—Vinetread 11-14th,—
—Character motivations were rolled using UNE, and the brief two sentence write-ups added to the relevant character sheet. Mendy only has her first impressions to go on at this point)—
Over the next four days, I am introduced to Sir Julian and his men, and Sir Julian readily accepts my offer to join his expedition. I inform the Tailor’s Guild that I will be leaving town for a few weeks, I arrange with Gili for her to keep my clothing trunk and other meager household effects until I return, but she will let out the room in the meantime. I purchase a potion of healing and make sure that my spell pouch is filled for the trek. I do bring my brass bowl that was used in the spell that bound Corvus to me, just in case something happens to him and I need to conjure up another pet.
Regarding my companions, Sir Julian is a handsome man, about ten years older than me. Very confident, almost regal in his bearing. That must come from growing up in a noble house. I’ve not known many nobles, just the manor lords of Brevurg and Karsa, and they aren’t from long bloodlines. But he seems to be convinced that this mission will somehow improve his family’s reputation, but I can’t figure out how. Unless he kills a giant or dragon or something. (insight DC 15, rolled an 11)
Victor is a tribesman from Thornwylde or the Blackwoods, I gather from his tattoos and accent. He carries a massive sword, but wears a mail shirt instead of the hides the tribesmen usually favor. He is fearsome looking, but seems to follow Sir Julian around like a puppy!
Magnus and Konrad are men at arms of the usual sort. They seem to be good friends. Magnus has a ruddy complexion, and smells of beer most of the time. Konrad is a portly fellow, always eating it seems. I asked him why and he says that once we leave Caravos, he can’t be sure when our next hot meal might be!
Stefan doesn’t talk much. Or do much. He’s a wiry fellow whose role in the company is a bit unclear. If Sir Julian tells him to do something, he’s on it in a flash. But I’ve seen Magnus, who is Julian’s chief lieutenant, have to actually kick over Stefan’s chair to make the sluggard get on his feet!
Falco hates me! And I’m not too fond of him either. When Jana and Sir Julian introduced me to the company as a student of the arcane, he spat a curse at me and suggested they’d be better off without me. Then when I was recording the provisions being packed, he snatched my ledger from my hand and insisted that he was the company’s record keeper! He’s apparently also our guide, mapmaker and tracker.
Sister Jana, the custodian, is rather friendly and mild. She seeks to learn more of our people’s history and of the glories of our ancestors. She and I will share a tent, so I am glad we seem to get along.
Sir Julian has arranged mounts for all of his companions. I have Celeste, of course, but also three pack mules for food, tents, woodcutting and digging tools, lanterns, oil, blankets and two kegs of wine should potable water be difficult to find, quivers of arrows and crossbow bolts, some spare weapons, and of course, cooking supplies! Konrad is in charge of the pack animals.
—Vinetread 15th, 222 gp 6 sp, (2 gp per day if out of work), 10 day rations, 2 Healing Potion, Healing Kit 8 charges, riding horse, crossbow- Company Resources 140 days rations, 8 healing potions (7 per day/20 days worth)—
—Assume 25 miles travel per day on road, 15 miles travel in the hill country. One encounter check morning afternoon and evening, and a possible check overnight if Wisdom (Survival) DC 15 to conceal camp is not passed—
We set off on the morning of the 15th, heading north towards White Tower. I am looking forward to seeing Master Tegast, but I dread running into Roch’s wife, or any of his friends, for I am sure they won’t care that he tried to murder me, only that I killed him!
But it is a nice day to get on the road, the air is cool, but not overly cold. There is a stiff breeze in the air, but that just means one can see the royal insignia on the banners fluttering above Corvosa’s walls. Jana and I ride near the rear of our little company, behind the mules. Sir Juiian and Victor ride at the front, with Falco in the very lead, guiding the way. Which is silly, since there is only one road to White Tower and it doesn’t hide many side trails upon which one could get lost.
—Road encounter table-Lone Traveler. Consult Mythic, A peddler-Likely, yes! Eryk Flatfooted (from Berick’s Campaign) Unlikely- Yes!–
Midway through morning, Falco cries out a warning that we are approaching someone on the road. I crane my head to get a look and I see it is an old peddler with a hand cart, accompanied by a shaggy looking dog. I hear the old man greet Sir Julian, but Sir Julian simply ignores the slower traveler and keeps on going.
I hear Magnus ask the old man, “Got any beer in that cart of yours?” and the man of course, answers yes, but Magnus just laughs and keeps going. Konrad at least bids the old man fair travels while leading his string of mules past. Sister Jana shrugs her shoulders, but I linger a bit and ask the old man how far he is going as I’d not seen him before.
—In the kingdom of Ardeles, Peddlers often follow regular routes, so if you meet a peddler in one fief, you’ll likely meet the same one repeatedly. Caravos is about three weeks from Farwatch at a leisurely pace, so this guy travels a longer distance than most. So while I’d say there is “No Way” the city dwellers had ever noticed Eryk before, I assigned Mendy as “unlikely” to recognize him. And no, he is a stranger to her—
He says that he is traveling to the White Tower as he has never been there before. I ask if he is going to see its Master, Tegast, but the old man laughs and says that he prefers not to meet too many wizards, lest he accidentally offend one and get turned into a hog a month before the Culling. I laugh and say that he’s probably wise to be cautious, as Tegast has been known to transform people into beasts on occasion.
—UNE – Conversation Topic-My Character—
The old man introduces himself as Eryk, and asks about me, my companions and what I am doing on this road. I tell him my name and that I am Master Tegast’s former apprentice, and that our company is actually heading out to seek the Emerald Keep, somewhere in the hill country north of White Tower. He asks if I’d heard the story of the vampire of Barnad Foch, the tower in the great dead forest in Garnhold. I listened to his story with rapt attention until we came to the village of Karsa, where I was surprised to learn that my companions had simply kept going without me!
I thank Eryk for his story and wish him safe travels as he begins to spread out his wares for the villagers to see. Then I notice him unfolding delicate linen handkerchief, yellow with age, which seems to have a map stitched into it. I ask him about it and he tells me that this is a map of the dwarven city of Balta Ratic, which he purchased from an explorer some six months ago who had found it within those ruins. I ask more and he tells me that the ruins are in Tor Vanim. A dwarven kingdom to the northeast of Ardeles. I offer him five crowns, and then twenty for it, but he wants more for this rare treasure that may lead me to a fortune. I balk, and once more, wish him save travels before urging Celeste ahead to catch up to my party.
This road is very familiar to me, having travelled so many times before. I catch up to Sir Julian before the troupe reaches Breburg. Nobody complains about my falling behind, nor does my return merit much comment.
Shortly after passing Breburg, I spot a fox in the distance, shadowing us, watching, curious as we travel. Far enough way it could flee into brush and trees should we try to pursue us, but close enough to seem interested in our passage. I send Corvus to look around, and enjoy the sensation of flying as I continue to ride, almost in a trance, watching the fox through the crow’s eyes.
We arrive at White Tower near dusk, and Sir Julian seems surprised that there is no Inn to offer lodging in our small hamlet. Just the light tower, a smithy, a boat maker, and a small shrine to our ancestors.
As Milo, the stable hand, divides our mounts up into the hamlet’s various barns for the night, I see Roch’s wife approaching. She seems to have a look of dread in her sunken eyes, and I brace myself for confrontation
–Does she approach, unsure, yes, Is she angry-Likely-No–
“My dear Mendy,” she says softly, apologetically, with tears in her eyes, “I don’t know what came over my husband that he tried to murder you. Tegast says he must have been blinded by greed, and I know, he always yearned for more money, wealth, power. I am so sorry what happened to you. Can you please forgive me?”
I didn’t really know what to say. She hadn’t wronged me. But I put my arm around the weeping woman and assured her that I held no grudge, and bore her no ill will. I asked how she and the children were getting by, for I know it must be hard without her husband. She says she is managing from her garden and doing laundry work for some of the other families. We talk a bit before I retire to the tower where my companions are being allowed to set out the bedrolls in the main hall.
Konrad is complaining that no great meal was offered to us, and that he was hoping for one last fresh made meal before we reached the hill country. Stefan complains that he is having to roll his bedding out on the rough hewn stone floor. Surely in a tower this size there must be several bedrooms! Falco complain that the Master probably has his nose in some ancient tome of forbidden knowledge and is too preoccupied with books to understand proper hospitality. He glares at me and adds that the Master certainly didn’t teach me such lessons.
I roll out my blankets near Jana’s as Master Tegast’s new apprentice has already been given my old room. The young apprentice, a boy named Cecil, comes down to inform us that Master Tegast will not be gracing use with his company, but says that we can stay for the night, and that the servants will provide breakfast in the morning. This news brightens Konrad’s mood considerably!
The young apprentice then sits down near me while I start recording the day’s events in my journal, and asks how much I got for Roch’s horse and armor. What I am doing in the City, and how much I get paid to cast magic spells for people. I can tell he hasn’t been taught much at all and that I’ve not had anyone seek me out for spell casting as I haven’t been taught the sorts of spells that are in high demand. He seems very disappointed in this. Then I asked if he liked the taste flies, and he got a disgusted look on his face. And we both started laughing for he too had been turned into a frog for the first week of his apprenticeship!
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