I would do that. Happily. The Lady of Graves has blessed me with gifts and through he gifts, I have become wealthy. It would be my blessing to pass the Lady's blessings on to you. Just remember her teachings and act in a way befitting of the place you want to get judged to go. Fenrick spends the gold to get the tombstone the way she wants it. He also leaves her enough gold to get her life somewhat back on track.
When we regroup, you see Fenrick quite a bit more dirty than normal but he seems like a great weight has been lifted. He seems more of himself now. Hello friends, how did the shopping go?
Still crying, and with the front of her covered in dirt, she forces herself to her feet and stammers, "I... I need to go... go see if Torg is still at his shop... so I... so I can order the stone today..." She gives you a damp, dirty hug then calls out "thank you, sir" as she hurries off into town.
The Seekers have little trouble securing rooms at the Shady Bower. Dinner is a hearty stew of salted goat and root vegetables. Breakfast consists of eggs scrambled with goat cheese and warm scones with butter. Neither meal is extraordinary, but both are a welcome respite from trail rations and conjured manna.
The Witness confers with his associates as soon as all are awake.
"Gavin, please contact Wulfric and instruct him to stop his movement and not to resist any unknown mental magics until we join him, which hopefully will be by noon." He turns his attention to the twins. "You and your sibling are from Borroka, are you not? I’d like you to share a memory of the place with me, preferably one including a notable building or landmark. I’ll first need to prepare my spells, but then should be able to join our minds quite easily.
”Once I have a good sense of that place, I’ll translocate us there, which should put us within striking distance of our porter - I’ll simply have to scry on him to take us there, much as I did with Marko and his cousin.
”Any objections?”
"Sounds a fine plan to me." Gavin mumbles through a large bite of scone. Once finished with breakfast, he contacts Wolfric again, relaying the Witness' message.
I am ready to travel onward. Half way through this quest, only two to go. Fenrick enjoying the real meal that we have rather than trail rations.
"Our... minds..." Seth stops his rummaging and gives the Witness a look. One of deep concern, that is hastily smothered. "I don't know if that is a good idea, I'm sorry." he brings up an easy smile "I am sure we can find someone about that is from my lands that will work just as well. In the taverns, maybe, to find just the mind you need."
"That we certainly can." Gavin says, trying to ease the situation.
"Seth, my lad, why don't you come with me and we'll poke around a bit. Oh, but just so we don't waste too much of the morning, let us know if either of you find anyone yourselves." the old priest says, weaving a familiar magic over the group.
"Lets see what we can find, shall we? I think we're looking for folk from west or northwest of the main city."
Gavin (and Seth if he is willing) head off to the marketplace to make a few new friends and poke around.
If there is no luck there, Gavin makes his way back to the Emporium to reconsider those magic spoons.
Although it takes longer than might be ideal, Gavin tracks down a scout from Borroka well ahead of lunch. The man, he is told, patrols the road between here and the city and is in town quite often. A blushing young clerk at the general store seems quite sure that he is originally from Mendebaldeko, the westernmost town in Borroka‘s territory.
Sergeant Anders, as he is called, is standing at the blacksmith’s when you find him, waiting for his sword to be sharpened. He seems a fairly serious man, in his mid twenties, dressed in studded leather with a backpack and longbow strapped to his back. ”Can I help you?” he asks when it becomes apparent that the priest is approaching him.
Seth gives another apologetic shrug to witness, then heads out with Gavin. "Thank you." he tells the cleric as the move around the stalls, leaving it at that if he can.
He helps chat with people in his unassuming pleasant way that gets people to open up and share more than they meant to. Also weeds out people just fishing for coin.
"Yes my good man, I believe you can. my companions and I are seeking some information you might possess. We wish to travel to lands you are familiar with, and have the magical means to do so in an expedited manner, but we need a....very detailed account of the place in question. We could compensate you for your help." Gavin stops short of the full details to gauge the mans interest and comfort level.
The sergeant eyes Gavin suspiciously, but the friendly presence of a fellow Atlaean seems to put him at ease. Talking more to Seth than to the priest he answers, "I've got a few minutes while I wait on this... what place, and what kind of details?"
Gavin sends a quick mental message to the Witness to start making his way to the Smithy, then addresses the Sergeant again.
"We are specifically looking for a place west or northwest of the city. As to the nature of the description, the safest way to get that information from you would be for you to picture the place in your mind, and for my friend to share that mental image with you magically. I assure you the process is completely safe and minimally uncomfortable. As to compensation, I can offer you 35 gold coins for your help, and my appreciation."
The Witness nods at Gavin and The Crow's suggestion. "Very well - I shall prepare my spells while you two canvass the town for candidates."
He does just that, copying the scroll of share memory into his spellbook and then memorizing it along with the rest of his daily incantations. Several hours later, his tasks complete, he receives a message from Gavin which prompts him to grab his belongings and head out into the town.
++On my way.++
Sergeant Anders scrutinizes the aging priest again, then looks to Seth for some kind of assurance. When he looks back to Gavin he thoughtfully replies, "any place west or northwest of the city? It doesn't have to be the city, or a settlement, or any kind of important location?"
"We would certainly prefer that it be a safe location, and one where we would be unlikely to startle anyone, but yes, it need not be in the city itself. The city is not our final destination, merely a step in the journey." Gavin replies.
"I would prefer you were unlikely to startle anyone too..." the scout answers, clearly still conflicted. "There's a creek in the woods north of the forest, just west of where Borrokan territory ends. I used to fish there all the time and I can still see it in my mind. I could sell you that image, but I need to know that you're not going to cause any trouble around there, and what, exactly, you mean by minimally uncomfortable..."
"My friend, who is on his way, would be better able to explain the process of sharing the memory." Gavin replies, looking to see if the Witness is in sight down the street yet.
"As to trouble, I have seen far too much of that to have any desire to bring is upon your lands, or any other. I give you my oath as a servant of the Dawnflower that we will bring no evil to Borroka. And I Give you my word, as a man who has seen both friends and strangers die needlessly, that we earnestly seek to avoid conflict." Gavin concludes.
"It is just a REALLY long trip unless we do it this way. No trouble is meant by us, promise." he gives a reassuring grin.
As the Witness draws near, the sergeant seems somewhat comforted by Gavin's word, and even more so by Seth's promise. When the two turn to greet the Witness he tentatively asks, "this is the memory-sharer?"
He looks the wizard up and down then nervously explains, "your companions have offered to pay me to share a memory, but before I agree I need to know exactly what that's going to do to me, and how I can be sure that you're not going to steal other memories?"
"I'm going to cast a spell that allows me to momentarily link my mind with yours and share a single memory of no longer than one minute. Upon casting the spell and touching you, I can experience one of your memories, allow you to experience one of my own, or allow you to experience one of your own memories in great clarity. In this instance, I will be experiencing your memory; if you describe the memory to me, I will find that memory and only that memory to share. The only real guarantee you have that I'll not take some other memory instead is my word; also, not knowing anything about you, any random memory I might share instead is likely to be of no value to me.
"I'll require your cooperation - if you resist the spell, it may fail."
The Witness reaches out a hand to the sergeant's shoulder while intoning his spell's syllables, briefly linking their minds. He nudges for the memory the man described and it floats to the surface of his perception - a clear-watered creek on an equally clear day, fishing line bobbing in the water until suddenly pulled, his hands quickly pulling in a large river trout...
"Excellent. My thanks for your assistance." The wizard removes his hand from the man's shoulder and turns to his companions. "If this creek is in the region he states, it should be ideal for translocation purposes."
"Thank you so much for your help, good sir." Gavin says, counting out the gold and handing it over. "You are a credit to your countrymen." he adds with a warm smile.
"We won't take up any more of your time."
Our business complete, Gavin suggests they find a bite to eat for lunch before departing.
"One of the fine folk Seth and I met today suggested a little Inn serving roasted pheasant." His mouth watering a bit at the thought of one of his favorites.
"While I don't advocate entering into unknown situations hungry, we shouldn't lunch too long. I prefer not to keep our porter waiting unnecessarily."
"Allons-y!"
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Entering 'The Rusted Buckler' turns out to be the only easy part of lunch.
The dining room is dark and hot from bodies and proximity to the kitchen. The room smells more of working men than food and the only waitress points them to a table with only 3 chairs.
The clientele is not much different than the ambiance. despite the early hour, rugged men argue and laugh loudly while drinking warm ale, and a fight nearly breaks out at the next table.
Calm prevails and two men leave, freeing up a chair for Seth. The aged waitress finally walks by, looks at the group and mumbles "Four lunches and four ales." and then walks away.
While they wait and keep an eye on the room, Gavin asks about Fenricks morning.
Recounting the progress of the others, he asks "How did things go with your meditation and worship?'
The ale that arrives at last is stale and undrinkable, the potatoes are hard as stones (or possibly stones that resemble potatoes?), but the game birds that arrive are simply perfect. Baked with butter and some kind of tart root spice, they are the best meal Gavin has had in weeks.
As Fenrick recounts his day, Gavin cant help but insist on another helping (just the bird this time).
After their meal, the foursome settle their reasonable tab as the room fills a little more and promises a raucous night.
Fenrick is happy to come eat lunch in civilization for a final time before hitting the road again, but isn't impressed by the choice of location. He happily munches down on the meat potion of the meal but questions if the potatoes are any better than the rations. He doesn't touch his ale.
My time went a lot better than I would of expected to be honest. I worked in the local graveyard to tend to the site which is rewarding in itself. he bites into more of the meat and questions how a chef can know how to make this but fails at simple potatoes.
but while tending there, I encountered a young widow. She seemed stricken by grief of her late husband who left her with child and nothing to her name. It is a sad story as he died try to protect their livestock from a wolf. In the end, she lost her husband and the livestock. She seemed relieved to have someone to talk to about his life and helped guide her along the path that seemed like it would lead to her meeting him in the Boneyard. It seemed she needed this comfort.
Her husband couldn't even have a tomb stone due to the lost of her livestock and that just wouldn't do. Burials are sacred to the Lady of Graves and so I made sure she had enough money to get him one... but I may of stopped farther than the Lady would of adviced me. She would support me helping her with the burial, but I also gave her some money to help restart her live. Fenrick continues to talk and clear all the meat from the bones.
Pharasma stays neutral to all things. Good and evil are irrelevant to her, they just decided where you will be sent. So my action is doing a good action in her name... which would probably been frowned upon by the church. But I believe neutrality isnt just in the individual choices we make but rather the sum of our lives. I believe I committed a sin by sending some men to their graves or in their cases pyre. So the neutral action would be to add some good to the world to balance out my impact on the world.
So I helped this young woman find her way in life and now I am ready to move on. Thank you for the food.
Seth is frowning deeply into this ale, wondering what are the black flecks floating in the weak piss colored liquid. Some kind of spice? Grime from the mug? A living insect of some kind.
"I think you did good" he says after finally tearing his eyes away from the mystery. "I know that isn't a spec in the wake of your goddess's favor, but it is what it is worth and nothing more." he gives a grin. "I'd toast you, but I don't think any of us want that."
As the Seekers are finishing the meals and discussing the goodness of helping others, a heavyset Vitolian man in his early fifties, wearing a white chef’s hat, bursts into the dining room shouting, “ Ovviamente ho dato a tutti i polli interi, in che altro modo avrei dovuto recuperare il servizio per le ultime patate viziate dall'autunno?”
He gestures dramatically with his hands as he yells and the wooden cooking spoon in his right hand splatters greasy flecks of melted butter around the room with each movement. An unsuspecting diner nearby is about to put a potato in his mouth when the chef rips it from his hand and hurls it at the door he originally entered from. Without any further explanation he then storms out into the street and disappears from view.
Not long afterwards, the Seekers pay their modest tab and head out as well. Ducking into an alley, they gather around the Witness for another ‘poof’. All goes well with the wizard’s aim, and a split-second later they are standing in a muddy field listening to the creek bubble by. The memory seems to have been accurate, and the idyllic scene appears to be 300 or so miles west of Borroka in the very outskirts of the Great Forest.
After a quick look around to see if there are any immediate threats, Gavin tells Fenrick and Seth, "You know the drill by now, we are on lookout until the Witness is ready." With a warm smile.
Then he paces around a bit (not more than 40' from the group) while absentmindedly rubbing his full belly.
The Witness takes a moment to note their surroundings before drawing his mirror from his haversack and beginning his lengthy incantations. Staring into the depths of the mirror, his arcane net of perception slowly draws tighter until, an hour later, it has pulled tight around the world's greatest porter. The energy focuses onto a point and creates a magical sensor, through which The Witness can both see and hear.
"I have located our porter," he announces to whomever is nearby.
Seth looks at the potato on his fork in horror, then sets it down, happy to move on.
He finds a decent point away to sit and listen for anyone approaching, breathing his native air. A slight touch of homesickness wiggles in his gut.
"Is he close?" he asks over his shoulder.
When Wulfric finally comes into view in the mirror he is in the form of an eagle, perched on the bottom branch of a maple tree. There is a small clearing beneath him but even with the limited range of vision provided by your spell you can see that it is hedged in by brush and other trees. There are no signs of danger in the clearing.
Fenrick is clearly in thought about his actions after explaining it all. I hope I did the right thing...
He then follows along with the group, ready for the next big change in scenery.
"Close is a highly subjective term. He remains within our intraplanar coordinate system, approximately nine hundred eighty-three miles from our present location. Close enough for me to effect our translocation to his position with the spells I've memorized.
"He seems to be alone and in a safe location, so far as I can tell from here. If anyone has any preparations they'd like to make prior to our joining him, please do so now."
The Witness stows his mirror, and once everyone is ready he casts his spell, translocating the party to the ground under Wulfric's perch.
"Allons-y!"
Gathering around the Witness, the Seekers join hands and fall through nothingness for a barely perceptible moment before jolting to a stop on the mossy earth of a small, shady grove beneath the branches of two towering maple trees. There is an eerie stillness to the air and all around ferns, bushes, and smaller trees push in on the edges of the grove. A golden eagle sits on the bottom branch of the nearest maple watching the four new arrivals orient themselves.
With a flap of its wings, the eagle hops from the branch and glides towards the ground. As it reaches the forest floor, it transforms into the familiar form of Cardriss' Greatest Porter, albeit a more tired version of him than the Seekers are accustomed to. "I'm glad you guys are here," he says, reaching out to shake whatever hands are offered back to him. It is clear, however, that this is not merely a greeting but an expression of concern. "Something is not right in this forest. I mean, I've been in parts of the Great Woods before, but in this area, specifically, things are... out of balance. Two days ago--maybe three-hundred, three-hundred and fifty, miles south of here--I saw what looked, from a distance, like lizard-birds... I made it a point not to get too close, but they looked like eagles with green scales on their bodies and along the front edge of their wings."
"Yesterday, when I stopped for lunch, I was hidden pretty well in the crook of an oak tree next to a meadow. A gang of elk were grazing there when this... thing showed up. It looked like a grizzly bear but it also had green scales: in a ridge down its back and across its shoulders, and on all its paws. It charged the elk, and most of them bolted, but the one in the center turned towards it and I saw that it had fine silver scales in a similar pattern, and wings folded against its sides. It charged forward and gored the bear and then, when the bear reared up to attack, it did the same and I saw that it had clawed paws too where its front hooves should have been. I watched them fight for nearly a minute and then the bear belched out a cloud of green smoke that burned the elk and wilted all the grass around them. I got out of there quick after that."
"Last night was probably the strangest though... It was getting near time to land and up ahead I could see a huge tree... probably the tallest I've ever seen, and there were figures circling around it... at first I thought they were strange birds, but as I got a little closer I realized the tree was farther away than I first thought, and the creatures were larger... I got as close as I dared and discovered they were people of some sort, three of them. Slender people, with darkleaf armor and big green leathery wings, almost like a bat's if they were green. I veered east a little and sped past them, but I hid extra well before I slept last night... and I kept waking up to the sound of something fairly large flying overhead."
"Those are strange happenings indeed." Gavin replies, taking the mans hand in a vigorous shake. "Though, such things are well outside both my limited study and my not so limited experience."
"I am glad you are well. Wise decisions and prudence have been good companions to you in our absence."
Gavin makes a quick study of the area, even though he knows Wolfric will have done his due diligence.
"We have dealt with a bit of strangeness ourselves in the last few days. Each of the Anchors seems to hold a pocket dimension we have been able to enter. Each dimension has held a particular challenge, for us as a group, or individually." Gavin rambles on about the last few days until stopped by the other for more pressing concerns.
"I've never heard anything like it either. Well not specifically, killer bears and gas that kills (usually from the other end) are common enough stories in taverns, NOT saying your sighting are anything like those." he quickly adds, not wishing to be misunderstood. He looks to the other two if they've ever heard anything.
The Witness nods to the porter and listens to his tale.
"Interesting. There are no flying reptiles native to this region, and the scaled versions of the other animals you've described aren't a known subspecies. They could be the result of interbreeding with two different variety of dragons, but given the extreme rarity of the presence of any dragon, it would seem an unlikely explanation. As for the bat-winged humanoids circling around a giant tree, perhaps costumed druids performing some sort of ritual? Or were-bats?
"In any event, you've performed your task admirably and lived up to your title. Now we must decide on how best to continue our journey."
He turns to his companions. "My intention was to send our speedy porter southwest while we continued on to this Anchor so as to cut several days off our journey by translocating to him when we're finished in this region. If things are as strange and dangerous as they appear, however, it may be more prudent for him to accompany us so we may benefit from his woodcraft, despite the future delay it will cause.
"Your thoughts?"
"I worry that if we enter the next anchor, we will leave Wolfric alone outside. My preference would be to afford him safer travel than he might find with us. But I will yield to your wishes of course, Wolfric."
Gavin says after digesting the talk of dragons.
Wulfric furrows his brow. ”There’s druids in these woods, no doubt,” he answers, ”but that didn’t look like any ritual I’ve ever heard of...”
”As for staying or going... it’s my job to do what you need, and if that means finding a safe place to hide while you’re inside whatever an anchor is, then I’ll figure something out.”
Seth nods, knowing enough about Wulfric to know he knows his own skills better than any of them ever will. "Getting to this anchor is our top priority now, and Wulfric would greatly aid us in that." the young man says, voting for him to stay with them for now.
Wulfric nods. "Alright... how do we find this anchor?"
"Conveniently, the Anchor is south-southwest of us, which means you can lead us there and continue on towards the fourth while we're inside without any backtracking.
"I have some small preparations to make and the will be ready continue."
The Witness draws his rod and casts mage armor, extending the spell, and is ready to go.
"If you are doing that, then it is probably time to allow my sister sometime in the sun." so Seth will pass behind a tree for a moment and Lyra will step out. She'll give a curtsey at their display, readjust her belts across her hips "Ready"
"It's decided then, we proceed together to the third anchor." Gavin smiles and straightens his bright yellow tunic.
"Keep your eyes peeled for scaly things." he says, only half joking.
Wulfric scratches his chin through his beard and looks around a bit uncomfortably. "So, uh, is the plan just to walk that direction until you see it, and fight whatever attacks us in the meanwhile?" he asks.
"because, you know, I don't fight... that's, uh, not part of the deal. And, well, even if it were, all my spells today are for traveling faster or farther..."
"Rest assured, Wolfric, the fighting is well covered." Gavin says with a glance toward Lyra and Fenrick.
"If danger comes, do whatever you can to remain safe. We can always contact you after."
As to traveling faster and farther...
"If you are comfortable scouting ahead of us, that could provide a valuable warning, should we encounter trouble."
The Witness turns back to Wulfric. "It occurs to me that with more information you may be of greater assistance. May I cast another spell on you?"
The Witness utters a short spell and touches the porter, instantly transmitting the exterior details of the two Anchors and surrounding ruins he's recently visited.
"Have you seen or heard of anything like these in the region?"
Fenrick confirms the witness's report on not being any natural creature but lacks any specific knowledge about them.
He readies himself to travel to find the next anchor. The beast do seem worrisome but also doesn't feel like our problem...