For decades, demons have ruled the Worldwound. Fearsome fiends of every stripe—their mottled skin harder than iron, teeth like serrated blades, and eyes burning with Abyssal flames—roam the ruined lands that were once known as Sarkoris, leaving their mark wherever they go. Four crusades have attempted to cleanse the land, but each seems to meet a worse fate than the last. Were it not for the line of magical wardstones along the eastern and southern borders, the demons would have long ago overrun northcentral Avistan and beyond. The Fourth Crusade hasn’t really ended as much as petered out, yet some refuse to accept that. Amid crippling shortages and record lows in morale among the crusaders, the Mendevian war effort teeters on the brink of collapse. Though the demonic occupation of the Worldwound is growing, a dwindling minority of paladins and priests maintain that the Fourth Crusade is still vibrant and alive, and that the turning point in the war is only a few days away.
Kenabres is a city of glory, but not one of spotless virtue. The Mendevian Crusaders riding out from the city have slain countless demons, and many of them who rode out have been carried back on their shields, interred in the catacombs beneath the Cathedral of Saint Clydwell. However, some of these same crusaders — many of them even immortalized in the Hall of Heroes — spent years hunting supposedly demon-tainted faiths and burning at the stake cultists and innocent Mendevians alike. The frequency and intensity of these pogroms have diminished, but the dark history of Kenabres remains ever-present in the minds of its leaders and many of its citizens. Kenabres hosts camps of crusaders who have come from all across the continent to battle demons. Though many of these crusaders are pure-hearted and noble of spirit, others are little more than fortune-seeking mercenaries. Still, none can deny the good deeds done by the knights of Kenabres under the direction of their zealous, strategically brilliant leader Hulrun.
For several weeks, excitement has been building in Kenabres — Armasse is coming! Traditionally an opportunity for scholars and priests to come together to study the lessons of history from wars past, since Aroden’s death, this holy day has become more about training commoners in weaponry, choosing squires, and ordaining new priests. Over time, Armasse has grown to encompass jousting competitions, mock duels, battle reenactments, and other festival events. In Kenabres, the festival (which takes place on 16 Arodus) is eagerly anticipated, for it provides distractions from the horrors of being on the front line of the war. Smiles on faces normally marred by downcast eyes and furrowed brows do wonders for city morale in the weeks leading up to the event.
Astra looks out over the darkened landscape to the west as dawn approaches. She wears a thin silk robe over her nightclothes. Something bad was coming. She didn't know what or when, but she could feel it. The lyrics Luna had told her she'd been singing during her latest fit had been the most disturbing, but the dreams offered their own horrors depending on how one interpreted them. One or two of the priests had reassured her, but the look she'd received from Hulrun during his most recent visit a few days ago had chilled her to the bone.
What do they mean? These dreams and the things I keep saying during these fits of mine. Please, Starsong, tell me!
Her silent plea went out to the dimming stars as the sky began to lighten in the east. No answers came, no matter how hard she listened for them. It was just as well. The answers would have only been a cause for more worry. With a final look to the roads leading away from Kenabres, from her prison, she turned to head back to her bed and, hopefully, a few dreamless hours of sleep before they awoke her for her morning prayers and penitence.
Auric pretends to be asleep on his bedroll by the door as Astra stares out the window.
for all I've learned, I've still got no idea what she thinks about when she does this... is she praying? maybe silently cursing how ominous her dreams have been lately, or wondering if they're really nightmares sent to plague her from the Mother of Monsters... I've got to believe they'd be far worse if that were the case. still, it's undeniable that all of her dreams have been foreboding lately... the Tender of Dreams must have some purpose for that...
As she settles back into her bed, he silently offers a prayer for her and her sister, and for himself--that they would all be blessed with good luck in the coming day--before returning to his slumber.
The morning of Armasse dawns bright and clear in Kenabres. Even before the western sky begins to brighten there is a hum in the streets as laborers and merchants prepare for the day's upcoming festivities. Wagons laden with goods trundle up to Old Kenabres where the most magnificent of the celebrations are planned to occur in the Plaza of Saint Clydwell's church, while more humble handcarts and wheelbarrows are pushed by street vendors and enterprising opportunists looking to secure an advantageous space from which to hawk their wares along peripheral streets.
Due to Iomedae's holy day, Astra has been given special leave to attend the celebrations - under the aegis of Auric, of course. Astra, Luna, and Auric have all risen early to prepare to make the most of the day, and have set out from their home - the small but exquisite Vale Manor in the southeast of the gate district - to the Defender's Heart, the largest inn in Kenabres. This business caters to mercenary companies and crusaders coming to the city. Inside this squat stone structure are dozens of rooms for rent, hearty food, and a wide selection of refreshments shipped in from across the Inner Sea. Why this of all places is the necessary first stop on their day out, Astra and Luna have no idea, but when they arrive it's packed full of crusaders, cityfolk, and travellers of all stripes enjoying an early breakfast and, in some cases, an early drink, to start their day.
It took some effort to get Astra up so early in the morning. Thankfully, her sleep the night before had not been interrupted by the disturbing dreams of late, but that did not change Astra's distaste for mornings of any kind. She much preferred the star struck night sky to the gray and pink of predawn.
Still, her sleepy grumpiness lasted only as long as she hadn't realized that she was free to explore the city and enjoy the celebration. Then it was her that was pushing the others out the door with a laugh and a grin fit to take in her ears.
===
"I never took you as the drinking type," Astra teases as she and her sister follow the tall young man to the lively Defender's Heart, "oh Auric, what shall I do? My worldview has been smote upon the rocks of the reality of you drinking anything other than tea."
The petite young woman gives a mocking swoon, the back of her hand to her forehead as her eyes flutter and she sways dramatically about. She stops just before someone would have expected her to fall and laughs.
"Well, shall we," she asks as she motions for him to hold out his arms for her and Luna, "I believe you said that you'd treat us to a hot cider if we got here before the first bell after sunrise."
She looks around the golden-haired young man to grin at Luna.
"That is what he said, isn't it, Luna? A drink for you and I to warm ourselves with on this chill morn?"
Auric raises an eyebrow, and then starts laughing. "You know..." he answers with mock indignation, "before I was on duty every hour of every day of every week, I was rather well-known in establishments like this one. Not that I was a drunk or anything, but I enjoy a good drink as much as the next guy; and I got more than a few invitations to sing after the scheduled performers had finished for the night."
Holding out his arms, as instructed, he continues, "and if you're ready to start drinking with the sun barely up, it'd be my pleasure to buy you both a hot cider.* This place might actually even have a little cinnamon for it."
As they bob and weave, and jostle their way through the crowd, Auric continually looks around as if watching for something or someone. When they reach the bar he orders four hot ciders with cinnamon, and a loaf of bread with butter and marmalade.
I don't see him... it'd be easy to miss him in a crowd like this though... he'll spot me if I keep standing here... I just hope he doesn't embarrass me before I can even make an introduction...
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As he waits for his drinks, Auric is bumped gently by a peculiar man in a broad hat and sporting a disturbingly long mustache.
As he glances at the awkward man he sees familiar eyes below the brim, and hears "Pardon me sir, I'm looking for a little person who caused a bit of a stir here last night. Handsome fellow, quick on his feet and always up for a good time. Have you seen him? By chance? "
As he looks his friend over, it becomes clear that he is propped up on two wooden stilts, covered loosely by oversized boots.
He smiles as Auric takes in the get-up and orders a cider for himself.
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Auric looks incredulously at the man. ”What’s the matter?” he asks with a chuckle, ”you couldn’t find someone who would let you ride on their shoulders?”
When the odd stranger tries to order a drink he says, ”No need, I got you one already. Hurry and grab that table that just opened up and I’ll be right behind you, as soon as our order is ready.” He gestures at a table under a window along the far wall where a couple scruffy mercenaries are getting up, and waves Astra and Luna towards it as well.
A barmaid of middle years sets four mugs of cider down in front of Auric. "There y'are, luv." She gives him a wink before turning back to the kegs that stand behind the bar, grabbing a fistful of mugs, and beginning to fill them for other customers.
"I had bread too?" he calls back at the barmaid, hoping to catch her before she gets too busy, "...with butter and marmalade..."
His shoulders slump a little as he realizes he's too late. He shakes his head and wonders what exactly Ten might tell the two girls he's responsible for while he waits for the food.
"I'll have you know, Auric, the management at this 'establishment' has no sense of humor." Ten says, sipping his drink.
Turning to the young ladies he says "Hi there, names Tenebris, but you can call me Ten. I'd ask how such lovely ladies wound up with Auric here, but I know him well enough to guess it's not a story fit for breakfast." as he grins, his mustache falls off a bit.
"Hello Tenebris, it's always a pleasure to meet new people," Astra replies with a grin of her own as she decides how she wants to handle the situation, "especially when they are interesting people."
She wraps her fingers around the cider and smirks a little at Auric's misfortune, though a rumble in her belly reminds her that it's as much her misfortune as it is his.
Ah, fickle fate. Well, might as well enjoy myself before hunger gets the better of me.
"As for how my sister and I met Auric, well, it was quite scandalous," she continues with a wicked grin, "he could hardly keep his eyes from wandering all over the two of us, but in Luna's case, I can hardly blame him."
While waiting at the bar for the rest of their order, Auric cranes his neck to keep an eye on the twins, and Ten, as they claim the table.
Luna’s being awfully quiet... she’s usually more reserved than Astra, so it could be nothing; she’s also usually the more sensible twin, so it could be that Ten and Astra are already talking nonsense... I should have had Ten wait for the food but who knows how he’d do carrying anything on those ridiculous stilts...
The same barmaid eventually comes back around with a tray of the requested food. "Ah, ye didn't have to wait 'ere, we'd've brought it out to ye - ye're an easy one to pick out of a crowd." She sets it down on the bar in front of Auric, pushing aside a clutter of mugs in the process. She smiles invitingly and leans over the dish, looking him up and down appreciatively before meeting his eyes.
"Unless ye had something else ye were wanting to talk about?"
Auric smiles and looks left and right at the crowded bar. ”It doesn’t look like you have time to be making deliveries, let alone talk about anything.” Gathering his drink and the food, he drops a few coins and calls out ”thanks” as he turns and heads for the table...
"Hello, lovely miss Luna. The pleasure is certainly mine." Ten replies, taking her hand for a firm shake and a quick kiss.
"It's nice to be recognized as the splendid company I am. You'd be surprised how infrequently it happens."
He adjusts his oversized hat and continues. "Why, just yesterday there was a bit of a misunderstanding that led to my being remarkably unappreciated....."
Astra giggles at Luna's protestations.
"Sorry, Luna," she apologies through her laughter, "i can't help myself sometimes."
The giggles slowly fade into snickers by the time that Auric arrives with the bread, butter, and marmalade. She mutters a few arcane words while twirling her fingers on her right hand in the air. The bread and the two crocks on the tray lift off of it as if carried by invisible hands and settle between her and Luna.
"Since I'm not allowed to fib anymore," she says as she slices a few pieces of the bread for herself and Luna, "I suppose I should tell you that Auric is our bodyguard. The poor lad has it rather rough at times, what with the pranks and tricks some ne'er do wells keep playing on his august person."
She gives Ten a wink before fixing the end piece with a little butter and more marmalade than she probably should. Her eyes widen as she takes a bit and begins to chew quickly having realized something.
"My, I've been terribly rude, Mr. Tenebris. I'm Astra, Luna's twin and occasional practice dummy," she blurts out as she wipes her right hand off with a linen napkin and holds it out for Ten to shake.
”That seems to be the fate the Starsong’s chosen for me,” Auric interjects half-jokingly, ”Ten was always getting me in trouble when we were initiates at the observatory; turns out it was good training for protecting you two.”
With a laugh he takes a hunk of bread and begins applying butter and marmalade rather liberally as well. He opens his mouth to say something else but then pauses to hear the answer to Luna’s question.
"Well, you see, last night as I was in this very room, enjoying a drink and a fine meal, things just seemed too slow, too boring. I thought I'd help the place out by livening things up a bit. I spotted a few Crusaders playing cards, so I took a few of my own cards and started hiding them here and there around their table." Ten looks around furtively before continuing.
"Before I knew it, Some big half-orc is yelling about cheaters and flips the table. The others freaked out and a big brawl starts, chairs flying, mugs smashed windows broken. So, for my own safety, I crept quietly out of the room and some barkeep nabs me and accuses me of starting the whole thing just to skip out on a bar tab! Preposterous!
Anyway, they didn't seem too keen on seeing me again, but I had already asked Auric to meet me here, so, here I am."
Auric’s eyes go wide with a bit of shock. ”Uh... your pranks have... gotten more dangerous since we were in training... someone could’ve been killed in a brawl like that...”
I’m not sure if I should hope the twins could be a good influence, or if I should try to get them away from him before he’s a bad influence on them...
Astra had been about to point out that Ten should have left his payment before trying to make his exit when Auric makes his shocked comment.
"Do people actually kill each other over a game of cards," she asks, her tone tinged with the feelings of shocked horror and revulsion she'd begun to feel. her eyes are wide and, for once, there's not even a hint of the perpetual smile or laughter that was so much a part of her.
”Mercenaries without honor have killed for less than being cheated while gambling...” Auric says a bit uncomfortably, ”and even the most honorable knights are sometimes bound by their oaths to seek recompense for such an offense.”
"Oh relax. Nobody got more than a bump on the head, and they only got that because they overreacted! Who could have predicted half orc mercenaries would have such tempers?" Ten replies, with a tone Auric is sure could somehow be both sarcastic and incredulous at the same time.
Changing the subject, or perhaps deflecting, he goes on,
"Tell me more about this bodyguard business you've found yourself in. Are you ladies Famous royalty? Or perhaps witness to a terrible crime?"
everyone... everyone could’ve predicted that...
”A crime more terrible than that mustache?” Auric asks with a wry grin, thankful that the subject has changed.
"No, nothing like that," Astra answers, more than happy to change the subject. "Our parents are rather prominent priests of Desna here, Elvara and Galen Vale. We've lived here for the past few years and Auric's been one of the ohes that tries to keep us out of trouble. Feel free to ignore him. He's just envious of your magnificent mustache. Even I can grow a better one than he can."
She snaps her fingers and obviously fake mustache and eyebrows appear just under her nose and covering the more delicate eyebrows over her brilliant sapphire eyes. She raises one of the comically oversized brows and gives her mustache an exaggerated twitch.
"See? Now I'm unrecognizable," she chuckles as a grin threatens to take in her pointed ears. Then, her smile turns positively wicked as she continues.
"As for guarding us, I suppose it could be worse. At least we haven't played any tricks leading to major property damage. Sartorial disaster on the other hand, well. I still don't think we're on speaking terms with Lady D'Mans daughter, or with Sir O'Turner for that matter, but that one is hardly our fault. We did warn him not to go down the hall, didn't we, Luna?"
Auric narrows his eyes and grins mischievously. He waggles his fingers and sings a few beautiful notes. Then he dips one finger in the marmalade and uses it to draw a ridiculous orange mustache hanging off his own face. Not to be outdone by Astra, his spans a full foot with a giant curl rising four inches on either end.
Astra gives Auric a horrified look before snatching the marmalade away.
"You dare waste such delicious marmalade to further your own fiendish, mustache-based plans? I never would have thought I'd see the day you'd stoop so low Auric Lightmane! Besides. I remember momma telling you not to play with your food when she housebroke you," she exclaims as she points an accusing finger at her bodyguard.
"Why I... I... Ah-choo!"
The sneeze sends the eyebrows and mustache flying from her face and every which way.
"Guh, I forgot that spell made me sneeze when I put anything it makes under my nose," she says as rubs her nose with the backside of one fine-boned finger to stop another sneeze from coming.
"Well, we did laugh," Astra says, "but it certainly wasn't us that replaced his clothes with lacey things, and certainly not in his size. And what do you mean by you have to listen to this every day? You're not implying that, you're too, *gasp*, mature for this are you?"
"Are you sure that's not the marmalade you've slathered onto your bread," Astra asks sweetly.
"As you can see, Mr. Tenebris, my dear sister can get a little confused at times. She seems to have confused flirting with teasing in this instance. I do hope you can find it in your heart to overlook this error on her part," she says gravely, turning back to Ten, though her eyes sparkle with laughter as she does.
"But we can clear that up for her later," she chirps much more brightly as she grins, "you and Auric seem to know each other from before we meet Auric, so can you enlighten us as to what embarrassing or hilarious adventures you two have had. I'm always happy to listen to a good tale spun by a skilled storyteller."
”I do not flirt,” Auric protests, ”or... not with either of you, at least...” His grin melts away as he takes another hunk of bread and uses it to erase his fantastical mustache.
great... all this time acting like a professional and now they have me playing the fool, and right after Bludspar warned me to stay vigilant...
"Good thing too. I still remember when that one boy– oh, what was his name? Luna, you know, the one that almost wet himself when Papa found out he had been trying to sneak off with one of us on a few occasions. He had black hair and pale skin and a Chelish accent."
"Well, if it's a tale you're after, I have a treat for you. One of my first encounters with Auric at school, when he was much younger." Ten sips his drink slowly, trying to remember the details from years ago.
"It was our dedication day, a time to cast off past cares and focus on our studies. As a part of the ceremony, we were allowed to ask for blessing on our kin. Auric suggested that it would be funny if I listed all my cousins as a way to skip our evening chores." He sips again
"I thought this was a splendid idea, and was only too happy to comply. But I did not have all the pieces to this puzzle."
Looking to his friend with a smile and some suspicion, he continues.
"You see, as part of the rite, our teacher would sip some mulled wine after saying a blessing for the requested family member. Unbeknownst to me, someone had slipped ground up karta root into the wine. It must have been like drinking liquid fire! Brother Andean did his best to maintain his composure, but after the thirty-seventh Crepusculum, he simply ran screaming from the hall and plunged his head into the fountain outside!" he laughs so hard at the mention of the fountain that his mustache loses what little grip it had left and plops directly into his cider, causing him to begin roiling again.
Astra covers her mouth with both hands and tries to keep herself in her seat as her entire body shakes from laughter that was dancing in her eyes.
"Oh my," she breathes when she finally recovers from the fit, "karta root? That is evil. Positively wicked even."
”That’s not how I remember it...” Auric replies with a chuckle and an incredulous look at his old friend. ”We were allowed to ask for a single blessing for our families in general... Ten talked me into convincing poor Brother Andean to let us ask for blessings for individual family members in the hopes that enough names would be listed to get us out of evening chores... I had no idea that some some wicked halfling who apparently hopes to remain unnamed had spiked his wine with karta root before listing off every relative he could think of...”
"It's a big family! Don't they all deserve a nice blessing?" Ten smiles, "I hear they call that fountain 'Andeans Rescue' to this day."
"Well, I'm afraid that Luna and I have never been involved in or seen anything spectacular enough to have something named in memorial of the event, but we may have witnessed some entertaining bit of mischief a time or three," Astra replies demurely. "and I completely agree with Mr. Tenebris. They all deserved their own blessing."
”You two shouldn’t be hearing this,” Auric says, unable to completely remove the smile from his face, ”Ten got me into plenty of trouble back then, the last thing I need is for you to take after him.”
”And speaking of ‘back then’, Ten, it’s been a while... what brings you back to Kenabres? Are you just here for the festival or have you been appointed to something here?”
"Well....as to the matter of where I am posted....it's kind of a funny story." he fishes the mustache out of his drink before sipping again.
"Sometimes because I'm too noodly-armed to carry out my own schemes," Astra chuckles before a little paper cut-out version of her pops into existence on the table and demonstrates said noodliness while she takes a sip of the warm cider and lets its heat flow through her and thaw her cold fingers.
When Ten begins his tale, though, her and her paper doppelganger listen with rapt attention.
"After I was 'encouraged' to leave the school, I reported to Nerosyan. Once there I found it difficult to fit in and bounced from assignment to assignment. After several unfortunate circumstances, I finally found myself in the employ of Father Grayson. A kind, patient old man tasked with many of the housekeeping chores. He sent me out for firewood and, due to events beyond my control, I was a few days late in returning."
Taking a deep breath in, he tries to think of the most favorable phrasing,
"Father Grayson didn't bat an eye at my absence, and just asked for the firewood. From that day forward, whenever he saw me, he asked if I had gotten the firewood yet. I could be gone for days or weeks, the poor addled man has no capacity for memory anymore. I found this new freedom liberating, and as long as I don't collect my stipend, the others seem to agree that this arrangement is best for all concerned."
Returning to the original question he continues,
"I am in fact in town for the festival, though I will also seek out family while here, certain ones anyway."
Auric sits gobsmacked for a moment.
"So... right now you're technically out grabbing firewood... in Kenabres... from your appointed shrine in Nerosyan?!?"
"Yes, I suppose that's accurate. Although, when I hear you say it, it sounds rather silly...."
"In fairness, I Do always bring firewood back...."