Moving swiftly about the town, Kernithar finds nothing further of any real significance.
"It is growing late. We should spend the night here and head out at first light." Mikhail says.
You spend a night in Maegar Varn's fortress. Roslin cleans up her father's quarters and stays there, with Our Heroes taking up rooms that once belonged to Varn's officers. You rotate a watch once every few hours and some of you can't shake the feeling that you, in turn, are being watched.
In the morning you eat a breakfast cooked in the kitchen and sit around discussing what you might find at the end of the trail. Eventually, everyone is ready and the horses are saddled. The team rides out south following Kern, who walks some distance ahead.
The trail leads south. In some places it is hard to follow and in others there are more obvious clues despite the passage of time. A dropped rag doll, several footprints in the mud at the edge of a small creek, a torn bit of apron stuck to a thornbush. The path is very straight and leads to a hillock less than a mile from the edge of town. There, the signs are easier to read. Hundreds of people milled about here some weeks ago.
And then vanished.
No track leads from the hillock, and there is no sign of violence. The trail simply leads here and then stops.
Mikhail looks at Piotr and Arisu frowning, "Do you see any signs that perhaps a magical Gate was opened here for them to go through?"
No energies linger here that could tell the sorcerer and wizard what happened.
After scouring the entire area for any signs of a single person, Kern kicks at the dirt in frustration.
"This vexing problem will have me up at night! We should perhaps pursue those centaurs. You had mentioned those papers were about centaurs or some island? That shouldn't be any harder to find than this group of people."
Kern prepares for the day (as he normally does) by pulling a wand from his bag and casting an incantation. His swift stride seems to magically lengthen.
That's not an exploration activity. I've put up a link to a list of Exploration Activities, above.
Correct. Where it seems appropriate. When you're walking along a dungeon corridor or down a path through the forest, say. And of course you're free to express a change at any time.
Sure. But you may want to trim back your class/level line a bit. There's a lot to go through, there.
Great! So now what?
Do we have a hexagonal map like in the previous part where we can direct where we begin exploring?
Yes, the combined Sword Marches/Varnhold map is linked above.
Is the Vordakai island something we can get to near here? If so we may start exploring as we head to that?
You have no idea where that might be, if it still exists. The reference you have to it is more than 3,000 years old.
You ride and walk out into the vast sea of grass known as the Nomen Heights. Those of you who know anything about geography know this as the place where the maps stop. Somewhere out there lies the land of Iobaria and the vast continent of Casmaron, of which Avistan (your continent) is but a small peninsula. They say a man can ride for half a year without spying civilization or the end of the vast plains.
Your own interests lay somewhat closer at hand, the camp of the Nomen Centaurs, ancient enemies of Brevoy (and by extension, you.)
"I came to find my father and brother," she says. "And all their people. I'm not leaving until we find them."
"If you're to come further, I won't have you a liability. Everyday, we will spar before we rest."
"As for the Nomen camp. I can get us there."
"Roslin, if the centaurs have anything to do with this, your father could be there, and it could be dangerous. But if they aren't responsible, then a Varn asking for their help might be the opening we need to get them talking." He glances at her.
Kern also knows nothing about the Nomen.
"As for the Nomen camp. I can get us there."
Indeed. A quick study of the map, the sky and the grass is sufficient to let Kern lead the way.
On the second day venturing across the vast prairie, the team first spots the centaurs. They are not subtle. A band of ten centaurs top a ridgeline a quarter mile away, visible in the Noontide sun. Then, they are charging forward at a full gallop, spears lowered.
What do you do?
Kern sprints back to the party from his forward scouting location.
"They're charging us. I think we stand ready but hopefully they'll want to talk."
He then draws his blade and stands with it at the ready, facing the charging herd. He will intently study the first of the centaurs to come within range.
Alister takes a deep breath and then moves out in front of the others. "Stay back. And keep Roslin safe."
He raises his hands showing them to be without any weapons. Then he waits for the galloping centaurs to close.
Aristu casts a quick spell, and a tall pole appears behind Alister. Three flags fly from the pole - the flag of the Sword Marches, Alister's personal coat of arms, and above them both, a flag of truce (if such a concept exists in these lands). Regardless of the actual wind, the flags fly as if in a steady breeze.
The centaurs thunder close, but stop short of actually attacking, ringing you in a hedge of spears and glowering down at you. One speaks roughly in Sylvan, a language known to Alister, Aristu and Kernithar (I'm not sure about Piotr - his character sheet lists no languages).
"By what right do two-legs walk upon the Dunsward? What business have you in the lands of the Nomen? Speak, for your doom is nigh!"
It is at this point that you realize that not only is the speaker a woman, every warrior in the band is a woman.
Alister takes a breath as the spears close in. He turns to address the speaker. "I am Alister, Lord of Stagfell and Sword Marches. These are members of my household. We come from the Kamelands to the west."
"We seek the help of the Nomen centaurs. We mean no offense in trespassing on your lands, and we recognize your power here. We have not come to harm you, and I ask that we speak more civilly. Your name, captain?"
She glowers down at you for a long moment, then lowers her spear, though none of her followers lower theirs. "I am Aja and I serve Aecora Silverfire, Chieftain of the Nomen and Servant of Mother Moon."
"Again I ask you, what business brings you here?"
Piotr listens quietly, thinking about that what the centaur has told them.
I could have four legs if that's all they need...
Kern drops the aggressive stance but keeps his sword drawn, listening in quietly.
He focuses his study on the apparent leader.
"Peace be with you, Aja. I seek an audience with Chief Silverfire. I believe there are threats to both our peoples, and I would ask her counsel. We have found evidence of Spriggans this far east and even darker magic. I ask for your escort to speak to her on these matters. I understand our peoples have not been on good terms, but if the fey Queen is still able to reach the world, we both are in danger."
Mikhail watches the centaurs to see if any react to the mention of the fey Queen in case one of them might be in league with the fey and the disappearances.
Aja eyes you for a while longer. "The words of men always precede their swords. We will take you to the chief, but we will not forget who and what you are. Have a care, for we will be watching."
The centaurs wheel and begin to trot forward towards the southeast, still ringing you but at a greater distance now.
You arrive at the camp of the Nomens at nightfall. It sits on a low hillock surrounded by a sea of grass. A large bonfire dominates the center of the camp, around which more of the horsewomen dance in a primal rhythm long lost to the civilized soul. A scattering of open-sided hide huts numbering no more than five score are ranged around the hill, inside which other members of this tribe congregate, eat, or sleep. Everywhere, the heavily armed and armored centaurs sharpen weapons, tend to gear, or walk patrols, all with a feral economy of movement and sound. These are the true inheritors of an age long gone when the steppes rang to the thunder of their herds and the fury of their war cries, while the first inklings of civilization clung to shorelines and riverbanks like children to their mothers’ skirts—afraid of the dark wilderness and its wild masters.
The warriors on guard, sixty or more of them, hasten to join Aja's warband in guarding you, but the vast majority of the centaurs continue their ritual. You are permitted, under heavy guard, to watch as a handsome centaur woman presides over the ceremonies in honor of Mother Moon.
When the ritual is over, the chief turns to you, a glower on her face.
Aja steps forward and speaks (still in Sylvan). "These twolegs are from beyond the mountains. That one calls himself a lord of someplace called the Sword Marches. They wanted to talk to you. They've acted reasonably, for a wonder."
The horsewoman looks at you, clearly torn as to whether to have you thrown out of her camp. At last she settles her eyes on Alister. "I am Aecora, daughter of Adamanthe. You walk on Nomen land. Yet you are brave to come here without an army. I will hear your words. Speak, oh lord of Men."
Aliser bows formally as he meets Chief Silverfire. "I am Alister Medyved, lord of Stagfell and the Sword Marches. Thank you for seeing us, Chief Silverfire. I have come to ask your counsel about a potential threat. But first, I bring a gift to return to your people. We found this Nomen bow recently in the hands of a murderous band of Spriggans. I do not know how it came to be there, but we killed them and now we return it to your people." He motions for one of the group to bring out the centaur bow that they had found among the Spriggan leader's effects.
He turns to introduce his group. "Please allow me to introduce my companions. My brother, Aristu. Mikhail, a priest of Abadar. Piotr, my master of coin. Kernithar, a master hunter. And, Roslin, counsel to my people."
Alister turns back to Aecora. "I have come to speak to you about the threat of the Spriggans and possibly more. I have recently come from Varnhold. Spriggans had taken over the town. Have your people encountered them?" He glances at Aja to see if she had any reaction. "They are dark fey and soldiers of the Rose Queen. However, I do not believe they were responsible for all that we saw in Varnhold. In fact, we found no signs of any residents at all. It is as if they simply departed and then disappeared with no trace. It is possible this is the work of the Rose Queen's fey magic. Or it may be another dark force. I come to warn you of these possible threats and to ask if you know anything about them."
When you produce the bow, the eyes of the centaurs go wide. "Skybolt," breathes one of the horsewomen with reverence.
Aecora's harsh glower softens marginally. "You do us a great favor, Lord Alister," she says. "This is an heirloom of Mother Moon, and the Nomen thank you." It is polite, but no one is under any illusion that the centaurs now like you. They are merely willing to tolerate you a little longer.
Aecora holds the sacred bow gently for a time, then hands it off to an aid. With a wave of her hand she calls for food and drink. "Please be seated," she says. "Centaurs use no chairs, so I am afraid you will have to settle for sitting on blankets."
When you are seated, she continues. "We know of the Culchek, the ...spriggans... you speak of. We knew they had taken the holy bow, but not where it lay."
"We have not heard of the disappearance in the stone-town, what you call Varnhold. We were no friends of the Men of Varnhold, but this story concerns us greatly, for what could happen to them could also happen to us."
"Perhaps you know and perhaps you do not, but I am going to tell you of the wars between your people and mine, so you understand what else I am going to tell you. Long ago the Nomen lived wild and free on the sea of grass. Then came the armies of Men. Vast armies swept over the land out of the south and took what they wanted, ignoring the wisdom of Mother Moon. They killed many centaurs and drove our ancestors east so that they could settle the land themselves."
"That was long ago in the time of legends. But generations ago new armies of men, now led by great flying dragons came out of the west and killed many centaurs and took our lands. The Nomen dwindles and became a small and mostly forgotten people. Then, a few year ago, men came again. This time they were few in number, yet still they did not heed the wisdom of Mother Moon and they made stone houses on the land and killed the Nomen who came to tell them the land was not theirs to take. So you see, my people hold no love of yours and there are many of my people who would prefer to see me kill you than talk to you.”
”Speaking of which,” interrupts a young and powerfully built centaur warrior. ”These twolegs have no business here. They have run their little errand and returned what was stolen from us. So let them depart, though they owe us a river of blood.”
”My niece, Danide,” says Aecora, watching you.
”Well?” demands Danide. ”Go!”
Kern stands to face the young centaur.
"If you have nothing more to say, we will go. But first I would challenge you to a race, my two legs against your four. And if I win, tell us what you know of Vordakai's Island."
Piotr studies the religious with interest.
However, it seems to be nothing more than primitive superstition to him.
Still, he looks about at the goods used by the centaurs, pondering whether there is an opportunity to establish trade with these people and create a basis for communication.
Aristu is about to respond to the brash young centaur when Kern makes his challenge. He turns to the elf with a surprised look and decides to remain silent and see what happens next.