Go ahead and dot in.
Dot.
boop
Roderic's Cove. Oathday, 18 Gozran 4726 AR
Genevieva wakes to sunlight streaming through the room's window. Mornings in Roderic's Cove don't begin this way nearly as often as she would like. Spring rains have been reliably steady during the nearly three weeks Geneviava has been in the town.
A bit of sunshine doesn't really solve all of Genevieva's woes though. If her dreams brought her to Roderic's Cove, Genevieva has been baffled over why ever since she arrived there. Roderic's Cove isn't unpleasant necessarily, but she does find it rather dull.
The town isn't large, not many more than a thousand souls live there. Almost all the town's people live in modest wooden houses whose most common adornments are vegetable gardens and some livestock. There is nothing about the place suggesting extraordinary magic, Thassilonian anything, or greatness. Genevieva has found only one hint of something perhaps worth pursuing. Several of the locals she has talked to hold that the Circle Market is where a lucky person may find the most extraordinary things.
Genevieva wonders if later today she she will be lucky enough to happen across a rare book, or significant artifact among the bric-a-brac in the stalls that will make her stay worthwhile. It didn't happen last week, or the week before. Fortunately the inn where she and her ward are staying isn't too bad. Not that anything could be done about it if it were, the Creekside Tavern and Inn is the only place to stay in town.
When she finally sits up in bed, Genevieva sees Roya is already awake and up, sitting at the room's table and playing something similar to solitaire with a deck of cards.
When she finally sits up in her
Roderic's Cove. Oathday, 18 Gozran 4726 AR
Correna guides her donkey along the street as she comes into Roderic's Cove. While the Circle Market takes place each week, Correna only makes to into town for it one or maybe twice a month. It's one of her chores, to come in to town to buy things needed at the farm. She doesn't view it as a chore at all though. It's her too-rare opportunity to see other people and have a chat.
There's also always the chance she might find something interesting at the market. She knows that on rare occasions some Thassilonian trinket, found by those adventurous types who seek out and explore those ancient ruins, makes it through unidentified as anything other than curious old junk. Correna hopes some day she'll find something of that sort. To have an object like that, whatever it might be, would be thrilling.
Correna left the farm early, well before dawn, so she could get to town as early as possible. Only a little ways into town, she comes to her habitual first stop, Blackberry's Bakery. Blackberry always has something delicious and freshly baked. Correna makes her first stop for a bit of breakfast. Her second stop there is also her last in town before departing, when she picks up something special to take back to the farm.
Picking pieces of her still-warm bread from some wrapped cloth, she feeds a bit here and there to the 'Little-Sister' of her family. The donkey brays annoyingly in appreciation.
"Yes! Yes! You can have another piece if you stop that nonsense noise Little Sister!"
She then stumbles a bit with a muddy rut in the road she missed seeing, but catches herself on Little Sister's bridle. To her credit, the stubborn donkey only shoves Govrina back and actually neglects to step on her foot in retaliation.
"Damn sunlight!"
With that, Govrina blinks and yawns heavily, then moves towards the market again, eager to see what is there before the town crowds fill the place and grab the best items.
Roderic's Cove. Oathday, 18 Gozran 4726 AR
"Good morning my sweet little girl, what time have you been up since? Have you scrounged up any breakfast?
We've to be off to the Market soon!"
The girl looks up from her card game:"Oh, good morning, Aun...I mean Jenny."
Looking out of the window, the girl shrugs:"I guess I've been up an hour or two? I've been playing 5 games, and I managed to finish 2 of them."
Roya smiles, obviously pleased with herself for getting better. On the mention of breakfast, as if on command, her stomach starts grumbling:"You told me not to leave the room alone, after what happened with that Hag...so no breakfast yet. But I'm hungry. If we go to the market, can we have Trdelnik for breakfast?"
The excitement is almost tangible as Roya waits for an answer.
Roderic's Cove. Oathday, 18 Gozran 4726 AR
"Damn, did we forget to go food shopping again? We'll pick up some food at the market this time so we have something at home.
You are a good girl Ro, I appreciate how responsible you are. Now, where did I put my... Ah there it is!"
Gen gets dressed in one of her less revealing outfits looking into the mirror and frowning, "Need makeup again or maybe more sleep. These bags, terrible".
She pauses, "Trdelnik? Sure, but you need to eat vegetables too, ok? Anyway let's get going!"
Roya packs up her cards, then puts them back into their protective cover and stores them away.
"Fruits?", she offers a compromise, "They are healthy, too, and taste a lot better with sweet things..."
The girl already wore her favorite outfit - her aunt having access to Prestidigitation was really convenient and there was little reason to ever wear something else...why Aunt Gen had a whole bag full of wardrobe with her was unclear to Roya. And 'You'll understand when you're older.' didn't help clarify it one bit.
Roderic's Cove. Oathday, 18 Gozran 4726 AR
"Oh right fruit", Gen grins. "Let's go, let's go!"
They head to the market hand in hand. Gen's other hand is on a dagger in case anyone tries to get too friendly, cannot be too careful you know!
Only a little farther down the road Correna no longer has to worry about mud. The road transitions to the crush seashells used to pave the inner and more important roads in town. She and Little Sister's steps crunch slightly as they walk for maybe a couple of hundred more yards, then they've reached Correna's first destination.
It's a bit early yet, and venders are still busy unpacking and setting out their wares. As Correna ties Little Sister off to go have a look around, she notices a couple she's not familiar with among the other early birds. She older of the two, a youngish looking woman, stands out because she is quite attractive and dresses above the typical standards of Roderic's Cove. Her dress is not casual enough, and certainly not the basic daily wear residents go about work and chores in. With the woman is a girl, not yet a teen Correna thinks, who she would suppose is her daughter.
Like herself and some others there, the woman and child seem to be coming to get an early look at what's for sale before it's been picked over too much.
Genevieva and Roya, don't have far to walk at all the Creekside Inn is located right beside the town circle. The front doors open onto it. As they walk about the circle looking for breakfast they find they have a short wait before they'll be able to get any Trdelnik, stalls are still being set up, and fires for cooking are being stoked.
There is some fruit to be had, but the variety isn't quite what it will be come summer. Mostly they find various types of berries, although there are a couple of stands where they could get apples still left over from the previous fall.
At this point in the morning they do not see many shoppers yet. But one they do notice for sure. She's a young woman tying up a donkey across the circle. The thing that makes her stand out so is she is undoubtedly a half-orc. Genevieva and Roya have not seen another half-orc since they've been in town. As far as they know this woman might be the only one at all.
Seeing the couple, Correna makes her way closer to them as her interest is now piqued.
"You two here looking for something in particular? I know this place like the back of my hand..."
Correna stops suddenly as she stumbles and hops a bit as she steps on a particularly sharp rock she didn't notice. She straightens out her scabbard-ed antique sword on her belt before turning back to the two women.
"Damn light-blindness. Sorry about that! Anyway, maybe I could point you in the right direction..."
...and away from the good stuff so I can see it first!"
Roderic's Cove. Oathday, 18 Gozran 4726 AR
Gen smiles at the half-orc, "I am Gen this is Ro. You are right I am looking for something but I'm not sure what it is. I feel like I'll know it when I find it ya' know? Who are you?"
"Correna! My name that is...it. Sorry! I'm not used to talking to outsiders. I've lived here most of my life, and I'm usually trying to help farm and then practice sorcery and swordplay in my spare time."
She then taps her sword hilt to punctuate her point.
Roya stared at the Half-Orc with the Donkey. It was not that she meant to stare, but she thought about how surprisingly mundane Roderics Cove was - same as with most of the relatives she spent time with.
She had seen all manner of wonders and creatures when she was with her parents, but that Half-Orc was just about the most outstanding thing in this hamlet.
And now it was coming straight towards them. Aware that she had been inpolite, Roya half-hides behind Gen, mostly leaving the conversation to her, except when she explains what she is looking for - "I am looking for a Trdelnik stand that's already open!", she pipes up without leaving her cover behind the taller woman.
"That's...an interesting request. Maybe Blackberry's Bakery? They usually open early becasue they have to start baking so early. I just came from there too. It's back up that road."
She then shows the small loaf of fresh bread she and Little Sister had been sharing.
"Sorcery? Is it in your Blood or are you a practitioner of the Arcane like myself? Perhaps you are what I have been looking for...
Let's go to the Bakery, feed my girl here and have a chat shall we?"
Correna was torn...the stalls would open soon. But another arcanist? What were the odds! She finds herself nodding before she can help herself!
"Sure! Let me tie up Little-Sister better and I can take you there."
After doing so, she continues as she leads the two women away.
"My orc heritage came out recently and I discovered my 'Inner Fire' as the orc tribes usually call it. I'm a sorcerer in practice, but I've barely scratched the surface of my abilities I think. The only downside is this new sun-blindness. It is horrible, but in the dark, I see like a demon. Makes farming interesting I'll say that. Few cows want to be milked in the middle of the night, and tend to startle easily."
As Aunt Gen and the half-orc started chatting about magic stuff, Ro blanked out somewhat. With her own mother being one of the most powerful magic users of the region, if not the world, she had learned to avoid the topic entirely. She was supposed to keep it a secret, and besides, it made her seem like she wanted to show off which made people like her less. So she simply avoided the topic altogether, to prevent accidentally saying something she was not supposed to.
Instead, she tagged along behind the two women, watching the stands as they were being set up and looking forward to a proper breakfast.
Roderic's Cove. Oathday, 18 Gozran 4726 AR
"It's funny, I feel like I have the spark but only through study has it come to light.
Ah yes, seeing in the dark is a boon but being blinded by the light has to be rough. I am surprised that your eyes have not adjusted by now if you've spent so much time away from Orc tribes. I get the sense they are nocturnal for just that reason. I've not had much trek with them, befriended a few who were half-orcs like yourself and have had to slay a few full blooded orcs who sought out my blood!
I suppose it's not a surprise, we moved through their territory uninvited so what can one expect. It is funny, that same action in this village would get me hung, I the wilds though it's every man, and woman, for themselves.
You can't be but a simple farmer or at least you can't want to continue to be a farmer right? Weren't you destined for something... more?
I know little Ro here is, it's why she is with me out exploring the wider world with her Auntie Gen", Gen turns to give Ro a wink and reaches into her coin pouch for the few silvers she has left to get Ro that breakfast.
Correna shrugs.
"My light sensitivity is new. I was an orphan sent here to grow up by a knight of Lastwall that came from Roderic's Cove. He saved me from being sacrificed as a baby...hence the scars...and now I find out my orc blood-magic is stronger than I thought evidently. All the other half-orc's I've met, which is not many, don't have this kind of light sensitivity. I guess it is a trade off for my new magic? Am I a simple farmer? No. I'm not even very good at it. I grew up wanting to swing a sword and search through dungeons! I want more, but...I don't know. Luckily Roderic's Cove gets plenty of adventurers through here. I've learned what I could from any would teach me, and I keep an eye out for anything Thassilonian that pops up in the market. Fascinating stuff!"
Roderic's Cove. Oathday, 18 Gozran 4726 AR
Gen's eyes light up at the words Thassilonian and she cannot keep a grin off of her face, "I know! That's exactly what I am interested in. I spent time as a Thassilonian scholar and translator in Magnimar. That's how I met Ro's dad in fact.
This is it, you're why I am here. It was destiny that we meet".
Correna squints and curses to herself.
"Yeah...ummmm sure? So, you are interested in Thasillonian artifacts too? That entire civilization simply disappeared overnight!"
Blackberry's Bakery is an excellent choice for a place to get a bite to eat and chat as the Circle Market wakes up and the light marine mist burns away as the sun ascends in the sky.
Most of the place's business is people coming in to make their purchases and carry them away, especially on a market day like today. Market day is the busiest day of the week for the shop, and a small knot of waiting customers never diminishes as people come, make their purchases and go. The shop's bustle isn't one of frantic sales, but a comfortable busyness as people greet each other and chat as they wait their turn.
Blackberry is a halfling woman of middling years, with long brown hair and a trim build that seems unusual for a halfling and baker. Correna knows though that Blackberry herself ranges almost daily collecting the blackberries that feature so prominently in her wares. Right now, and for a few weeks to come, strawberries compete with blackberries as an ingredient in her pastries. A chirpily cheery teenaged girl helps Blackberry fill orders. She is also the one to brings any tea or coffee ordered by those who have decided to stay a little while into the side room.
The sitting room, where Correna, Genevieve, and Roya find a table to sit around, isn't particularly large, but it is cozy. There are a half-dozen tables with chairs and a fireplace to warm the space. Most of the tables are occupied, although few people stay as long as the trio. Mostly they are people who prefer to sit while they eat their purchases immediately or wanted a warm drink before venturing back outside.
At one table nearby a couple of traveling merchants catch up with each other, talking about the events of the last few weeks. A boy about Roya's age sits on a stool close to the fire reading a book and pinching off pieces of scone to eat. A young woman alternates between scolding and helping the two young children with her as they eat snacks.
It's easy for the trio to pass almost two hours there, eating some breakfast and getting acquainted.
Roderic's Cove. Oathday, 18 Gozran 4726 AR
Gen speaks at length about her interest in the Thasillonian civilization.
The point comes when the trio realizes they have spent more time at Blackberry's than they had perhaps planned to. The day is moving on toward the late morning.
Correna, Genevieva, and Roya walk back to the Circle Market to get started on what they had originally planned to do, shopping.
They arrive to find the market is now starting to bustle. The stalls and stands are set up, and people are browsing and buying.
The Circle in Roderic's Cove is so named because there is literally a stone circle on the ground. It is large, and delineates the outer boundaries of the public space. The stones that make up the Circle are worked into blocks of the type used in construction. While it isn't a perfectly intact circle, and only one course of stones remain, it's obvious that they mark the foundation of what was once a round building of some sort. Now the stones are moss covered and worn with time. Some random stones, perhaps the ones that sat in the gaps on the circle or from higher up, lay around randomly in the area.
At the founding of Roderic's Cove decades ago, the stone circle was the only evidence of prior occupation. The first tents went up around the Circle, and then eventually the buildings that would become the center of town. The circle therefore is the oldest structure in Roderic's Cove.
The market stalls are set up in the same three clusters as always. Those that sell agricultural products brought in from farms in the surrounding region are clustered on the north side of the circle, nearest to the Creekside Inn. Those selling other types of wares, handmade or manufactured items, as well as antiques, curiosities, and used goods, are clustered on the south side of the circle. In between to the east is the group selling cooked and prepared foods since they have greater need for easy access to the public well outside the circle over there. (Here is where Roya can now get her Trdelnik should she still want it.)
At Blackberry, Roya spent her time observing the people there.
People coming and going, ordering, eating. The cheerful teenager working as server. The boy reading a book.
For a moment, she wondered if he might want to play outside, later, but then remembered that at the time being, that was not an option for her. Not only were her parents missing, but a Hag had tried to kidnap her using a magical disguise the last time she had been in Magnimar - ever since, she was not supposed to go play alone, or generally do much alone, at all. And playing with other kids while your Aunt was tagging along like you are some kind of baby was so uncool. Luckily, she had several games she could play by herself, and enough allowance to buy more now and then.
Eventually, they headed to the marketplace. While she already had two sweet rolls and a cup of Tea at Blackberries, by all means, Roya wanted to have a Trdelnik as well. "Too much sweet food" was not a concept she could understand. Not beyond some abstract level, at least. Happily taking bites out of her second breakfast, Roya wanders the other stalls, with bargains and mystery items.
Looking at this or that, she eventually settles on a small metal trinket. A cylinder with engravings, of unknown origin. Roya expected it to make a wonderful replacement for a tower-piece in one of her games that broke, but when she took a closer look after purchasing it, realized that the metal cylinder was indeed a tube, and one end came lose. Curiously opening it, she found it was a metallic vial, with some crystalline substance inside. Carefully smelling it, the sharp and intense smell in her nose makes Royas eyes teary.
Afraid and excited that she accidentaly puchased some kind of drug or otherwise forbidden substance, she quickly hides it away in her belt pouch and resumes tagging along with Gen and Correna.
Gen window shops but buys nothing.
Gen finally figures, what the hell, maybe I'll come into some gold soon.
She finds something she has long coveted, a spyglass!
Over the next couple of hours Genevieve, Roya, and Correna look through the stalls and boxes of wares at the market. Roya finds and buys a small metal vial that turns out to have some kind of odd smelling substance inside. Correna finds herself a nice bundled up length of spider silk rope. Genevieve comes across a spyglass, likely one off a ship she would guess due to its all-brass construction.
In the meantime a final cart trundles into the market not long after noon. The geezer pushing it stops close by the well and sets up and starts calling out "possum punch! It's a cold day, come warm up!"
All three of you recognize the man from the week before, and Correna knows his name. Bimmer “Possum” Coots comes to sell his punch at the market every week. It's highly alcoholic and quite sketchy, seeming to change color, flavor, and composition from time to time. Possum makes his punch from whatever happens to be around to ferment, but so far as anyone knows it hasn't blinded anyone yet.
It doesn't take long for a small group to gather around Possum's cart, standing about and drinking his punch from wooden cups. It's clear they all know each other well. They are all dressed in well-worn clothing of the type typical for laborers and dockworkers, and their manner seems rough, tough, and not very welcoming of others. After their initial meeting and greeting, and with one cup of punch down and another in hand, the mood of the group seems to shift to somber and angry.
Roya watches as "Possum" sets up his cart and starts selling his punch. It DID smell funny, but Gen said she was not allowed to try it. Which was probably just as well, considering the lack of knowledge regarding the ingredients.
As she watched, Roya noted that the people near the cart were all wearing some kind of patches, like a sort of uniform. Worse yet, she had a feeling she knew the symbol, from a book her mother Lia showed her when she told stories about the "Rise of the Runelords" - the symbol was crude but it very much seemed like the symbol of one of them. Wrath, maybe?
She just tugged at Aunt Gen's sleeve to ask her when Roya noted the group of shady-looking characters approaching. The tug instinctively turned into an attempt to hide behind the adult woman, as Roya nervously interrupted the small-talk of her aunt and Correna: "Jenny, I think there will be trouble...those guys there coming closer don't look like they like the guys with the Wrath-Rune-Patches very much...maybe we should get out of the way?", she indicates the approaching group, then the punch cart.
Frowning, Correna lifts her chin in the group's direction.
"Horned Fangs. Bunch of belligerent blowhards. But dangerous in groups. Maybe we should move on?"
Perception DC 15
Knowledge Local
Knowledge Arcana
Sense Motive
Gen smiles down at Ro, "No let's watch, nothing better than men brawling it out!
Those patches are the Thassilonian rune for Wrath. There may be something to learn here. Let's back up a bit though, I don't want you to get any blood on your nice new clothes Ro or on my new dress".
Roya nods, then follows taking a few steps away.
Aunt Genevieva had many views and opinions that differed from those of her parents, or other relatives she had stayed with.
When she saw the men approach, she had felt afraid. But they were not coming for her, did they?
If she was perfectly honest, the prospect of seeing them brawl was...exciting. It felt wrong in all kinds of ways, but if Aunt Jenny said it was ok-
Still using the adult as cover, she watched the situation unfold.
Suddenly both confused and intrigued, Correna bleats.
"Thassilonian? Rune? What? Fight? What fight?"
She grabs her sword and tries to draw it while keeping it under her cloak.
Gen reaches out to Correna, "No my new friend, don't draw your weapon, we want them focused on each other".
"That patch, on the clothes of those guys, thats a Thassilonian Rune and...", Roya stops explaining, still staring at the scene, now addressing her Aunt:"...do you really think there will be blood?"
She had seen people fight. She herself had been fighting with other children, even. But usually that was resolved as soon as one side gave up, and didn't go THAT far.
Gen shrugs, "There already has been blood, this may be retaliation. If you are going to be an explorer or a legendary adventurer like your parents, you'll need to become comfortable with the sight of blood my dear".
Calming at the woman's gentle touch, Correna replies.
"Blood doesn't bother me. I've helped slaughter the spring lambs every year since I was old enough to help."
She then chants under her breath, pulling on the magic she had to offer herself some minor protection, then blinks again in the strong light.
As Gen, Roya, and Correna move back to make room and watch what happens, the five toughs make their way onward through the market's crowd, closing in on the punch drinkers, or Horned Fangs as Correna knows them.
Mostly the thing that seems to unite them is resentment and anger over the lack of decent jobs and adequate wages in Roderic's Cove. However they don't seem to be particularly political.
The punch drinkers (actually three men and two women) notice the five men coming through the crowd before they arrive. They lose the relaxed air they had before and move together, obviously concerned.
When the five men arrive at the punch stand, they stop a few feet away. The tension between the two groups is palpable as one of the five men greets the other group with obvious snark in his tone of voice.
Nobody in either group seems to be armed, but both groups appear ready for a fight. The terse conversation back and forth begins. Voices are kept low, making it impossible to hear the exchange exactly. What snatches do come through allow you to follow the broad contours of the exchange though.
There is reference by the group of men to a bizarre multiple killing that occurred a week ago late in the evening at the Circle. Six bodies were found dead, all of them associated with the Horned Fangs. The other group seems to be taunting the Horned Fangs about heir loss. Obviously, the men challenging the Horned Fangs feel they have the upper hand now the Horned Fangs are reduced in numbers.
The Horned Fangs give various angry replies, with one of them saying somewhat more loudly and boldly that the others are too pathetic to count for anything, even after the loss of their friends.
The comment is the last straw for one of the men. He shouts “Us Roadkeepers were here first, and we’ll be here last!” and draws back to throw a punch. The punch is never thrown.
Correna, Gen, and Roya all feel the air grow suddenly frigid, as if a ball of winter has exploded up above them. Looking up, they all see the same thing.
A man hangs floating in the air above the crowd. He is blueish and transparent. Blue swirls around him like moving water, making his specific appearance even more hazy and indistinct. He seems to be of middle years, and dressed in what was once a quality set of clothes.
But there are only a couple of seconds to take in the sight. The man opens his mouth, phantom water pouring then dribbling out. In a booming voice that sounds like it’s gurgling out of the throat of a drowning man, the ghost cries out, “NO! MY COVE! NO!” before unleashing a frightful moan.
Will save
Gen stares in fascination, "What is that?"