, 'Give up your pain to me, milady.'
"A gentleman is not supposed to pick his nose in a lady's privacy,but i see your point. I'm stuck here because a kind soul found me half-dead down a cliff,in which i was thrown by some assassins,sent by my sweetheart,or by someone with the same name maybe"
"Anyway he was heading here and i needed help,so he took me along,but now i don't know what to do or where to go. As i was saying,nothing serious"
The pleasure is on my side, Esfana. If you need to talk about your experiences, I'll lend you my ear without teasing you.
Alexite, I worry that I must willy-nilly disappoint you. To my knowledge there is no curse or any other strange thing, that would be worth enough to be mentioned.
Teris sits down at the table with his stew, joining the others.
"Ah well I don't have any tragedy, just sore feet and a pension for the flu, so I suppose I will be safe from some ridicule. Pleased to meet you all, I am Teris Menolas, pilgrim and servant of Torag." Teris said with a smile.
"But what troubles do plague those here? I would be a poor disciple if I was to turn a deaf ear to the troubles of my fellow men..." he added with a slight frown.
Randovich looks to the Varisian woman for a moment, but shyly casts his eyes back to his stew, his spoon directing what is left of it in a slow and lazy spiral.
During your joyful chit-chat customers come and go and the only discomfort is the fresh air that enters the room whenever someone doesn't close the door in time.
The bar wenches busily serve ale, wine and mead and it all flows freely, and the meals seem to be prepared from the best foods the fields and forests of Kaer Maga and its surroundings have to offer.
The weather got worse and worse over the course of the day and sometimes you notice the distant sound of rolling thunders which is mostly drowned by a salacious song, sung by a group of mercenaries sitting at a cornertable.
It must be about three to four hours to midnight as an elderly squire of Iomedae enters the inn and orders an ale at the bar.
Britten Frack, Squire of Iomedae
It takes only about two minutes until he realizes that he's not the only servant of the Inheritor in the tavern. He takes his tankard and steps over to your table. Utilising a speaking pause at your table he adresses Esfana and Torald:
Well met strangers, how come I did not see you yesterday during our celebration of the Inheritor's Ascendance?
Well met squire, It's easily illustrated, we all how we sit around this table, haven't arrived until this evening.
Glancing up Teris smiles at the squire "Greetings! Another follower of the Inheritor! Sit and join us won't you? We who worship the Father of Creation always welcome fellow friends and combrades in arms against the darkness!" he says cheerfully, making certain there is room at the table.
"I'ld have never missed such ceremony if i was here. Tell me more please"
The old guy scratches his chin, he seems like he's not used to being in the center of attention.
Um, you know, the Inheritors Ascendance, the most important holiday in Iomedae's church. We celebrated it yesterday in the Swordyard of the Trideon temple.
You folks surely wonder why an old pal like me wanders the dangeorus streets of Kaer Maga at night, huh?
It's my duty...offering the newcomers shelter and hospitaliy behind the temple's walls, ye know.
He pauses for a moment
But ye don't look like folks in need of protection. Maybe you could even assist us...eh, I mean my Knight-Commander. Sire Laval of Gorn, he's always looking for righteous men and women, who are willing to do their share in the "eternal struggle".
He chuckles.
Sounds quite important, heh. Anyways, if you're really here, to do a good deed, come to the morning prayer tomorrow. I'll be waiting for ye. The Trideon temple is situated in the Hospice area of the town.
He pulls out a piece of parchment and draws a crude map.
Sounds quite important, heh. Anyways, if you're really here, to do a good deed, come to the morning prayer tomorrow. I'll be waiting for ye. The Trideon temple is situated in the Hospice area of the town.
"I'll be there for sure, good man"
Randovich looks up at priest.
"I'll make myself available. It sounds like this Lavel fellow and I might be able to help each other."
|
The old guy scratches his chin, he seems like he's not used to being in the center of attention.
Um, you know, the Inheritors Ascendance, the most important holiday in Iomedae's church. We celebrated it yesterday in the Swordyard of the Trideon temple.
You folks surely wonder why an old pal like me wanders the dangeorus streets of Kaer Maga at night, huh?
It's my duty...offering the newcomers shelter and hospitaliy behind the temple's walls, ye know.He pauses for a moment
But ye don't look like folks in need of protection. Maybe you could even assist us...eh, I mean my Knight-Commander. Sire Laval of Gorn, he's always looking for righteous men and women, who are willing to do their share in the "eternal struggle".
He chuckles.
Sounds quite important, heh. Anyways, if you're really here, to do a good deed, come to the morning prayer tomorrow. I'll be waiting for ye. The Trideon temple is situated in the Hospice area of the town.
He pulls out a piece of parchment and draws a crude map.
Alexite looks up at the elderly squire. Seeing as he's talking to the Iomedites about their holy day, he looks to the wenches for sign that the proprietor has returned.
Still no sign, however, the first floor seems to contain his rooms, since entry is only allowed to personnel.
It'll be an honor for me to assist you in the morning. I'll be at the prayer.
"I simply followed this life because i never knew another one, sir Torald, Dad was a high ranking officer in the Academy, and Mum a traveling priestess, both of Iomedae of course. It seemed natural to me.
I'm a bit lost , it is the first time i'm alone and far from home. And it isn't something i decided.But now that i finally wept all the tears i had,i feel better, and think i've been fooled"
Overhearing that, the Squire pats your shoulder.
The temple also offers you time and comfort that you can use to focus again girl.
"No one asked you,idiot"
"Thanks sir, it'll be an honor to join you prayers next morning"
He nods absently, seeming to ponder about something.
Then I wish you all a nice evening and hope to see you tomorrow with the first rays of dawn at the temple.
He strolls off to the bar.
Randovich finishes off his stew and turns to his three pious dining companions.
"What kind of aid can we expect your church to request? I've heard little of Iomedae beyond stories of her clergy's crusades. Is it likely to be dangerous?"
"I would be honored to offer any assistance I can, tomorrow morning it is." Teris said cheerfully.
"No need to tell i'll do anything she asks me;now if all of you will excuse me, it has been the hardest day in my life so far, i still need to clean my robes for tomorrow morning, and i'm dead tired.I'll retire now, goodnight everyone"
With these words Esfana gives a courtesy, before heading upstairs to her room
After a long evening of friendly and witful discussions even Alexite got tired and the last of remnants of the group of newcomers to Kaer Maga strolled (or staggered) up to their rooms.
3rd of Arodus
The morning awaited the fellow adventurers with an echo of yesterday: Heavy clouds hanging in the sky barring all possible sunrays from Kaer Maga.
Besides Becca, who woke the travelers, the inn is still asleep and quiet, while the chorus of busy noises of the city can be heard already.
After having been awoke by Becca, Esfana , still half asleep wait some minutes in the bed. Rubbing her eyes and stretching she finally stands up; she washes and is ready for the morning at temple, not before she puts her armor on of course,
Awaked through his in his monastry life confirmed habit, Torald swings himself out of hi bed, washes himself and dons his armor and his armament. After that he goes to the taproom and waits for the others.
Her armor so heavy, Esfana left almost everything she has locked away in the room, donning armor, sword and shield;her robes under the armor and the holy symbol the only exceptions.
She then joins the others downstairs.
"Good morning everyone."
Nice to see you, may Iomedae bless this day.
Randovich makes his way slowly down the stairs, still frazzled but looking a bit cleaner. He seems to be carrying everything he came in with, his bulging backpack clinging tightly to his form, and his walking stick clicking loudly on the floor as he makes his way to Torald and Esfana. For several seconds he simply stands silently, as if waiting for direction from another.
"Which way to the temple?"
When I read this map right, we first have to go to the Core of the city and then it will be in the south-eastern corner.
Randovich makes his way slowly down the stairs, still frazzled but looking a bit cleaner. He seems to be carrying everything he came in with, his bulging backpack clinging tightly to his form, and his walking stick clicking loudly on the floor as he makes his way to Torald and Esfana. For several seconds he simply stands silently, as if waiting for direction from another.
"Which way to the temple?"
"I don't know myself, we all just arrived. I thought we had a map"
Alexite awakens to the sound of other guests moving about their rooms and trudging downstairs. He rouses himself to scrub down with cloth and a basin of water. More listening for the sound of continued rain than looking out a window, he dresses in his fine clothes slipping his chain shirt on over his undershirt and under his overshirt and doublet. Being sure to cast prestidigitation on himself, his clothing and his gear, he sets out from his room.
Heading downstairs, he finds a couple of the Iomedites and the starcrossed gypsy in the commons. 'Hello! Were all of you awoken by that herd of elephants traipsing downstairs, too? Ugh! Far too early for proper victuals to be observed, don't you think? Isn't this supposed to be Saranrae's time of day?' Alexite asks with a yawn. 'Perhaps Iomadae should consider becoming the noon natterer or twilight terror, sometime of day when laziness is more seemly and respectable.' Languidly, almost lewdly, he stretches for the benefit of everyone, managing to separately give a wink to both Becca and Esfana.
Rulewise you're correct Esfana should only be able to speak common.
On the other hand you can learn Varisian if you put one point in "linguistics" Maybe we should just grant you this point for free (backgroundwise).
With Becca's best wishes you leave the Shiny Walking Stick. The whole "Warrens" district seems to be awoke for at least 2 hours, since many farmers and city traders have already gathered at Meatgate and haggle about cattle and products from the city.
Only now you begin to understand the whole architecture of Kaer Maga:
The gigantic stone wall surrounding the city "is" the city. Most poeple seem to live inside the massive walls and as far as you can tell, it must be like living in a bee hive in there. The three inner districts which are the only ones that are under the open sky, house mostly administrative buildings, shops, warehouses and markets. Very few people seem to really reside here.
As you enter the Hospice you notice a group of men clad in dark leather armor, armed with elven composite bows and longsword, every inch the image of rangers, patrolling the street (at least there seems to be some sort of guard).
As they make their way through the streets of Kaer Maga, Randovich's head is constantly swinging back and forth, his eyes wide and a mixture of awe and anxiety painted on his youthful face. Every sight, sound, and smell seems a wonder to him, and he appears to be having some trouble digesting it all. The tightly packed clusters of apartments in the wall seem especially unnerving to him.
"I've never seen this kind of squalor. How can people live like this - so tightly packed together?"
"I've never seen this kind of squalor. How can people live like this - so tightly packed together?"
Interesting. Kaer Maga is nothing like the other Varisian cities. I wonder what secrets it holds.
'People are like cockroaches. They'll survive in any dark crevasse they find.'