Adventure #6 - The Lion of Vilderoy

[Malazek]

Two months later, the time has come for the heroes to ride out on their journey to the Capital city. On horseback, the trip should take about eleven days (assuming the weather is cooperative). A frost has settled across the valley and the first signs of winter cling to the air.

---

The settlement around the Arx has grown much more rapidly than expected, already housing almost 60 residents (soldiers included) and a dozen homes. The village square (located directly before the gate of the Arx) hosts several shops, a well, and a public pavilion. By anyone's standards, it could be called a large village.

During the first few weeks, Talmut had to fund most of the costs associated with development, but now the farmers and craftsmen are finally beginning to turn a profit. After all of the accounting was done, he even made 64 gold in profits.

- OOC: That value assumes Talmut spent close to four hours on average per day managing the growth of his new village. (If he wanted to spend 8 hours per day "ruling," then double that; 2 hours, halve it).

- OOC: That should help you determine how much time and money Talmut had for crafting and research over the last 8 weeks. Go ahead and post that stuff at the end of Chapter 5.

---

- OOC: Did Talmut ever go get fitted for new clothes? See the last page of Chapter 5.

- OOC: Did Jeremiah ever go get fitted for new clothes? See the last page of Chapter 5.

---

During the last eight weeks, Elodie and Lindy managed a cursory exploration of most of the Timberwyld. A deeper study would have possible, but she also found time to study several languages even while spending the bulk of her days laboring at magical crafts. She even found time to cast a powerful spell on Egan and Nekkamtu.

- OOC: In my next post, we can digress into a flashback of the Awakening scene. I want to give that event proper attention.

---

During the last two months, Jeremiah has been very busy, spending most of his time in deep study (either with the Chancellor or at the Umbrafall library). After weeks of hard work, he feels a little more prepared  to fight dragons in the future ... and perhaps a little more confident about facing the royal courts. 

The Chancellor did manage to get the Head of Jarigor processed, as Jeremiah asked, and as part of his training, Jeremiah was allowed to present the head himself. The Vicereine graciously accepted the trophy and verbally expressed her gratitude.

All the while, Jeremiah was making frequent trips back and forth, from Umbrafall to the Arx and back again. With his troops well-organized, he feels confident leaving them in the hands of Halvar while he's away.

- OOC: I don't see Knowledge (Nobility) on your character sheet. Did you change your mind about it? Or do you need to revise your skills before we move ahead? 

---

Even Gumphrey has been busy. Although he showed-up periodically at the Arx to help with construction and development, he has been mostly absent during the past couple months (doing who knows what).

---

So, now, the time has come. It's been two months since you slew Jarigor and saved Umbrafall, and the time has come to visit the Sister of the King in the Royal Palace.

[Malazek]

Flashback to six weeks ago ...

Elodie leads Egan and Nekkamtu to a specially prepared place in the Timberwyld ... a secluded clearing in one of the most primal forests in the Realms. Lindy tags along, to keep Elodie safe and to make sure nothing interrupts the ritual.

The trees around the clearing are in full bloom. An owl and a few squirrels have gathered around the clearing, almost as if they want to watch.

This particular spell (more of a ritual, really) requires some very expensive herbs and oils, but that's not the hard part. For both animals, it will take Elodie two full days to perform the necessary magicks. Fortunately, the fact that there's a full moon tonight can only help. It will be a test of both her spell-casting ability and her endurance.

When the time is right, she starts. Speaking ancient words of power and weaving mystical symbols with her hands, she implores the most ancient spirits of the wild to awaken these creatures. She can't really be sure the spirits are listening (or that they will grant her request, even if they are), but if she performs the spell properly, then, hopefully, these two horses will be fully sentient when it's all done ... assuming the steeds don't object (Elodie has heard that in rare cases, animals have resisted such magic and refused to be awakened).

Two days later ...

Exhausted, bleary-eyed, hungry, and approaching deliriousness, Elodie finally completes the second half of the spell. Her own horse, Egan, awoke yesterday, when the first half of the spell was complete. Now, she could only hope it worked for Nekkamtu, as well. Looking up at the horse, she wonders whether or not the spell worked.

Talmut's mighty steed shakes it equine head and looks over at Egan, questioningly.
"You awake, yet?" Egan says.
"What?" Nekkamtu asks.
"You awake, yet? It sound like you are. It takes a minute to shake the fog off."
Nervously, Nekkamtu looks around. "Wait! Where's Talmut?!"

---

- Egan: +2 HD, +3 Chr, and 10 Int. He will know one language that you know (you can choose which one). 

- Nekkamtu: +2 HD, +1 Chr, and 15 Int. He will know three languages that you know (you can choose which ones). 

---

- OOC: If you want to role-play this scene any further, we can. If not, then back to the present.

[Glitz]

Elodie giggles drowsily and claps her hands. "It worked!" Barely able to stand, she climbs onto Egan and says, "Can we go back now? I need a nap. Nekkamtu, Talmut is back at the Arx. Will you let Lindy ride you on the way back? Then you can talk to Talmut..." Elodie attempts to stay awake long enough to get these words out.

Once they make it back to the Arx, Elodie will find Talmut and "re-introduce" him to Nekkamtu. Then she will head to bed.

A few weeks later, she is ready to depart from the Arx for the winter.

[Swifthand]

O.O.C. - Talmut does go to get fitted. Working on the magic items now.

[Alpha Omega]

OOC: I will add the skill to my character sheet now. Also, I posted in this last chapter about the clothing and will add that to my character sheet as well.

[Alpha Omega]

Jeremiah will pack up all of his belongings and mount his stone horse. He will swing by the wizards abode to say goodbye, if they're not there he will ride to the Arx to meet up with the party.

[Swifthand]

Talmut awakes the day of departure looking forward to the excitement of travel and adventure with his friends.  Having packed all his gear, and cast his new Contingency spell the night before, he is ready and anxious to depart.  "All this lab work does tire one after a time..."  After getting cleaned up and dressed in his new, cold weather outfit, the Conjuror casts a quick divination on himself (Detect Scrying, lasts 24 hours...a new habit for Talmut) and heads to the kitchen for breakfast and then finds Halvar, Maius, and Alder.  "Well, it is the day of departure, my friends - the rest of Band of Four should be here this morning.  I trust you have no questions or needs before I go?  Good luck to all of you!"  At that, Talmut heads to the stables to pack Nakkamtu.  "Are you ready, Nakkamtu?  It is exciting, traveling to the capital, isn't it?  I mean, I am sure it will pale in comparison to the beauty and grandeur of spired Aggad, jewel of the Fabled Lands, but I am sure it will impress, in it's own quaint way."  That task done, and making sure that Nakkamtu's warmest horse-blanket is packed, Talmut heads up to the top of the Arx, to smoke his pipe while watching for the impending arrival of his friends.

Is it ok that I said I cast Contingency: Stoneskin on me the night before?  The trigger is "if I take any damage", and it last's 13 days.  Can I also have bought a 1,500 gp diamond for Limited Wish and a 1,500 gp statuette of Talmut Xispur for Contingency during downtime?

[Malazek]

OOC: Woke up a little late, so no time to post this morning. Also, I won't be home right after work, so I won't be able to post until later this evening.

[Malazek]

Jeremiah will ... swing by the wizards abode to say goodbye

Their house still looks abandoned.

Is it ok that I said I cast Contingency: Stoneskin on me the night before?  The trigger is "if I take any damage", and it last's 13 days.  Can I also have bought a 1,500 gp diamond for Limited Wish and a 1,500 gp statuette of Talmut Xispur for Contingency during downtime?

OOC: Yes and yes.

Talmut awakes the day of departure looking forward to the excitement of travel and adventure with his friends ... he is ready and anxious to depart.  "All this lab work does tire one after a time..."  After getting cleaned up and dressed ... heads to the kitchen for breakfast and then finds Halvar, Maius, and Acker.  "Well, it is the day of departure, my friends - the rest of Band of Four should be here this morning.  I trust you have no questions or needs before I go?  Good luck to all of you!"  At that, Talmut heads to the stables to pack Nakkamtu.  "Are you ready, Nakkamtu?  It is exciting, traveling to the capital, isn't it?  I mean, I am sure it will pale in comparison to the beauty and grandeur of spired Aggad, jewel of the Fabled Lands, but I am sure it will impress, in it's own quaint way." 

"I've never seen either," Nekkamtu replies, "but I am eager to get out on the road and stretch my legs."

Jeremiah will ... ride to the Arx to meet up with the party.

About halfway to the Arx, Jeremiah hears the sound of another rider, coming up behind him. It sounds like Ol' Bekkie, Gumphrey's horse. Peering back through the trees, he can barely make out the rider from this distance, but he is certain it is Gumphrey.   

Eventually, Gumphrey almost catches up. When he's about 100 yards back, he starts shouting "Jeremiah! Jeremiah! Wait up! Let's ride together!"

Once they make it back to the Arx, Elodie will ... will head to bed.
A few weeks later, she is ready to depart from the Arx for the winter.

That task done, and making sure that Nakkamtu's warmest horse-blanket is packed, Talmut heads up to the top of the Arx, to smoke his pipe while watching for the impending arrival of his friends.

When Talmut gets to the top of the Arx, he sees Elodie and Egan already at the gate, waiting to to leave. By the time he finishes his pipe, he can see Jeremiah and Gumphrey riding along the newly constructed road, on their way to the Arx. It's still pretty early, only a couple of hours after dawn, so you should be able to make it almost half way to Sturmgard before nightfall.

[Swifthand]

Talmut heads down, gets Nakkamtu, and rides over to the gate.

"Good morning!  A fine day to travel, yes?"

[Glitz]

"Morning, Talmut. You seem very chipper. Excited to be off?"

Elodie will wave at Gumphrey and Jeremiah as they approach.

[Alpha Omega]

Jeremiah will nod to the others as he meets them at the gate.

"Yes, it's a fine day for a ride. Shall we head out?"

OOC: Sorry for the lack of posts, I've been up north since Thursday with no internet and lack of phone reception.

[Swifthand]

"Very - as is Nakkamtu!  New sights and a long journey ahead!  Shall we be off?"

[Alpha Omega]

"Ready as I'll ever be."

[Malazek]

After some pleasantries are exchanged, the heroes ride south, leaving all of their responsibilities in the hands of their assistants. They ride south along the North Road until they reach Umbrafall and the they continue on along the Olde Imp Road. (The Olde Imp Road is the same road each of you used when you first came to Umbrafall, so many months ago. As a minor point of interest, the Olde Imp Road used to be called the Old Imperial Road, because it was built by the August Empire).

With your warm weather attire you barely notice the cold, although you can see your breath and the breath of the horses.

On the road, you pass many strangers, on their way to or from Umbrafall. Some are walking, some are riding, and some are driving wagons. Most travel in groups, but a few travel alone. So many people come in and out of Umbrafall in the course of a day.

Along the way, you frequently hear Egan and Nekkamtu muttering among themselves. The stone horse seems to be the topic of conversation.

A couple of hours later, you cross the notorious Rude River, named as such because of the unexpected waves that occasionally course through the river. When you cross the bridge, however, the waters seem every bit as calm as they did when you crossed this bridge the first time.

An hour later, you reach Drakenville North and an hour after that you reach the Netherdrakes. Both towns are peaceful enough, a good place to stop for dinner. During your meal, you hear rumors that Thyra's Warband is still on the loose, wreaking havoc near the border of Daxony and the Narland. After you eat and water your horses, you are back on the road again. You should have just enough time to reach the next town. If not, you'll likely pass many villages along the way, where you could stop if you had to.

You ride for another hour. The road is less populated this far from the city, though you do still see the occasional traveler; mostly farmers at this point. The air is still cold, and in fact, seems to be getting colder. And the sun is just starting to set (it would have set already, if you were still in Umbrafall, but having rode out from behind the mountain, you can watch the sun strive for a lower horizon).

Finally, you see it: the town called Skirmish. It seems your first day of travel was mostly uneventful. If the entire ride goes this well, you should reach Vilderoy in good time.

Those of you learned in history know that Skirmish is so named because of the many ancient battles that were fought here, before the days of the Five Kings.

As you ride closer, you see that Skirmish is a walled town. Its high walls must be 30 feet high. You hear the faint sound of music and see a soft glow above the walls, indicating that the city has a vibrant nightlife. When you reach the gate, you see the heavy portcullis retreated into the gatehouse above and you see stout wooden doors open fully to allow access. As you ride through the gate, the lone guard nods at your approach, but does not get up from his seat. Such a stark contrast compared to Umbrafall, where the city gates would have already been closed for the night.

Inside, you see there are plenty of folks out at night, travelling to one place or another. There aren't nearly as many people in Skirmish as there are in Umbrafall, but at night, the former seems busier than the latter. You see an inn down the road.

On your way to the inn, you notice quite a few vagrants and drifters huddled up in the allies, seeking refuge from the chilly night air. You've seen poverty before, but had almost forgotten about it (remembering, suddenly, that the Realms have been plagued with poverty). Having spent months in Umbrafall, where people are relatively prosperous, you have been more-or-less shielded from these sights.

(OOC: Remember the Fabled Lands are extremely prosperous compared to the Realms and Elodie and Jeremiah have been able to live off the land. So, none of you have been strongly affected by the economic crisis ... and Gumphrey is from Umbrafall, so he might not have any idea how bad it's been elsewhere).

When Gumphrey sees the misfortunate folks struggling against the coming winter, he looks sand and almost sickened. He veers his horse off to the side of the rode and starts digging around in his pouches. Before he says a word or even procures a single coin, he is suddenly surrounded by a dozen beggars.

[Alpha Omega]

Jeremiah will start to scan the area looking for stables and an inn or signs that point them in the direction of such places.

"Gumphrey, mind your pouches. I would hate to see the shadow man bested by some common street thieves."

[Glitz]

Elodie keeps pace with the rest of the group, but reaches into a pouch to find some coins. She pulls out an assortment: two coppers, four silvers, and three gold pieces. She throws them near the group that has surrounded Gumphrey, hoping to give him a chance to break through the mob. "C'mon, Gumphrey. There's got to be a better way to help."

OOC: BTW, awesome post, Mal!

[Swifthand]

"Hmm."  Talmut follows Jeremiah in his search for a stable at the nearby inn.  "I can provide safe, private, and free lodging for all of us, if we would prefer.  I thought that a night at the in would be interesting, but..."  The Conjuror trails off, watching the small group mobbing Gum.

[Malazek]

"Gumphrey, mind your pouches. I would hate to see the shadow man bested by some common street thieves."

Elodie ... reaches into a pouch ... pulls out ... coppers, silvers, and gold ... throws them near the group ... "C'mon, Gumphrey. There's got to be a better way to help."

The Conjuror trails off, watching the small group mobbing Gum.

Gumphrey spurs his horse forward, forcing his way clear of the crowd. Once free, he turns the horse around, throws more coins at the feet of the crowd, and turns again to follow the rest of the group. "Vultures," he says.

You see an inn down the road.

Jeremiah will start to scan the area looking for stables and an inn or signs that point them in the direction of such places.

Talmut follows Jeremiah in his search for a stable at the nearby inn.

You spot one right away, just down the road a bit. It's called "The Thirsty Haystack." The sign reads as such above the drawn image of a buxom wench.

"I can provide safe, private, and free lodging for all of us, if we would prefer.  I thought that a night at the inn would be interesting, but..."

"I'm of two minds," Gumphrey says. "On the one hand, a night at the inn could be fun ... but if it's full of people like those back there, then forget it."

[Malazek]

OOC: BTW, awesome post, Mal!

OOC: Thanks!

[Alpha Omega]

"Either option is fine with me Talmut. It may, as you said, be safer if you conjured our lodgings. But who knows what fun we will be missing out on as well! I'm six one way and a half a dozen the other on this choice."

OOC: By the looks of this place, it would seem that this could be a wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious!

[Glitz]

"Why don't we take a peak inside? If it looks questionable, we can always leave and allow Talmut to create a place for us to spend the night." Elodie starts to head toward the door of The Thirsty Haystack.

[Swifthand]

Talmut nods at his freinds.  "Then the Haystack it is."  The Conjuror will stable Nakkamtu and give the stablehand a silver.  "There is another for you when I find noble Nakkamtu has been well cared for."  Then, it is off to the common room for a cold drink.

[Malazek]

When the heroes stroll into the Thirsty Haystack, the first thing they see is the gallows built above the bar. Standing directly beneath the noose (ten feet below it), is the bartender. She is a woman in her mid-thirties with jet black hair.

The tavern itself is really busy; there are at least 60 patrons in here. The next unusual thing you notice is that cats; there must be five or six cats roaming around free inside the tavern ... no, wait, seven. Aside from the cats, most of the patrons look like rough customers; many are wearing light armor or have small weapons tucked into their belts or boots.

The music is loud, emanating from a stage to your left. Currently, there is a three-piece band playing; a flutist, a lutist, and singer/drummer. You also notice that the stage is caged in. That is, stout iron bars separate the band from the crowd.

Finally, you see the menu board hung up behind the bar.

THIRSTY HAYSTACK MENU
Meat Pie … 1 sp
Vegetable Broth … 3 cp
Simple Bread & Cheese … 1 sp
Pale Ale (Mug) … 4 cp
Pale Ale (Pitcher) … 2 sp
 
THIRSTY HAYSTACK ROOMS
Private Room … 2 sp
Sleeping Space on Floor … 1 cp
Sleeping Space near the Fire … 5 cp
 
THIRSTY HAYSTACK AMENITIES
Bath … 2 cp
Chamber Pot (Loan of) … 2 cp
Stabling (with grooming and freed) … 2 sp

The crowd is rowdy. Voices are loud (and slurred). A lot of people are out of their seats. There seems to be only one waiter trying to rush trays of food and ale back and forth between the bar and the tables. Judging by the stains on his clothes, you would guess he's the chief cook, as well.

The building is very old and constructed mainly of wood. Many of the chairs and tables look partially broken and the floor looks worn and uneven.

You do see there is a large bald man trying to break up a scuffle. He must be the bouncer.

You also see that the folks sitting at some of the tables are playing games of six-bones.

You also notice that several of the patrons are wandering in and out of the basement, for some reason or another.

[Glitz]

Elodie follows Talmut to secure a spot for Egan, and whispers a quick good night to her four-legged companion. "I'll bring you a treat tomorrow morning," she promises. 

She pauses right inside of the door and looks at Talmut, Jeremiah, and Gumphrey. "I'll find about about rooms, and put in a request for food and drink. Any requests?" After listening to their responses, she will summon power from inside of her to physically alter her body. She shrinks down to a foot shorter than her current height and weaves through the crowd, making her way to the front, directly in front of the bartender. Once she is in prime position, she will begin to grow...and grow, and grow, until she's several inches taller than the people around her. She then attempts to get the attention of the barkeep.

"Excuse me, miss...I'm interested in securing four private rooms, and some food and drink for my friends. Two pitches, four meat pies, and a generous plate of bread and cheese to start, please?" Elodie hands her three gold pieces.

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