, if you recall. Never mind the different hair.”
He tosses the coin back, “I’m done for the day.”
I look at him in brief shock, then look around at the other men nearby, “Then who’s a good drover?”
A man named Arleck quickly leaps forward, though like Buck, he too is older than my father, “I’ll drive for you missus. Name’s Arleck!”
“Talia Evenbough,” I introduce the mules again, then we start picking up the supplies I’ll need for the road and a tarp for the cart. Two more tents, plenty of food for the road, both for passengers and animals, a cask for water that we can refill at every stream. Arriving at Haggi’s I unload everything, “Arleck, take the cart and animals up to the stables, see that the animals are tended, then meet us back here in the morning.” I pay him the gold crown I had earlier offered Buck, and a second for good measure.
-Persuasion 22-
Inside, I see Haggi is staring at the goods I just had brought inside, “We leave in the morning, if you are willing. My father is sending men to meet us in Westhold and escort us to Farhold. I hope to go to Stonebridge in the morning. We might have to linger there for a day or two, but then we will move on, attaching ourselves to a caravan. My father will send good men. We will be much safer crossing this way that spending a full week and a half taking the long road.”
Q: Does she ask who my father is? Likely Yes
“Who is…your father…that the can send men to meet you?” Haggi asks.
“I am Yseldra Faust, daughter of Baron Faust, ruler of Farhold. You will be offered a position serving our family in his keep. Your daughters, Lisa and Dora will be taught to read, Lisa will be taught to weave and sew, I am almost certain. Dora, we will see. She is so young. She might take to reading from the start,” I smile at her. “This will be a good future for your children.”
Q: She still good to go? Nearly Certain Yes
She sits down on her bed, dumbstruck, and I begin preparing dinner from what little she has in her pantry. I smile at her, “I’m not the worst cook in the world.” Soon we are eating, and I curl up once more on the straw covered dirt floor, anticipating our return journey.
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