Gilmork and Jaxom are returning to town?
Silas, Hecktor and Lucanor head out to the Monastery of Torag's Forge and find that the path to the Monastery is oddly free of intervening trees, as if magically they moved out of the way. A bridge has been constructed, and several kobolds watch you as you cross the bridge over the Foam tributary....they don't run but they don't approach. After almost a full day on horseback, you arrive at the Monastery.
"Well, This is nice," Lucanor admits, "Feeling a bit of envy here, actually. I'll have to pray on that."
"They've done a lot of work, even since I've been here", Silas sounds impressed, "Let's find Michael."
Jaxom and Gilmork return to town to find that the others have left for Michael's Monastery fortress. Word has been left at the Duck that the trip would not be a long one.
Silas and the others find Michael training a cadre of kobolds on the proper usage of spears. Several dwarves including Baldur Stoneshaper and the Glintaxe twins watch the proceedings. The dwarven population of the Monastery has increased somewhat, with several dwarven historians taking up residence to catalogue and record the history of the Monastery.
Silas watches the drill for a while and at some point catches Michael's eye. "Hey Michael, good to see you! I see you've installed a bit of discipline in them! Amazing! Anyway Kobalds are why we're here... I've heard a disturbing rumor of Kobolds riding giant spiders in the woods terrifying the town's folk. Now that doesn't sound like your Kobolds but the new Sheriff may put two and two together and come up with five... Oh and on the way here we were watched by Kobolds near the new river bridge. Are they yours? The consortium will find their presence provocative."
Michael responds that he doesn't know anything about giant spider riding kobolds, and that his are indeed watching the bridge. Something tried to damage it in the last few weeks.
Silas asks Lucanor and Hecktor, "I'm glad Michael is OK, but what do you think we should do now? I guess we are staying the night whatever we decide."
"We might as well, might be worth checking out the place after all these renovations.
You got to admit, they've done a good job."
"Any signs what they tried to damage the bridge WITH..."Lucanor looks curious, "Tools, or actual claws and natural attacks?"
Couldn't tell but the bridge was all torn up, and the fey weren't responsible.
Silas frowns and says, "Maybe we should take a look see. Should try and find Gilmork too, he's got the best tracking skills of all of us, perhaps he can find a trail..."
The party heads to the bridge but most of the evidence of damage has been patched up. The kobolds indeed belong to the Smashey Bashey tribe. A few of them even speak Common.
The kobolds respond that they indeed have seen Truescales who were "wrong wrong" and did not speak.
The kobolds have trouble with dates/time so they can't answer the second question with much veracity. However they point towards the interior of the forest for the first question, which strikes you as odd since they usually reside in caves.
Silas translates for Lucanor and Hecktor and tells them, "Just like the rumors in town, they say the 'wrong wrong' Truescales retreated into the woods which is strange since most kobolds hate forests preferring caves and other underground environs. I'm not sure what to make of this, perhaps Gilmork might have some idea or at least be able to track them."
"I guess we'd better head back into town."
"I wonder if they found religion... the wrong one? Occurs to me, it isn't just humans who have cults."
"An unsettling thought!"
A brief respite from horror and a tankard or
three of ale at the Sitting Duck are about the
only joys a resident of Falcon’s Hollow can look
forward to. As summer yields to autumn, the
leaves of Darkmoon Wood pale to jaundiced
yellow or bloody crimson. The dying summer
is another reminder that life is cheap in Darkmoon
Vale. There is a saying in Falcon’s Hollow:
“Sorrow becomes joy, joy rots to misery,
and so all things turn bloody in the end.”
Everyone returns to Falcons Hollow, the golden braid is shared and now the party knows that an Eagle Knight was slain in the wilds of the Darkmoon Vale.
A cold and misty morning brings ill favor to Falcons Hollow, in the form of one Mutters Kondlan, taskmaster at the newest cutyard, some two miles into the Darkmoon Wood.
Mutters stumbles into town half coherent and filthy. He is stammering They are all dead...all dead...they screamed so loud. Soon he is brought to Thuldrin Kreed, and of course the new Sheriff Payden Teedum.
The new Sheriff requests the Heroes of the Vale report to the Kreed residence.
Silas sounds surprised, "Who is this Glimork?"
Before Glimork has a chance to reply, along comes Payden. "Here comes trouble", whispers Silas.
"Good day Sheriff, you look like a man whose received some sour news! Oh we're to report to the Kreed residence are we? I see, don't worry we know the way."
On the way Silas whispers to Gilmork, "Try and hand that braid to the half ling if you get a chance."
"Sir Silas, I have a gift for you from the Queen of Dark Moon Vale." Jaxom pulls out the small lacquered box entrusted to him and gives it to Silas.
Silas smiles briefly and then replies gently, "Best not mention her around here..."
Gilmork nods slowly at Silas as they are led to Kreed's residence.
"I'll surely try, he should know we didn't have anything to do with it."
He then taps Jaxom on the shoulder.
"Silas was right about what he said, Syntira isn't loved around here, certainly not after what happened during the Carnival. The Consortium blames all the fey and many people believe them."
Thank you for the warning, good Gilmork. I will be silent about the virtues my glorious queen in these thatched halls.
Whether they acknowledge her or no, she is still the queen of these lands.
Lucanor has been quiet and thoughtful, polite when folks are introduced, but for now he's keeping his yap shut and his eyes open.
The party arrives at the Kreed manor and notices a few changes to the manse.
A 15 foot wall with crenelations now separates the estate from the surroundings. At least a dozen heavily armored and armed men stare out at you with hardened veteran eyes. It seems that Thuldrin Kreed did not react well to the Carnival of Tears.
The door opens and the halfling "Jeebs" greets you with a low bow.
We meet tonight behind the Duck he whispers
and then escorts you into the main hall.
Thuldrin Kreed, Deldrin Baleson and Payden Teedum as well as another man you do not recognize wait for you. Baleson speaks first
Thank you for coming...wait, where is Stamford and who is this? the new Mayor says indicating Jaxom.
Crowned in holly and robed in autumnal colors, Jaxom thinks that he cuts quite the dashing figure. He almost responds to the strange mortal, telling him that he is the Queen's thistle knight, but thinks better of it. Mortals were strange and could turn hostile quickly. He knew little of them besides their clumsy, ugly language. He could not provide leal service to these heroes if these other mortals tried to burn him at the stake. So, Jaxom swallows his words and makes a courtly bow. One of the heroes would tell these mud men what they wanted to know.
Silas replies, "Michael has built himself a nice home out in the back country and has settled down, likely a wiser man that me. Jaxom here is a friend of Gilmork's and is with us." Silas looks at the other man and says, "Seems I'm not the only one with introductions to do..."
Gilmork remains a silent and stoic figure amongst the presence of men like Kreed and Teedum, not saying anything amongst them seems like the most logical thing to do.
Don't have to give them any causes to look behind the mask. My speech might be giving things away.
Seeing a new face, seemingly overexcited come along with Gilmork, Hecktor raises a brow faintly, but that disappears.
What a character, not in the bad way, but eccentric surely.
I've not seen something like this since the squire of that knight back in Almas.
"Hello, i'm Hecktor."
As they entered the residence, his pace somewhat slowed as he takes up the two figures.
Regulators....what the hell are they doing here? Accursed bastards. If they've been hired to reinforce the position of one of the shady here, we've just been given a tough cookie to chew.
Jaxom acknowledges Hecktor's greeting with a smile and a tilt of his head. "It is such a pleasure to make your acquaintance. The court has been abuzz with talk of your deeds. It's an honor to serve such heroes."
At Silas' question, Jaxom lets out a wild and fey laugh. "Long ago did I abandon asking whys of the Queen. Her will suffices. But were I to speculate: heroes draw trouble like moths to a flame. Your previous successes have served her well. Perhaps it pleases her to send you aid to better ensure your survival, and in surviving you will crush what displeases her. Unpleasant times have come to Dark Moon Vale and they are far from over. To honor the trust she has bestowed upon you, I will tell you that some of the Queen's servants have gone missing of late. One witch of winter, especially does she seek word, my twin sister."
Then considering the possibilities, his face darkens, "Conveniently lost, and conveniently found in a year and a days time I shouldn't wonder. The fae are beauty and terror and they can be most cruel when they put a mind to it... Well we can do with all the help we can get. The summer has been too quiet and I predict a bitter harvest. Welcome aboard!" Silas exines the wand case and tells Jaxom, "A gift fit for a queen. I think she meant it for me, but I think it would suit you just as well if not better."
Jaxom's bemused expression reveals that he has no idea what Silas is talking about, but when it comes to the wand, the youth is on firmer ground. "I will use it for your collective benefit."
Jaxom marvels at the circumspection of Silas' answer to the other mud man. The fey loved their secrets. Silas' actions taught him that he should hold tight to his own.
As Silas waits for baleson's reply, he notices Hecktor bristle. Seems Hecktor knows our mysterious friend. This doesn't bode well.
Baleson nods at Silas and replies I'll let the Gavel introduce you.
Thuldrin Kreed glowers at you and almost snarls I heard about Stamford getting himself a Golden Braid and a fort in the mountains. S'long as he stays out of Consortium business he can stay with his rocks and pet lizards. Thuldrin looks distrustfully at Jaxom's odd look but continues This ere is Mutters Kondlan, a sniveling no count foreman from my newest cutyard. he gestures at the defeated looking man Tell em what happened Mutters. Go on, spill it.
Kondlan's hand is trembling as he reaches across the table for a glass filled with a dark colored liquid and Teedum snaps loudly HE DIDN'T SAY TAKE A DRINK YA BUM! and Kondlan spills what smells like alcohol on the table, Kreed snorts in disgust.
Kondlan stammers IIiii was tttaking stttock uhuhuhof the ssssupplies... but he is cut off by Kreed By Gyronna's Green t&!! man. One of my cutyards was attacked and my Jacks was killed. Only brave Mutters here survived. That cutyard cost me seven thousand gold eagles....someone is gonna pay for that. We barely got a tree out of it... Kreed looks at Jaxom Seems supicious timing for an attack...but the Fey are known to be sneaky gits.
Jaxom doesn't deign to return his look.
What a boring, unpleasant fellow. He thinks himself clever, but if my queen wanted him dead, she would slit him open and dance in the muddy puddle that spilt forth.
Blinded by prejudice and spoiling for a fight. I wonder why we are here, a war is probably too expensive.
"I guess thats where we come in, you want to know who did it. It might be the Fae, but they don't seem shy about revealing themselves when angered. It might be something else, there's rumours of spiders with riders in the woods. Whatever it is we'll find them and stop them. We'll need a map with the attacked cutyard and any ones close to it marked."
Baleson says I don't think that will be a problem, right Gavel?
The Gavel responds I got one better, gonna send Mutters here to show you where it happened. And Sheriff Teedum is gonna go with ya too. Make sure the job is done right. I'll pay ya, Four thousand Eagles to find who did this and make sure it don't happen again.
Mutters Kondlan turns white, Deldrin Baleson looks from Kreed to Teedum but his face betrays nothing of what he is thinking. Payden Teedum spits a long hock of red chew into a nearby spitoon and smiles a red smile.
What a merry band we will make.
Silas tries hard to surpress his anger and for half a second he gives the gavel a look that would curdle milk. A moment passes and Silas shrugs then looks the Gavel directly in the eye and tells him in an almost insolent tone, "It's a free country is it not? The Sheriff may go were he likes, but I trust the welfare of the town will not suffer if he strays far... Anyway, it pleases me to investigate the very serious crime that has occurred, and while I can't speak for my colleges, I will be doing so for free."
Is there anything more tedious than mud men arguing about gold, though I doubt his gold turns into acorns in the morning light.
Amused at the thought Jaxom smirks and lets out a cat like yawn. The youth begins to survey the room for things of interest as the old men come to some understanding.