Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. selected a barge crewman and one of his own for the shore party, and directed them to take some supplies and the closest thing to a tent and bedding as could be rigged from the barge. He also took along a few samples of the cargo. Late in the afternoon, they set off, and made camp in the dark, not too far from the army, but far enough that they wouldn't be heard if they kept their voices to a whisper.
The night was cold without a fire, but not unbearable after the trials of the last several days. Only once were they almost seen, but they kept close to the ground until the patrol was out of hearing range.
When dawn arrived, the party of four needed half an hour to stretch the kinks out and warm up. They were tired. Despite the cold and discomfort, the night had seemed to pass quickly.
At Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier.'s direction, they packed up camp and headed for the army to make contact with an officer. The campsite would serve as a rally point if they needed to scatter and run in an every-man-for-himself fashion. 'Pomegranate' would be the cue for everyone to run.
It wasn't long before they were stopped by a pair of soldiers. One bluntly said, “Who are you?”
Gereon closed his eyes as a flash passed across his vision. He was in the army camp, looking out as if from the eyes of a child. A vast sheet of brown cloth swayed to the side, blocking all vision, and then swayed back out again. He was small, very small, and made of… of metal and leather. He was the buckle on his own belt.
His vision was hazy. Views of the future usually were. There were soldiers everywhere, most weary and bored. People were talking. Gereon was one of them. The man from his previous vision was there, but only vaguely, as if meeting him at all was far from certain. He heard “king's army” and the name “Balban.”
When Gereon refocused his eyes, Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. was explaining to the soldier that he was an agent for a large seller, looking for a place to sell his cargo. He didn't seem to be getting anywhere until he mentioned that he had blankets and ale. “You do, now? I'll take you to the quartermaster then.”
By the time Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. had talked his way up from the quartermaster to a higher ranking officer, with several others in between, night had fallen, too soon, it seemed. At least he'd made a good deal. The army had apparently not expected so much snow, so they were willing to pay a respectable sum for the blankets, and Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. had never heard of a soldier unwilling to buy ale. He'd sent one of his men back to get the supplies.
Now, Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. and Gereon were standing near a large tent, with two of Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier.'s men and two soldiers. A tall, rough-skinned man in a tight-fitting uniform walked around the tent, and the other two soldiers stepped aside. “I'm not sure where you came from,” the man said, “but we're glad you're here. Too bad you weren't carrying any food.” He hefted a small, iron-reinforced box. “Here's what we agreed on, in good Rangplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigThe Kingdom of Rang
Overview
Rang is a huge kingdom, covering more than a million square miles, and extending from the Great Sea to the Ice Sea. It dominates the area politically, militarily and religiously. Rang is a monarchy, led by King Diure LXIV, but its immense size weakens the central government. Most feudal lords manage their lands independently, and only answer to the king in the loosest sense. The king does have several pockets of power, such as in Huerten, which allow him to maintai… silver. If you pass this way again, stop by. Only Andrithaplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigAndrithanism
Based on original ideas from Karl Schinke (Ardith). Symbols for aspects other than the Mother, along with the artwork, were contributed by Myron Wyles (Halaren).
Andrithanism and its variants are the dominant religion in Rang and the surrounding kingdoms. Within the boundaries of knows how long we'll be here.”
Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. offered to write a bill of goods in “whatever units the service requires.” The officer accepted in a business-like fashion, but he couldn't hold back a bit of a smile. He'd been given the opportunity to record only the majority of the goods in the official bill, so that he could sell a few items for personal profit. As he was writing, Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. said, “My employer has other agents that I will meet up with shortly. If they have remaining goods to sell should I return? If you're not here, where might you advance to?”
“By all means return. If we're not here, it means that Maelbourgplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigMaelbourg
[This map is obviously missing a lot. There aren't huge open spaces in Maelbourg.]
Maelbourg is a walled town in the Barony of Huerten, with a population of approximately six thousand. Its primary exports are textiles, wool and coal, the last of which it acquires from deposits in the nearby hills. The land on which the town sits was added to maelbourg index is open for business, and you can do your trade in the town proper.
“Thank you for the prompt payment. I do hope I can help your glorious cause again.”
The officer nodded. “If you will escort these men?” He asked, and turned around, expecting his soldiers to do what was needed.
Without argument, Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. allowed himself and the others to be led away. He hoped the escort wouldn't insist on following him all the way back to the barge. The soldiers seemed honest enough, but there was no reason to risk anything in a strange country.
As the group reached the edge of the camp, Gereon turned around and saw a man coming out of the large tent - the same man with thinning brown hair who he'd seen in his vision.
Gereon should have been used to the deja vu that always came with seeing someone he'd only seen in his own mind, but he always hesitated. He turned toward Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. and quietly whispered, “I believe this is our man here.” After gaining Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier.'s attention he looked pointedly at the officer with the thinning hair. “He will direct us to our destiny.”
Having already accomplished what he'd come here to do, Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. just shrugged his shoulders. “By all means,” he said, assuming the Messenger would do as he wished.
Gereon, dismayed at Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier.'s lack of initiative, began to rehearse what he was planning to say to the officer when he reached him. Gereon knew his own abilities and relating with people was not one of them. If he could emulate the officer well enough, though, he might be able to see where this was meant to lead. Gereon took a moment and pressed his palm onto his chest and sapphire earring underneath. 'Where is this man going and what is it the Zioth requires of him,' he found himself asking. This time, no vision came to him. Was there nothing to see, or was Gereon simply incapable of seeing it? There was never any way to tell.
Gereon remained on the outside of the man's personal space, attempting to observe him and understand where his charisma might come from. In the end, he felt no more confident than he had before, but he found himself with new intuition on how to be a leader. The man didn't look intimidating or even interesting, but he had a powerful presence to him that Gereon rapidly came to understand and take into himself.
“My Lord, if I may be of service to you,” Gereon called out, startling his escort. Gereon spoke clearly and concisely while bowing in the manner of his homeland. “You have met the master tradesman, but I sense there is a reason for your presence here and this reason has been a thorn in your side.”
The man stared at Gereon for a second, and seemed about to go back into his tent, but then he turned and approached. The guards outside the tent made as if to follow him, but he waved them off. “And who are you?” he asked when he was only half a dozen feet away.
Gereon, pleased with his initial success, felt his own confidence and presence grow. “I am called the Messenger, and I believe I can be of assistance to you. The Zioth is coming and has sent me to your door.” He stood, slightly leaning on his staff with his other hand pushing his cloak away from his belt, attempting to keep all expression from his features.
“The Zioth sent you? Now that's something. May I ask what the Zioth sent you here to do?”
Gereon, with his fragile ego, immediately assumed the man was being sarcastic. Some of his men obviously agreed. “The Zioth changed the course of two rivers for me to be at these shores. Do not underestimate its power. It has sent me here to you. But I'm afraid I must turn your words upon you and ask what it is that you need to do. It would appear that city has rejected your right to enter the city. Perhaps this is your issue.”
“And let's say that was true. In that hypothetical case, what would you and the Zioth suggest we do about it?”
Gereon pushed off his staff and came to his full height, looking the man in his eyes. “The Zioth often opens doors where there were none before and provides windows with which to observe your enemies.” He hoped that he had laid his line well and that this fish would soon bite, but he also knew that he must eat soon and that finding food so close to an army would be difficult. Gereon looked toward the sky and began thinking of his first hunting trip after joining Gabriel. He wasn't certain how long he stood there, perhaps only a few seconds, but he found himself mumbling again. “Provide me with food, dear Lady, once more.”
One of the soldiers let out a snicker. The man from Gereon's vision betrayed no emotion. “If I understand your riddle, you are either calling me your enemy, or trying to get hired as a spy. Either one is unusual for a crewman of a trading barge.”
“I am a Messenger, nothing more. I bring tidings of the Zioth and to complete my task. Often the Zioth brings the tools that are necessary to accomplish a goal. I have not the skills that are required to spy, but I can point to the windows and doors that they spy may use.” Gereon had seen the consequences of those who proclaimed their 'abilities' too readily. He did not intend to share their fate.
“Very well, Messenger of the Zioth. Tell me something I can use. If it's worth anything, I'll pay fair value.”
“Tell me of your problems and situation. The more information you provide me, the better answer I may give you.”
The man smiled and stepped closer to Gereon, finally closing the wide gap between them. He answered in a moderate tone. “Alright. This is the king's army. We came here to investigate rumors of unrest, and found Maelbourgplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigMaelbourg
[This map is obviously missing a lot. There aren't huge open spaces in Maelbourg.]
Maelbourg is a walled town in the Barony of Huerten, with a population of approximately six thousand. Its primary exports are textiles, wool and coal, the last of which it acquires from deposits in the nearby hills. The land on which the town sits was added to maelbourg index in a state of chaos. Our attempts to enter the city have been met with violence. Until we can enter, there won't be any way to deal with the problem. Now what can you make of that?”
Gereon felt like he could smell the man as he got closer and his face became distorted with mild disgust. “I will return in two hours. Let us hope that the Zioth provides me with an answer.” Gereon stepped away from the man and turned to leave the camp area. The man merely waved a hand and the escort resumed their duties, leading them away from the camp. Gereon was sure he heard some of the soldiers snickering as he walked away.
As he reached the outside of the line of tents that made up the army encampment, he tried to find his way back to the barge crew's camp. Once there he moved further on a ways to, what he hoped, was a secluded copse of trees. He felt his nerves begin to tremor as he prepared to use what Gabriel had always called a 'spell'. It worked much the same as his foresight ability, but saw only the present. He brought out his small hand mirror and gazed deeply into it, focusing his thoughts on the object of his desire. Hoping to find someone who knew how to get in and out of Maelbourgplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigMaelbourg
[This map is obviously missing a lot. There aren't huge open spaces in Maelbourg.]
Maelbourg is a walled town in the Barony of Huerten, with a population of approximately six thousand. Its primary exports are textiles, wool and coal, the last of which it acquires from deposits in the nearby hills. The land on which the town sits was added to maelbourg index, he sat down with his lantern and gazed into the glass. Before any image could form beyond his own face, he felt a sudden, sharp pain in the small of his back, and then his head jerked forward as he was hit there too. He jumped to his feet and turned around, to see a man in dark clothing behind him, winding up for another punch.
Gereon took a step back to protect himself. He reached toward to his inner self to pull forth an ethereal armament.
The man was fast, following Gereon so close that the air was fouled with his breath, but he wasn't fast enough. Gereon finished, involuntarily muttering a few words he didn't understand, and when the man swung again, aiming for Gereon's jaw, his arm went slack. Confused, he aimed his other fist at Gereon's gut, but again, his arm just fell to his side. He leaned in and tried to tackle Gereon with the full weight, but the energy of the rush left him before he got anywhere. The man looked frustrated, but not at all afraid, as any common man might be. He let out a low hiss and said, “Balban will learn your secrets one way or the other!” and then slipped back into the woods.
Gereon watched as the man turned away. He stored the name 'Balban' and this man's visage in the back of his mind for a later time, but decided that he must know as much as he could about this man who attacked him. Still a little shaken, as he hadn't been involved in a physical conflict with another man since his trek through Galliaplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigThe Three Kingdoms
All three of Rang's western neighbors are dominated by the same variety of Andrithanism as is Rang. All share the same language, Gallian, but the Mezonese commons do not speak it. Rather, they speak a hybridized offspring of Rouch and Gallian known as Mezonese. As in, he summoned the concentration, as Gabriel had taught him to do, to listen to the man as so few could. He reached with all his senses, even those that had no physical perception. He sought to know the man and his mind more than his natural faculties would allow.
He sensed two people in the area – his attacker, and possibly one of the sailors. However, he couldn't penetrate the mind of either. He felt he must to know this man's thoughts, though and was determined to try again. This time, he heard the thoughts of both people. One was thinking about the weight of the pile of firewood in his arms, and something he heard someone shouting in the forest. The other was watching Gereon intently from a hiding place in the woods, waiting to see what he'd do next. Gereon got the impression that the man had wanted to capture him, not kill him, but why was a mystery. Nowhere in the man's surface thoughts was anything about duty to the “Balban” he'd mentioned.
Another couple of odd things came through. The man was thinking about digging up a grave and cleaning the bones of whoever was in it. He was also thinking about owls, and how it would feel to fly between the branches like one.
Gereon, sensing that the man was still nearby, decided to go instead toward the sailor. He needed only to find where the sailor was. His back had begun to ache as the excitement of the encounter wore off. “Do you need assistance with your firewood? Perhaps my visitor could assist you?” Gereon called, hoping both to frighten away the attacker and find where the sailor was.
Bug turned around to see who was calling and answered, “Sure” in a disinterested sort of way. He continued with his work. Gereon started toward the sailor's voice behind the trees, still concentrating on his assailants thoughts, hoping to pick up any clues about what more the man had wanted or where he might find this elusive 'Balban' whom he had seen so recently in his vision. The man was trying to throw rocks at Gereon, testing the limits of his protection. But he was getting tired of the activity, and his mind wandered to the grave he had to dig.
Gereon found himself mumbling once again about his fortunes, “The Zioth provides once again with a savior.” He found himself before the sailor who was gathering firewood and looked down at the wood he had collected. Feeling comforted by the slight weight of the bar of soap in his pouch, he bent down and began gathering a few pieces of firewood as well. “Well, my friend, shall we?” Gereon gestured toward the camp and began leading the way back.
Bug watched the Messenger out of the corner of his eye, wondering where the other man, the “visitor,” was. He was curious about what he heard in the woods, and, when they picked up to leave, he followed the Messenger for a few steps and asked where he was coming from and what the shouting was.
Gereon heard the question but was still distracted with his own thoughts. After a few moments, he realized that the sailor was talking to him. “A friend of Balban's,” he tested, hoping the sailor might betray something if he knew who this man was.
Bug wished he did know Balban. He felt flattered by the question. “Not a friend” Bug replied. “I have heard his name and some stories about him. Do you know anything about the uprising in Grenzig”?
“Tell me what you know of Balban and Grenzig,” Gereon said with in a monotone voice as he began to stack the firewood.
“I only heard that he was starting an uprising. I know nothing else about him and I've never seen him.” Bug now took a strong interest in Gereon thinking he may be connected more closely with the infamous Balban. “Is he a friend of yours? An enemy”?
Gereon thought for a moment to the so recent conflict with Balban's henchman. “I believe Balban has a few questions he'd like me to answer. Unfortunately we don't see eye to eye on his method of questioning.” He stacked a few more pieces of firewood and decided he had had enough manual labor for the day. “Perhaps you'd like to lead me back to the soldier's camp. I'm not certain I can find a way there myself.” As Gereon stood up from stacking the wood, he felt the new bruise forming on his back. He knew that would hurt for several days to come. He became aware that his attacker had lost interest and was moving off, back into the woods, thinking about owls and bones.
The two men returned to the barge, where Bug dropped off the firewood and got permission from the mate to escort Gereon back to the camp. Then, lantern in hand, he led the Messenger through the woods and back to the army. It was getting late by this point, but a large number of soldiers were walking around. Some were on guard, and others looked like they were just having trouble sleeping. The first one to notice Gereon and Bug jogged up to them. “Forget to bring some of the cargo?” he asked.
“Ah, my good man, if you would be so kind as to take me to the commander once again. I believe he was expecting me some time ago.” Gereon gave the man a strained smile, intending it to be friendly. “Perhaps you can show me the way.”
The soldier looked at Gereon skeptically, then beckoned over another soldier. “This fellow says the commander is expecting him. Check it out.”
The other soldier nodded and left. Before long he was back. “Follow me,” he said, and led Gereon and Bug to the command tent, where the the balding man was pacing restlessly.
He looked up at the stars and then smiled at Gereon. “Has the Zioth solved all my problems yet?”
“The Zioth does not bow to the whims of men; men bow to the whims of the Zioth.” Gereon nodded his head in greeting and also gazed into the stars. “What do the stars tell you, Commander?”
“The stars tell me it's been more than two hours. Now last I saw you, you told me you'd have something I can use. If you just came here to spew out riddles, I have more important things I could be doing.”
“The stars tell me that a man named Balban and his cronies can move freely in an out of the city seemingly unseen. Perhaps the graveyard is their entry and exit point.” Gereon continued to gaze at the stars. They reminded him of his first stargazing with Gabriel and his slow deep voice giving names to the stars and constellations. Gereon began the practice of fortune telling by way of the stars without conscience thought. Reading the movements and places of all the important celestial bodies.
“Do they now? And do the stars tell you anything else about this Balban person?” The commander made a motion to his soldiers. Gereon was busy looking at the stars, but Bug thought they were subtly positioning themselves, and flexing their legs as if ready to run – possibly to get away themselves, or possibly to prevent escape.
“Not yet. Perhaps they will later. In the meantime, what do you know of this man?”
The commander's face went rigid. “Let's drop the act, shall we? You know who I am, and I know who you are. Now if you're honestly here to give me useful information, I'll take it and even pay you for it, but my patience is limited. I'll give you half a minute to give me the truth. If you won't, this interview is over.”
“So you know him well, then. Or at least you think you know him. If you wished to know my secrets perhaps you should have sent a nice gift rather than a thug. I cannot help you tonight. Perhaps another time, especially if we can be civilized about your questions.” Gereon spoke to the sky, letting the commander react as he wished. He came back to himself and gestured to the sailor. “Shall we go?” Gereon stepped away from the commander and began to leave the now noticed circle of men, who now looked ready to close in. Bug started to go with Gereon. He looked up and asked “what is up there?”
“Wait. What thug?” Balban asked.
“So you don't know him as well as you thought. A thug came in his name. He spoke of finding out certain secrets, Secrets which he believed I knew.”
“Describe this person.”
Gereon described him as best he could. He hadn't gotten a good look at the man's face, and for some reason, he was having trouble remembering any precise details about what he had seen. He did the best he could, but didn't describe the man's actions.
“That could be anyone….” The commander seemed about to turn around and end the conversation, but then he spoke again. “You called yourself a spy - the Zioth lets you find your enemies, or something - can you find this man, and report on his activities?”
“Given enough time and resources, yes, I can find this man. I would also suggest, that I do not claim to be a spy. I am a Messenger, nothing more.”
“How much time and what resources? I expect a straight answer.”
“I'm afraid I probably can't give you one. However, as it seems that you are grasping at straws anyway, you might as well allow me my space and time. All I ask, for now, is a few tents and food. The merchant you so recently met already has a camp not far from here. If you wish, I will even bring along one of your soldiers. He'll have to supply his own tent, though. I will return tomorrow and tell you what I know, if you agree with these terms.”
“Tents and food? I'm willing to gamble that much. Poli, get this 'Messenger of the Zioth' what he needs, and help him set up his camp. As for you, I expect I'll see you tomorrow. Please have something to show for yourself.” The commander turned around and was back in his tent before Gereon could get in another word.
Poli, a massive man who must have been six and a half feet tall and two hundred fifty pounds at the least, left Gereon and Bug standing there and soon was back with two tents and a sack, all carried over one shoulder. He gestured to Gereon to lead the way.
Gereon allowed Bug to lead the way back to the camp. Once there he sat and waited for Poli to set up his tent. Poli was efficient. Clearly he'd done this many times before. Soon, Gereon's tent was up and he was erecting his own. Gereon went into the tent and laid out his possession in an orderly fashion. He hadn't let them stray from his person since he had left the Gerenois Harbor. He felt more clean having rid himself of them temporarily. He sat still for a time and contemplated his next move. He knew that sleep would tempt him soon and that that was probably the next course of action, but he wanted a bit of time to think about what had occurred so recently.
When Gereon left his tent in the morning, the sun was high in the sky. He'd slept hours later than usual, and still had a mild headache as if he hadn't gotten enough sleep. Poli and Bug were both awake, but they were still packing their tents, so they hadn't been up for long. Poli rubbed his eyes and looked down at Gereon. “Ready to be useful?” he asked. Those were the first words Gereon had heard out of the soldier's mouth.
Gereon looked sidelong at the man and said, “Perhaps. If the Zioth is favorable to us both, I will be useful.” He paused a moment to rub the sleep away from his eyes, betraying a moment of humanity, and proceeded with, “If you would see to the tent, I will be off attempting to be useful.” He gave the guard a strained smile and proceeded to the nearest water to begin his daily ritual of washing.
Gereon looked for Bug briefly and asked him to follow. He led Bug into the nearby woods a ways and then stopped at a small clearing. “Bug, I need you to remain here and ensure I am not interrupted.”
Bug followed, and pretty soon, Gereon heard him trying to keep Poli back. Why the funny-looking sailor was even listening to Gereon was hard to tell, but he certainly was useful.
With his hand on his chest, Gereon looked into his own future, hoping to see how, and if, he might get into Maelbourgplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigMaelbourg
[This map is obviously missing a lot. There aren't huge open spaces in Maelbourg.]
Maelbourg is a walled town in the Barony of Huerten, with a population of approximately six thousand. Its primary exports are textiles, wool and coal, the last of which it acquires from deposits in the nearby hills. The land on which the town sits was added to maelbourg index…
Two futures, side-by-side, separated by the finest line, as if all existence was split in two. One flew forward like an eagle; the other moved at a snail's pace. He was nearly sent reeling out of the vision, his metaphorical eyes trying to focus on two closely connected, yet vastly different things. He had no idea what he was looking at. Just a field… A farm maybe… Were those turnip greens? Nothing so spectacular as to cause this great division. Only by focusing on one side of the vision could he concentrate at all.
The vision resolved. He stood in a small wooded area, watching two men approach from an expanse of farmland. One wore the fine clothing of a townsman, and a dark cloak for warmth. White hair and neatly trimmed black beard and mustache contrasted with a pale, but youthful face. The other man was also robed. He was tall and thin but well-muscled, possibly a guard, but he carried no weapons. His face looked like the kind that could easily be lost in a crowd – unremarkable except for a faded scar.
Gereon, no expert in stealth, kept far ahead of them. Soon, the strange effect, the divided future, was gone. When he was sure the men were approaching the barge, he walked north along the river to wait for someone. The last thing he noticed before the vision ended was that the river was considerably lower than it had been last he saw.
While Gereon was off on his adventures, Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. spent his time working on the raft. He would either need to return to the sea, or continue on to sell the rest of the cargo. Either way, it would need to be in good shape, and he didn't want to be unprepared in the unlikely event of another blizzard or earthquake. Work also kept the crew busy and too tired to wander off looking to get drunk with soldiers - no good ever came from that. As a reward for hard work, Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. organized a couple trips to the farmhouses. He wanted to purchase supplies to sell to the army, but the farms had little to offer that hadn't already been stockpiled in Maelbourgplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigMaelbourg
[This map is obviously missing a lot. There aren't huge open spaces in Maelbourg.]
Maelbourg is a walled town in the Barony of Huerten, with a population of approximately six thousand. Its primary exports are textiles, wool and coal, the last of which it acquires from deposits in the nearby hills. The land on which the town sits was added to maelbourg index – certainly not enough to sell. He did get some rope and canvas, though it wasn't as cheap as he'd hoped. Apparently, Maelbourgplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigMaelbourg
[This map is obviously missing a lot. There aren't huge open spaces in Maelbourg.]
Maelbourg is a walled town in the Barony of Huerten, with a population of approximately six thousand. Its primary exports are textiles, wool and coal, the last of which it acquires from deposits in the nearby hills. The land on which the town sits was added to maelbourg index had been locked down for the past couple weeks, and getting anything in our out of the town was time consuming and difficult.
Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. noticed that some of the crew could barely keep their eyes open, while others were unusually alert and active. Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. himself was somewhere in the middle, but he too felt like he hadn't been getting enough sleep. Also, the water level was dropping, which would make navigating the river more hazardous.
By the end of the day, the barge was as sturdy as he could hope. He and the crew tried to get some sleep that night, but those who slept at all overslept, and woke up groggy. The mate had to break up two fights before breakfast. As soon as he managed to get everyone organized, Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. left a note for the Messenger in every language he could write that he'd be back in twenty-four hours, and then pushed off to look at some of the other farms.
Close to a mile south of Maelbourgplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigMaelbourg
[This map is obviously missing a lot. There aren't huge open spaces in Maelbourg.]
Maelbourg is a walled town in the Barony of Huerten, with a population of approximately six thousand. Its primary exports are textiles, wool and coal, the last of which it acquires from deposits in the nearby hills. The land on which the town sits was added to maelbourg index, Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. caught the mate and a few of the crewmen staring. “What in the name of Andrithaplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigAndrithanism
Based on original ideas from Karl Schinke (Ardith). Symbols for aspects other than the Mother, along with the artwork, were contributed by Myron Wyles (Halaren).
Andrithanism and its variants are the dominant religion in Rang and the surrounding kingdoms. Within the boundaries of and her consort is that?” the mate said when Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. got close. The river looked like it flowed uphill, and then foamed like the rapids of a narrow stream, for just a few yards. As the barge got closer, it slowed like it really was climbing uphill. Then they all but stopped at the beginning of the rapids. There was no collision; they didn't ride up a sand bank; the barge just slowed until it stopped, still bobbing up and down in the water.
Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. made sure everyone and everything was secure, rigging jack lines up and down the craft. Then they got out the poles to see if they could move at all. The raft could be pushed back upstream easily enough, but downstream was all but impossible. The wind and water flow made it seem like they were making some progress, but when Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. looked to the shore, it was clear they moved at a snail's pace at best.
Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. told the crew that they'd head back to the rendezvous with that odd man who seemed to know about these unnatural occurrences. All the strange events seemed to pass eventually. Even if the Messenger couldn't help them, this spot would likely be back to normal tomorrow.
The Messenger didn't show up that day, but at least Bug came back. The beady-eyed oarsman reported his adventures to the Mate, and delivered a message to Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier.. “The Zioth brings two new messengers as the waters fall,” he said. He slurred the words together, and seemed happy to get them out. Clearly, he'd been running the line through his for hours.
Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. queried Bug in the hope of ascertaining whether it was better to wait at the landing point or wait at the falling-up waters. At this point, Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. was annoyed enough to resort to a face-slap and a 'compose yourself man!' if the situation called for it. He let his anger and frustration show in body language - emotions he had internalized until now. Fortunately, the face slap wasn't necessary. The oarsman was easily intimidated, and seemed to have no idea what was upsetting this man that even the first mate looked up to. He also didn't have any useful information. The Messenger had just wandered off with a few cryptic words, after staring at nothing for a while in a forest clearing. He couldn't even say whether the Messenger wanted Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. to wait for him.
“Well, guess we have to wait a while and see what happens,” Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. said to no one in particular. “Might as well have a warm meal while we're waiting. Bug - get the fire going. Who's turn is it to cook…” Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. lost interest in the meal and sat off by himself, though still within sight of everyone. After a while, he took off his boots and mumbled a curse about walking so much. Then he laid out his charts and a local map he got from a farmer for much more money than it was worth, and started plotting his course back to the ocean and his ship. According to the notes alongside the map, rivers in Maelbourgplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigMaelbourg
[This map is obviously missing a lot. There aren't huge open spaces in Maelbourg.]
Maelbourg is a walled town in the Barony of Huerten, with a population of approximately six thousand. Its primary exports are textiles, wool and coal, the last of which it acquires from deposits in the nearby hills. The land on which the town sits was added to maelbourg index were were barely navigable if at all, except for the Hornblow, which wasn't connected in any way to the Roe system that the barge floated on now. The best bet was to go south along the North Roe, out of Huerten and into Mennany, then back into Huerten, and through the Southern Wilderness. If the river caused too much trouble, the barge could be dragged along the river bank. The map wasn't clear on the pass through the mountains. With luck, and if the river didn't freeze, the barge could find the pass, then, go through Terradiaplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigThe Free States of Terradia
Terradia is a region to the southwest of Rang, separated from that great kingdom by the Koril Mountains. Most trade and travel between the two regions is done through waterways, as they are much more passable than the Koril Mountains. Terradia is bordered on the south and west by the Great Sea (or the Heirului Sea, as it is called in most of Terradia), and on the east and north by the Koril Mountains., and finally back to the Great Sea, a good five hundred miles from Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier.'s ship.
On the other hand, it might be easier simply to sell off the rest of the cargo and leave the barge. Traveling on foot, it would only take a few days to get back to Huerten, if bandits and snow didn't get in the way. Then Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. could pay his passage down the Hornblow and get to his ship that way.
Bug brought a bowl of food, which sat, steaming on the ground, until the steam died off. Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. never touched it.
The sun set too quickly, and the next day came too soon. Even Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. was feeling it now. Not a man woke when the sun rose, and everyone was groggy when they finally did get up. The barge was just about packed when Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. spotted four men walking north along the river. One wore fine clothing, strange garb for a traveler, and a dark cloak for warmth. One arm was suspended in a sling. White hair and neatly trimmed black beard and mustache contrasted with a pale, but youthful face. The other man in front was also robed. He was tall and thin but well-muscled, possibly a guard, but he carried no weapons. His face looked like the kind that could easily be lost in a crowd – unremarkable except for a faded scar. The last two were cloaked and cowled heavily enough that their faces and even their hands were hidden. Their walk was odd – stiff, almost like a military march, but even less natural. A strange looking bird flew from tree to tree behind them, as if following the group.
As soon as Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. determined that he didn't recognize any of the faces, he whispered to the crew, “Psst - look alive. Get me one line, stay calm.” Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. kept an eye on the approaching group and presented a friendly smile. The crew undid all but one line and got the raft floating free. A crewmen handed him the bitter end of the one line securing the boat for Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier. to drop if needed.
Leah tried out the game as Bug for this turn, but decided it wasn't for her. It was fun having you!
Cundeeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCaptain J. Cundee
As a seafarer and merchant I am probably as alien as an elf or dwarf to most landlubbers. I am educated, but not a clergyman. I am obviously modestly wealthy, but not nobility. I have a physical appearance of a farm laborer (tanned, rough hands, etc), but I clearly am not a peasant. I dress in strange dress, walk differently and even talk differently. I carry a sword and may have even trained in its use, but I am not a soldier.: You sold your blankets and ale, and bought an overpriced map of Maelbourgplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigMaelbourg
[This map is obviously missing a lot. There aren't huge open spaces in Maelbourg.]
Maelbourg is a walled town in the Barony of Huerten, with a population of approximately six thousand. Its primary exports are textiles, wool and coal, the last of which it acquires from deposits in the nearby hills. The land on which the town sits was added to maelbourg index and some rope and canvas. I'm not sure how much you had or how much it was worth, so we'll say you netted 200ag. I've updated your character sheet.