Melon is all smiles, "Yes. No. I don't know. I'm traveling through this town with a caravan - and thought I'd explore the place a bit. Well, most of it was kinda quick and ...bland. But I left the magic school here for last. Nobody seems to mind that I look around. Friendly." She looks the young man over, "What do you do here?"
"Me? Study mostly," he replies. "Learn and practice magic. That sort of thing. Yeah, we're pretty friendly here. As long as you don't get in people's way, especially Mistress Alinza, we don't mind you looking around. Anything worth stealing is protected so we don't worry about that generally. We don't really get a lot of visitors. Although I did hear just a few minutes ago that some bigshot dean from the Korvosan Acadamae is here right now to compare the two schools or something. Master Dortlin is talking to her. That's probably why nobody's come to talk to you." He motions to a chair in the room. "Why don't you have a seat? I can try to answer your questions if you want."
------
"Now, I was told," Corinna remarks to Master Dortlin, juggling her spellbook as she opens it to the newly-inscribed spell, "that this spell hits without fail. Can that possibly be true? I mean, you know how hyperbolic specialists can get about their area of expertise," she fails to completely avoid glancing at Gilfroy. "If, say, I wanted to hit that target but I pointed over in this direction, the missile would follow my intentions rather than my fingers? To be perfectly honest, I never have any problem conjuring acid darts, but making them hit what I'm aiming at is another question entirely."
Dortlin nods vigorously. "Oh yes, it does hit without fail. As long as you can see your target, that is. It won't hit someone around a corner that you can't see, nor will it hit an invisible person. Unless of course, you have a means of seeing invisibility active. It's accuracy makes it one of the most useful of the low-powered evocations."
"Yes, well, we'll see," she says, her skepticism unallayed. With a last glance at the spell she copied from Malan, she puts her book away, recites the words of the spell and moves her hands through the correct positions, keeping her eye on the target but deliberately following through her motion so that her fingers point well off to the side. A glowing bullet of energy speeds from her fingertips, deliberately changes directions in mid-air, and pops with an arcane fizzle into the target. "Oh!" she cries in delight. "I must say, that was quite impressive. It's not unlike conjuring acid, but it doesn't require a follow-up action to aim. How very convenient! You know," she confides to Dortlin in a lower voice, "some of my professors at the Academae taught that evocation is showy and inefficient, but it certainly is fun, isn't it?"
As Gilfroy splashes acid on his target, she asks, "Might I ask who heads up your conjuration school? And would it be possible for me to meet them?"
"Oh wow! I hadn't heard of anybody else getting into town (well besides our caravan). But you know how these magic folk are - no offense - just zipping from place to place with their power." Melon gratefully takes a seat. "Do you have any knowledge of far away places? I have a friend who's from Minkai, in Tian Xia. At least by blood - she's never been there herself. I was hoping to find something to bring her closer to her roots."
"Yes, of course," Dortlin replies to Corinna. "That would Zumic Briandu. I believe he's finishing up with some students at the moment, but he should be free soon. I'll go check on him and come back and get you. Shouldn't be more than half an hour."
Dortlin hurries off and returns about twenty minutes later. He leads Corinna and Gilfroy through the building to an office where a tall, dark-haired Varisian man stands by a bookshelf, leafing through a book. He snaps the book shut as you enter, and places it on the shelf. "Ah, you must be Miss Valdemar, yes?" he says.
------
The young man with Melon shakes his head. "I've heard the name, but I can't say I know anything about the place. Geography classes here tend to focus on Avistan. Varisia in particular. Sorry."
While Sandru spends much of the day conducting trade, the rest of the caravan settles in for a rest. Koya remains in her wagon most of the time, offering fortunes to anyone who comes to her. Ameiko spends most of the time lightly playing her samisen or gazing out thoughtfully into the distance. Shalelu stands quietly and watchful most of the time.
In the evening, there's more music and dancing, and lots to eat. Some people from the town come out to join the "festivities" and bring additional food with them. Soon, there's a small crowd of thirty or so people singing, dancing, and laughing.
"Yes, Master Briandu," she places a little extra emphasis on the honorific as she offers her hand. "Corinna Valdemar of the Academae. Master Dortlin has been kind enough to show me around your college here, and I was particularly interested in the conjuration school, as that was my specialized area of study and the discipline in which I serve on staff in Korvosa. Might I inquire under whom you studied?"
"Alizandru Briandu, my father," Master Briandu replies, taking her hand. "He was a wizard of some great renown in northern Varisia." (If he was, Corinna's certainly never heard of him.) He turns to Gilfroy and offers his hand to him. "And you, sir gnome, what brings you to our fine college?"
------
After the night of festivities, the caravan crew is up bright and early, many of them yawning as they go about their work of getting the caravan ready for departure. A hearty breakfast is served and then the horses hitched to the wagons. After that, you set out on your way again.
It's a day of easy journey. The weather is pleasant and the road clear of obstructions. You pass through a couple of tiny hamlets during the day, one in the late morning and one in mid-afternoon before reaching the village of Wolf's Ear in the early evening. It's here that Sandru decides to stop for the night.
Tevyn reins his horse in as they reach the village and moves closer to Ameiko's wagon. "Interesting place for us to stop. I've heard of Wolf's Ear. Rumor has it, it earned its name by being a home to lycanthropes. I wonder if that's true?"
Corinna leans over to Sandru and asks him a bit nervously, "I assume you've traveled this way many times before. Have you ever seen any evidence that the rumors are true about an underground population of lycanthropes surviving the pogrom? I mean ... are you sure it's safe to be here at night?"
Melon is currently jogging along-side the caravan. In-part because it helps her exercise routine - and more importantly because she's keen on other parts of her being sore for a change, rather than her backside. Calling over to Sandru and Corinna she adds a bit breathlessly. "OH! - I - Heard - Of - The - Wolf - Townngh - (deep breath) - Will - We - Sleep - Here?"
1d20 + 5
Tevyn reins his horse in as they reach the village and moves closer to Ameiko's wagon. "Interesting place for us to stop. I've heard of Wolf's Ear. Rumor has it, it earned its name by being a home to lycanthropes. I wonder if that's true?"
Ameiko shrugs. "Who knows?" she says. "It could be. Then again, it might not." She laughs. "I'm not being very helpful, am I?"
Corinna leans over to Sandru and asks him a bit nervously, "I assume you've traveled this way many times before. Have you ever seen any evidence that the rumors are true about an underground population of lycanthropes surviving the pogrom? I mean ... are you sure it's safe to be here at night?"
Sandru nods confidently. "I've stopped here many times before. The locals are certainly superstitious about werewolves--you won't find a home in the village that doesn't have wolfsbane hanging on its doors--but I've never encountered any problems. The people are very friendly during the daytime. At night, they retire before moonrise, and lock their homes up tight, and they won't let anyone in, especially if it's close to the full moon, so I suppose they're not very friendly then, but I don't generally need to deal with them during the night. Despite their superstitions, I've never seen any sign of werewolves. You often hear wolves howling at night, but they never come close and there's nothing to suggest they're werewolves."
He climbs down from his seat. "The locals are probably already locking up their homes for the night, but we just restocked in Galduria, so we don't need to do any dealing here. We'll just camp for the night and continue on in the morning."
"Alizandru Briandu, my father," Master Briandu replies, taking her hand. "He was a wizard of some great renown in northern Varisia." (If he was, Corinna's certainly never heard of him.)
"Of course," Corinna smiles stiffly, mentally filing this fellow with Gilfroy under the category 'self-taught.' No credentials ... honestly! Then again, beggars can't be choosers. What self-respecting conjuror would accept a post at a backwater school if he were at all qualified to work in Korvosa? "Tell me, what do you summon?"
"Well," she answers Sandru, following him down off the wagon seat a little hesitantly, "I'm no enthusiast of lycanthropes, of course, but I must say I think the church of Erastil overstepped its bounds. We studied the history of Wolf's Ear in 'Overview of Magical Beasts of Varisia,' and from what I was taught, the poor people, er, creatures who lived here weren't bothering anyone; they just wanted to live out their lives with what dignity they could, until Magnimar decided it didn't fit their image to have a town full of, er, unfortunates so near and let the Erastilians loose to 'purify' the settlement. Honestly, I hope the lycanthropes did survive, as the stories rumor," she finishes a little defiantly. "...or I would if we didn't have to sleep here tonight," she adds with a weak smile that undercuts her previous righteous indignation.
At the college. "Who, me? Oh, I just came here hoping to see a real illusion. No luck so far."
The next night...
"So I take it that means that some wolf howls and a few illusions of some beastial humans peering in the windows would be in semi-bad taste, then?"
"Very poor taste," Corinna replies, fixing the gnome with a firm stare. "And don't try it on me, either."
Ameiko shrugs. "Who knows?" she says. "It could be. Then again, it might not." She laughs. "I'm not being very helpful, am I?"
Tevyn offers a small smile. "Well, perhaps we'll have a better idea by morning. It could make for an interesting night.
"Of course," Corinna smiles stiffly, mentally filing this fellow with Gilfroy under the category 'self-taught.' No credentials ... honestly! Then again, beggars can't be choosers. What self-respecting conjuror would accept a post at a backwater school if he were at all qualified to work in Korvosa? "Tell me, what do you summon?"
"I personally tend to focus more on the creation aspects of conjuration magic," he replies. "From the simple obscuring mist spell to more complicated options. I'm rather fond of the web spell personally, although I seldom get a chance to use it for any practical purposes. However, I have summoned the occasional celestial animal from time to time."
To Gilfroy's comment about illusions, he says, "I'm afraid illusion is my weak area. Perhaps you should speak..."
"She's busy," Dortlin interrupts him.
"Ah," Master Briandu says.
"Well," she answers Sandru, following him down off the wagon seat a little hesitantly, "I'm no enthusiast of lycanthropes, of course, but I must say I think the church of Erastil overstepped its bounds. We studied the history of Wolf's Ear in 'Overview of Magical Beasts of Varisia,' and from what I was taught, the poor people, er, creatures who lived here weren't bothering anyone; they just wanted to live out their lives with what dignity they could, until Magnimar decided it didn't fit their image to have a town full of, er, unfortunates so near and let the Erastilians loose to 'purify' the settlement. Honestly, I hope the lycanthropes did survive, as the stories rumor," she finishes a little defiantly. "...or I would if we didn't have to sleep here tonight," she adds with a weak smile that undercuts her previous righteous indignation.
"I'm afraid I don't really know anything about the church of Erastil overstepping its bounds," Sandru says, looking a little confused. "History isn't really my strong point." He then politely excuses himself to go oversee the setting-up of camp.
Ameiko shrugs. "Who knows?" she says. "It could be. Then again, it might not." She laughs. "I'm not being very helpful, am I?"Tevyn offers a small smile. "Well, perhaps we'll have a better idea by morning. It could make for an interesting night.
Ameiko nods. "I suppose we should probably keep the singing and dancing to a minimum tonight. Just in case."
"I personally tend to focus more on the creation aspects of conjuration magic," he replies. "From the simple obscuring mist spell to more complicated options. I'm rather fond of the web spell personally, although I seldom get a chance to use it for any practical purposes. However, I have summoned the occasional celestial animal from time to time."
To Gilfroy's comment about illusions, he says, "I'm afraid illusion is my weak area. Perhaps you should speak..."
"She's busy," Dortlin interrupts him.
"Ah," Master Briandu says.
Corinna spends a bit more time discussing the finer points of conjuration with Master Briandu before thanking him and Master Dortlin both for their time. She hopes to have made some valuable professional connections; she might find herself in need of them in the near future. "Where in town might I go to post a letter? Perhaps where the caravans come to trade?" she asks Dortlin. By the time her note reaches her mother back in Sandpoint from Galduria, she ought to be nearly two weeks' journey away -- too far for her uncle to send someone after her, even if her mother were to choose to divulge her whereabouts.
"I'm afraid I don't really know anything about the church of Erastil overstepping its bounds," Sandru says, looking a little confused. "History isn't really my strong point." He then politely excuses himself to go oversee the setting-up of camp.
"Of course it's not," she sighs discontentedly. "If it hasn't to do with drinking and dancing and driving a wagon...." She wanders off to stay out of everyone's way as usual and coming around the corner of a wagon almost bumps into Tevyn. "Oh! Mr., er, Tevyn," she greets him a bit stiffly. "Excuse me."
Tevyn nods and promises to speak with Ameiko later. Not long after, once he's taken care of his horse and is making his way through the crowd on some errand, almost walks right into Corinna.
"Ah. Corinna. I beg your pardon. How are you? Our caravan master has chosen an interesting place for us to camp this evening."
Corinna looks sharply at the half-elf, wondering if it's worth referring to the history of the place again or if she'll just get another befuddled dismissal. "They're not just rumors, you know. This town used to be a sort of haven for lycanthropes and other kinds of sentient beings that people don't necessarily appreciate having as neighbors. From what I was taught, they never bothered anyone other than the local wildlife, just wanting to live as normal a life as they could amongst others like themselves who weren't going to try to hang them or burn them at the stake. Only then Magnimar was expanding its sphere of influence and decided they needed to regulate the countryside around their city limits. When they found Wolf's Ear, the Lord-Mayor was appalled that such creatures were tolerated so near his borders and unleashed the church of Erastil to ... 'cleanse' the town. I'm not really sure what he expected -- that the population would submit to extermination or simply agree to leave their homes and businesses and start over with nothing farther away from 'civilized' people -- but he got more than he bargained for. The official word was that the lycanthropes were slain by the heroic soldiers of Erastil and new settlers moved in to take over their homes and possessions, but people rarely take 'official word' for anything. Rumors hold that the embattled population fought to an impasse and succeeded in going into hiding underground, and that the church, reflecting on its losses, was happy to leave them there and claim victory. I've always hoped the rumors were true. What right had the Lord Mayor and the church of Erastil to kill peop-, well, things that weren't bothering anyone? But then, I never thought I'd be spending the night here." She laughs a bit nervously.
Tevyn frowns briefly, uncertain what to make of all that. "If some of the rumors are true and some are not, who is to know which is which? Well," he says, looking around with wary eyes, "If they are still here, we'll have to hope that these lycanthropes truly don't bother anyone."
He turns his attention back to the wizard. "You certainly know a great deal more than I. What other beings might be found here?"
"I'm ... really not sure," she admits. "The textbook only referred to werewolves and 'other persecuted humanoids.' What I know about it is all academic; Mr. Vhiski, who has practical experience with the place, doesn't feel that there's anything about which we need to be concerned, although he admits the locals are superstitious, particularly at night." She glances up at the sky. "I don't suppose you know..," she asks. "Tonight isn't a full moon, is it?"
She glances up at the sky. "I don't suppose you know..," she asks. "Tonight isn't a full moon, is it?"
As it happens... The last full moon was a little over a week ago. It's now just past the last quarter. :)
The evening is a quiet one. Ameiko plays some light music, but keeps it soft and subdued. Most of the caravan crew retire early, perhaps from fear of the rumours or perhaps just because they were up too late last night and are now overtired.
You do hear the sounds of wolves howling during the night. The howls come from the west, but seem to be quite far away. Nothing comes near the camp during the night.
The sky has become cloudy overnight, and by morning, rain threatens. The caravan workers cheerfully set about preparing for departure, looking much more animated than they did last night.
After breakfast, you load up onto the wagons (or horses or walk or whatever) and the caravan sets back out onto the road.
Tevyn shakes his head. "No full moon tonight. Unfortunate, really. I'm quite curious about these werewolves and 'other persecuted humanoids. Meeting some of them would make for an interesting evening, at least."
Corinna laughs a bit hollowly, shaking her head. "Just like meeting the skeletons in the cave made for an 'interesting' morning? Personally, I prefer to learn about things from books rather than by having them try to kill me."
"So... Koya," Melon mentions over supper, "I hear you've wanted to travel all your life. What made this week different from the years before that?"
Corinna laughs a bit hollowly, shaking her head. "Just like meeting the skeletons in the cave made for an 'interesting' morning? Personally, I prefer to learn about things from books rather than by having them try to kill me."
Offering a slight smile, Tevyn shrugs. "If they're just looking to live without being interfered with, I think we wouldn't have to worry about them killing us. It'd be interesting to hear what it's like to be a wolf from someone who has actually done that. And I've always wondered if such a thing does damage to the spirit, or if it's the treatment that follows the infection that leads to the damage."
Corinna laughs a bit hollowly, shaking her head. "Just like meeting the skeletons in the cave made for an 'interesting' morning? Personally, I prefer to learn about things from books rather than by having them try to kill me."Offering a slight smile, Tevyn shrugs. "If they're just looking to live without being interfered with, I think we wouldn't have to worry about them killing us."
"They were," she reminds him, "before the Magnimarians came in to kill their families and steal their homes. If they are still here, I'd imagine their feelings toward outsiders might well have changed, wouldn't you?"
Tevyn thinks about it for a moment but shakes his head. "I'd think they'd learn to keep well hidden so that the Magnimarians don't come again. Some say the better defensive tactic is to attack first. Survivors say that the best defense is to avoid the fight in the first place. You can't kill what you can't find. I suspect we'll sleep well tonight."
Corinna is shown where she can post her letter. In her enquiries, she finds a couple people who claim to remember a Varisian caravaner of that name who used to come through here, "but that was years ago," they say. He hasn't passed through Galduria in at least 5 years.
"So... Koya," Melon mentions over supper, "I hear you've wanted to travel all your life. What made this week different from the years before that?"
"People have been talking about me, have they?" Koya says, with a glare at Gilfroy. She follows up the glare with a wink and a smile. "I've always wanted to travel, yes. Why is this week different? It's not. Well, not much. I've done lots of travelling, all across Varisia, although not to farther off lands, unfortunately. The only difference is I haven't done any travelling in the last few years. I've been too busy caring for my mother. However, she's passed away now, may Pharasma judge her well, and it's time once again to travel. Desna calls on us all to travel, and I respond. Breadth of experience is what makes the individual, and you can't get that breadth without seeing and experiencing different places."
Corinna returns from her day in town, seeming a little distracted by whatever she found there. As usual, she avoids the evening revelries, withdrawing into a wagon to write a letter. The following morning, she rushes back into Galduria to post her letter while Sandru is getting the caravan ready to roll.
Rising from his bedroll, Tevyn examines the camp with disappointment. Nothing unusual had happened the night before and he'd had high hopes for...something.
Not feeling particularly hungry that morning, he satisfies himself with a little bread and hard cheese and eats as he makes his way through camp, watching everyone busily preparing for the day.
Melon nods sagely at Koya's words, "I agree, but, between you and me, maybe don't mention that to Corinna. I think she believes that books grant experience as well." She nods again, "It's good that you joined us. I once traveled with a small caravan that didn't have a fortune teller - and it rained the whole way!"
Koya laughs heartily. "I'm afraid I don't have the power to stop the rain, as we've already seen. However, I can ensure that we are better prepared for rain when it comes."
Despite the threatening clouds, the rain holds off and you're blessed with good weather over the next two days (perhaps Koya has more control over the weather than she's willing to admit). Conditions on the road are good too, so you're able to cover a lot of ground.
Late in the day on the 22nd, you take a branch in the road to the northwest and head towards the Churlwood, a tangled forest choked by vines. You camp just outside it. Sandru warns everyone to be on their guard as the wood is known as a haven for bandits, thieves, and goblins. You pass the night undisturbed, however, and encounter no difficulties crossing through the woods the next day.
On the evening of the 23rd, you exit the Churlwood and reach Roderic's Cove, which sits at the mouth of the Chavali River where it empties into the Varisian Gulf. Roderic's Cove is the largest town you've reached so far, considerably bigger than Sandpoint (although still a far-cry from Magnimar or Riddleport). It's a rather dirty place. The streets are muddy and that mud seems to cling to all the buildings and people in the town as well. There is a sizable harbour, which seems to be home to mostly old fishing vessels and a few decrepit larger ships.
"This place can be a bit rough," Sandru warns. "It's technically a holding of Riddleport and it takes after its parent city in many ways. We'll camp outside it, do a bit of business in the morning and be back on the road by noon."
"Sounds like a place to avoid. No need to go inviting trouble, after all."
Gilfroy continues his duties as entertainer, realizing however, that since he's more of a hack than a true performer, he's quickly running out of material.
He'll content himself this evening with using his illusions and dancing lights to augment Ameiko's inevitable performance (and maybe hide a bit of Malan's "accompaniment". Perform Aid Another: Apparently, even magic can't fix Malan's flute playing this evening.
"Mr. Vhiski, you've been through here more than ten years ago when it became a holding of Riddleport, haven't you? Has it ... changed a great deal from what it was?" She seems simultaneously eager to enter the town as soon as possible and trepidacious of what dangers she might meet on its streets after dark. "The place caravans go to trade, has it moved, or do they still meet in the same place? Is there, perhaps, an inn where you might have used to stay before Roderic's Cove accepted the protection of Riddleport?"
Sandru scratches his chin a little. "No, it hasn't really changed much at all that I can recall, other than its harbour doesn't get attacked by pirates anymore. Most trade is done in the marketplace--well, legitimate trade, which I daresay is probably not the majority of the trade in this town, but most legitimate trade is done in the marketplace. I'm afraid I don't know the inns. I pretty much always camp with the caravan."
Corinna frowns. "If you were going to leave word in Roderic's Cove," she says hesitantly, "for a traveller whom you expected to arrive several days behind you, where would you go to do so? At an inn or the marketplace or where?"
"There are a few people in the marketplace I'd trust to leave a message with," Sandru replies. He looks closely at Corinna. "I can show you where in the morning if you'd like."
"Thank you, Mr. Vhiski; I'd appreciate that," she replies. Unlikely many of the merchants have been there for so many years, she considers, but one has to start someplace.
The evening passes calmly. Ameiko provides some music as usual, but finds her performance hampered slightly by Gilfroy's attempted augmentations.
Sandru is up early the next morning to head into town at daybreak. He shows Corinna (and anybody else who wants to go along) to the marketplace, which is already busy despite the early hour. It's not a big place, but there is a wide variety of wares . After taking Corinna to do her business, Sandru does some trading for the caravan.
"Back again, I see," the old woman says to Sandru in Varisian. "And here I thought it was going to be a good day."
"Vinzi," Sandru replies. "This young woman is Corinna Valdemar. She'd like to leave a message for someone."
The old woman peers closely at Corinna. "Would she now? Well, I hope she can understand us because I refuse to speak that horrid language the Taldans like to pretend is common to everyone. So girl, what do you want?"
Tevyn considers going to the marketplace but thus far he hasn't used up any of the personal supplies he'd brought for the trip. Seeing Corinna and Sandru walking together into town, he decides to leave them to it.
After a moment's consideration, he checks to see if Ameiko's awake. he bids her good morning and says, "I know Roderic's Cove isn't the most pleasant place, but I was thinking of going into town to see about some fresh baked bread for breakfast. We don't have time for anything like that on the road and it might make for a pleasant change. Would you be interested in accompanying me? I believe Sandru said we won't be departing until noon so we should have some time."
Melon stays at the caravans. She feels it is her duty - this time at least - to act as a guard. A seedy place like here would be bound to bring about some shifty and opportunistic types.
Gilfroy would accompany Tevyn in pursuit of such a noble quest as the search for freshly baked bread. Hard tack is, after all, a bit hard to swallow.