The wind gusts on your face as you are headed toward the town hall.
You know the town hall. You’ve seen it a thousand times. Every weekend there is some kind of a celebration being held here. Be it one of Haskors – the local smiths – daughters getting married, a community feast, midsummer festival, first harvest festival, last harvest festival you could go on. But today is a workday and you expect the building to looks different. The big wooden doors should closed and there will be no ornaments on the wooden walls that would get you in the spirit of celebration. No drunk bards attempting to sing, no barmaids running around with mugs full of beverage.
You can already make out the town hall and it truly does look plain. But you didn’t come here to admire its plainness. You’ve received word from the mayor that you should meet him today in the town halls dining room. You can suspect that it has something to do with the ever inevitable test of maturity that you will have to partake in sooner or later. It would also be a good guess that you weren’t the only one who would end up being called here.
Ah, the guess was correct - as you are approaching the entrance your eyes catch sight of an 3 other younglings coming toward the hall it would be quite possible that they are here to meet the mayor – just as yourself.
Qina heads to the townhall with dozens of thoughts running through her head. She waves nervously as she sees others approaching the hall as well. "Well, I guess there is no mistaking what today's about seeing you guys here. Greetings all" she says as she waves enthusiasticly. "Are you guys as excited as I am?"
Gurcich, strangely clean, but still very disheveled, walks behind Staci, looking all around a town he is still not very comfortable in...
He nears Qina and smiles to her, nodding.
He points out, towards the forest.
"Karvili comes!"
Karvili is in a cage near Staci's home, whining...
Staci stumps into town wearing the sullen expression that all the Portrow's customarily wear. The family has a history of bad luck and bad decisions that it carries like a chip on its shoulder. Famously thin-skinned, the Portrow's almost seem to search for insults in whatever anyone says to them.
Although she is a little odd, quiet to the point of reticence, given to disappearing into the woods for days at a time, Staci, as one of the younger girls in the family, hasn't had time to fully develop the family's grudge against the world. And you know that with a few moments normal conversation, her tension will ease and she'll act like a normal person.
Today though she exhibits a new peculiarity -- she is wearing a suit of chainmail. The mail has dull and shiny patches; it's been hard used and mended. Apparently it was made for a big man because it sags and hangs loosely in places even though Staci is large and muscular, stronger than more than a few of the village boys.
She grasps a pitchfork in her left hand and at every second step plants it like a walking stick in the dirt road.
... She waves nervously as she sees others approaching the hall as well. "Well, I guess there is no mistaking what today's about seeing you guys here. Greetings all" she says as she waves enthusiasticly. "Are you guys as excited as I am?"
"Qina! Good to see you. It is exciting, isn't it? Today the rest of our lives begin."
"Staci, good to see you too. Don't you look ready for trouble. Suddenly I feel underdressed. Well, at least there will be food."
Gurcich smiles and jumps excitedly.
"Food!"
From all the things in his new home the availability of many different kinds of food is the one he likes most... Besides Staci, that's it.
Force of habit makes Stefan keep out of sight (as much as possible), "What am I wanted for now?" he thinks as he makes his way to the town hall. Seeing the others puts him at ease, somewhat.
"Well, no point putting it off any longer" Qina says with a shrug as she begins to open one of the doors and head inside.
Staci nods and, reaching over Qina's head, stiff-arms the door open so that it flies wide.
The inside of the building is as dull as the outside. A plain Hall with a gigantic long dining table in the center of the room. Yet there is a 'nom, monn, nom, nom, nom' sound comming from the table. It suddenly stops and a cough comes from the same spot. The mayor sits there and appears to be feasting on some good.
He looks to the party.
"Early are you? Well I guess I will have to share the cookies with you now. Come take a seat. We have matters of importance to discuss"
The mayor nudges them to sit at the chairs on the other side of the table.
Gurcich advances to the table, sees the cookies, and stands next to them, looking intently at the mayor, smiling.
Cookies?
Staci's stomach rumble a little. Cookies were a luxury that her family seldom baked. It was a great treat when they had a white loaf rather than the usual heavy brown whole wheat.
She props her pitchfork against the wall and sits heavily in the chair across from the mayor.
"Thank you," she mumbles as she reaches and pulls two cookies from the plate. Knowing he'll be shy about helping himself, she hands one to Gurcich.
"Ooooohhh, cookies. Maybe today will be a good day after all." Qina moves to take a seat across the table, opposite from Staci. Then again, if today is so important that it requires cookies before getting started, maybe not Qina thinks to herself.
"Come child, sit." The mayor rises form the chair - revealing his fat pineapple-ish structure - and gestures Gurcich to take his place in the chair.
[i] cough [/cough] "Children. This is what you shall be called today." He would carefully glare over every present person "But men and women, is what you will be called in a few weeks.
I have called you here to discuss the Everflame festival with you. I know that have probably seen one - at least ate at some of the feasts" he would look at Gurcich "But every few year we don't just eat and feast as a celebration. Tell me children. Do you even know what 'the everflame' is?
Gurcich smiles widely, shakes the mayor hand effusively, sits and starts eating cookies, don't really paying much attention to the exposition...
"Yeah, I heard o that. That's one of those torches that don't go out, right?" Qina says with misplaced pride, a wide smile beaming on her small face.
Staci shakes her head and scoops another cookie.
"Correct. The torch in the marketplace is lit by the very same fire that lies I. The crypt of Kessan. The founder of our town. The everflame in our market has to be refreshed every few years as it is not the torch of everflame origin. So you should go down into the crypt and try to retrieve it the flame in a lantern so we can relit the torch for the next few years." Cough.
The mayor would now cross his arms and give them a look of doubt.
"As the crypt is visited rarely there is a high possibility that the crypt is inhabited by some, well, 'unplesant' creature. This is why we would need you to bring some arms with you as the task will be not a cake walk. The journey to the crypt itself should be a challenge and a bonding experience to all of you. But more I can not tell you as it is still you who have to partake in becoming men and women as we shall use this opportunity to determine if you are worth of such titles. "
"The ceremony begins tomorrow at noon and you should come there carrying only your necessities. The townsmen and women will bring provide you with the basic rations and supplies so worry mostly about armor and weapons - or spell complnents if you require any."
"Now any questions?"
Gurcich shakes his head while eating another cookie. He smiles thinking in the opportunity of stretching his legs on the forest with Karvili for a couple days.
It sounds like fun!
"That's it? Sounds simple enough...so do we bring the lantern back here and give it you or take it to the market and light it ourselves?"
"As far as these 'unpleasant' creatures, what do you know about them?"
The mayor would pull a handkerchief out of the breast pocket on his blue attire and wipe the sweat off his forehead. "Ah yes, the crypts citizens to say so. Well none of those who completed this test speak of them fondly. Spiders, rats of unnatural size and sometimes swarms of bats. But some say that there is more that lies in the crypt. Something so vile that those who saw it do not wish to be reminded of it in any way! But, ehem, I am not the one who should be worried here. That should be the job of the townsfolk." The mayor snatches a cookie from the silver plate that they are on and eats it in one bite. Fianlly finishing the cookie he begins to speak once more. "Now I have business to do so I shall make my exit now. Help yourselves with the cookies, my wife made them, and I shall see you tomorrow at noon on the festival." already openening the door and looking to make his exit he adds: "Oh, and about the flame. You are the ones carrying it so you should light it. If you manage to bring it back that is."
The last part was added just as he stepped trough the door without looking at the party left in the dining room with a few cookies still on the silver plate.
The mayors behaviour when asked about the creatures was odd. He has never displayed this sort of emotion in public as he never seemed to have to sorry since the townsmen lifestyle is quite peaceful without any trouble going on.
It is a commonly known fact that the mayors wife has no idea how to cook as she was risen very poorly. What a big fat lying pig the mayor is. He doesn't want to tell you where he got the delicious cookies from!
Qira grabs another cookie and quickly gobbles it down. "You know, I'm starting to think that maybe his wife didn't bake these cookies...better have one more to be sure" she says as she reaches for another.
Gurcich, oblivious to everything, keeps eating cookies.
Staci waits until the mayor is gone before speaking, "That man is a snakey one. No disrespect meant. But the cookies are good." She scoops up another one to emphasize her point.
"What will you all do once we pass the test?"
"Eat!"
"This town is so boring. I would like to leave...somehow. I've always dreamed of exploring, becoming an adventurer, you know, like in those stories, but I'm pretty small. I probably wouldn't make it very far. That's what poppa is always saying. He says I'm too little, even for a halfling."
Staci can't help but smile at Gurcich's enthusiastic and simple reply. No doubt if she asked what else he would do, he would answer, "Sleep!"
He has the wisdom of animals.
But she also agrees with Qina. "I want to make myself a cabin on White Deer Hill and live in the woods out there. But first I'd like to see some of the world. I'd really like to see the ocean, the wind on the waves."
Gurcich looks smiling at the talking woman,and nods to them.
"I don't know about you guys but my legs are itching to cover some ground. I gotta run home real quick and grab my crossbow incase we encounter any of those "unpleasant creatures". I should be back in a few minutes." And with that the halfling heads out of the hall at a quick pace and returns minutes later, crossbow in hand and smile on face. "Are you guys ready to go? I'm anxious to get on with it."
Shouldering his backpack, Stefan says "Let's go!"
"The ceremony begins tomorrow at noon and you should come there carrying only your necessities. The townsmen and women will bring provide you with the basic rations and supplies so worry mostly about armor and weapons - or spell complnents if you require any."
Now I have business to do so I shall make my exit now. Help yourselves with the cookies, my wife made them, and I shall see you tomorrow at noon on the festival."
"The ceremony begins tomorrow at noon and you should come there carrying only your necessities. The townsmen and women will bring provide you with the basic rations and supplies so worry mostly about armor and weapons - or spell complnents if you require any."
Now I have business to do so I shall make my exit now. Help yourselves with the cookies, my wife made them, and I shall see you tomorrow at noon on the festival."
As instructed you are making your way toward the town square as the bells atop the Temple of Erastil toll their afternoon song, echoing throughout the quiet town of Kassen. As the peals begin to fade, the first of the townsfolk make their way into the square, dressed in black, as if attending a funeral. They slowly fill the square, moving quietly across the cold, hard ground, their eyes downcast and mournful. After a few moments, a murmur passes through the crowd as it slowly parts to let Mayor Uptal through. He leads the way with a tarnished silver lantern. Behind him, an old pony drags a cart laden with backpacks and supplies.
Once he reaches the center of the crowd, Mayor Uptal stops and calls out to the assembled townsfolk. “Once again the winter winds blow through the Fangwood, marking the end of another harvest. There are wolves in the woods, howling at our walls, and serpents in our shadows, waiting to strike. Just as it was one hundred and seventy-four years ago, when Kassen himself left these walls to protect us, so it is today. Where are the heroes? Where are the brave folk that will venture out to Kassen’s tomb and retrieve the flame to keep this community safe for another winter?”
Finishing his speech the mayors eyes begin searching for a few specific individuals in the crowd.
"I will," Stefan says from the middle of the crowd. He steps forward, raises his left hand and says, again, "I will. Who will join me?"
Gurcich looks at Staci, waiting for her to "volunteer".
When she does, he will jump and raise his hand repeteadly, happy and exited.
Qina steps forward. "I don't know about heroes but I suppose someone has to carry the lantern for them. Count me in" she says.
Staci glances at Gurcich before she follows the lead of Stefan and Qina. Her mail chings faintly when she raises her pitchfork, [b]"I too will go."
"Well alright then. Bad guys beware, for the new heroes are here. I fear any that get in our way. This should be a piece of cake. We'll have that flame back in no time, am I right guys or what?"
Gurcich nods enthusiastically.
Staci smiles and nods too. She steps to the well-laden cart.
"What do we have for the trip?"
"Oooh, I didn't know there were going to be pony rides. Do we get to take the pony with us?" Qina begins climbing up on to the cart to rifle through the packs of supplies looking for anything interesting.
Gurcich points towards where his wolf is caged.
"Karvili!"