Welcome to Falcon's Hollow. Is your life insurance all paid up?
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The journey from Carpendem was slow and tedious, especially with how often the left rear wheel kept falling off of Brillag’s fourth wagon. If Mathine never again hears Brillag’s sniveling voice asking oh so sweetly for her to come lend her pretty shoulders to the task, it won’t have been long enough. If the odious man hadn’t been so obviously fat and lazy, the paladin of Iomedae would suspect he was knocking the wheel loose every night just to watch her shiny armour come off.
Even the sudden arrival of the mysterious green-haired woman did little to break up the monotony of the road, not the sudden appearance high overhead of a hunting wyvern, ambling lazily towards Darkmoon Vale. Many of the inexperienced guards (perhaps even one of you) spent many a night after that encounter regaling the others with their imagined heroics, should the fearsome beast have deigned to pluck the small fruit riding the dreary road below.
As the treetops of Darkmoon Wood finally peer over the horizon, you realize there had to have been better ways to earn 5 gold coins: mucking out horse stalls, for example, with your teeth. When the wretched scoundrel hands you your coin, you are quite content to seek different fortunes than the return trip back.
You turn with your belongings to take in the sights and feel of the town, and for a moment consider that maybe Brillag isn’t all that bad after all. While the name Falcon’s Hollow might conjure images of an idyllic wooded valley town with songbirds and bubbling streams, the reality couldn’t be more different. The late spring rains have done little to wash the grime off the bleak and tired buildings, and have done much to churn the main road to mud.
The citizens of Falcon’s Hollow seem equally as bleak, tired, and muddy. Though they pass neighbours shuffling through Low Market, none look up to exchange a greeting or smile, and in fact make the extra effort to physically distance themselves from each other, especially whenever one lets out a grim, hoarse cough into his sleeve. You hear that same cough repeatedly, from other passers-by, and from inside the thin walls of dilapidated homes.
Even Brillag pauses from ordering his men to start the unloading to glance about and scowl. ”Been delivering goods from one hell pit to another now for twenty years. Don’t know what’s going on, but this is a plague town. We’ll be leaving in the morning, and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll be coming along.” He beams one of his sickly, half-toothless grins at Mathine and ambles away, already chewing out some hapless worker.
Behind you is the Perch, a higher part of town with the more affluent buildings and its own low wall keeping the riff raff out. In front of you, a semi-prosperous inn named The Goose ‘n Gander. What the unfortunate fowl appear to be doing on the rickety sign above the door best bears no mention, but the smells coming from inside seem pleasant enough.
You all can add 5 gp to your starting treasure.
Oryn hops down from the caravan looking around at this strange dismal town. "Whoa, I have never seen such a gloomy group of folks. Someone please tell me that this is not normal." A deep breath leads the naive farmboy over to the nearby inn. "At least this inn smells like we can get a decent meal. Anyone care to join me in checking out what this goose place has for food?"
”Long as the beer doesn’t taste like plague.” Bolkvar said as he hopped off the cart. It felt good to have two feet on the ground. Flanked as he was by a pair of part-giants, he truly looked short. Luckily he was a broad shouldered as nearly any man, otherwise he’d truly have been...dwarfed.
Oh, Inheritor save me, he's smiling at me again. Mathine tries to return Brillag's friendly expression, but it's all she can do not to sneer. Disgusting man. Doesn't he know better than to treat one of Iomedae's chosen like this? He should be guarding my honor, not imagining all the ways he'd like to worm past it. As quickly as nicety allows, she turns to look over the town, taking in the dismal scene with gold coins clinking in her hand. The chorus of coughs is hard to miss.
With a sigh, she discreetly rearranges a scarf at her neck to cover her mouth and nose as she turns to face a older, mousy-looking woman standing listlessly near where the carts have unloaded. "Come on, mother," she calls softly, a distinct tone of pity in her voice as she extends her hand. "We're going to the inn now - I'll get us a room for the night." It's no good trying for a room at the church, if they've even got one...all they'll give us is a corner to lay bedrolls in, without the symbol of the Inheritor's Oath. Ridiculous legalists. No respect for the power of my faith. The older woman doesn't respond, but places her hand in Mathine's, and the two walk together toward the inn's front door.
"I'll join you two," she answers the men stepping out beside her. The two couldn't be more different, but they'd seemed congenial enough so far. "No beer for me - intemperance should be run from, not courted. But I hope the food is as good as it smells. Anything would be better than hardtack and dried meat...I'm so tired of hardtack and dried meat." Tomorrow, though, we should try and find the church. If they do have one, it's probably overrun with sick people needing help. We should lend a hand where we can, and it'll be a good way to keep Mother busy.
As the man mentions this is a plague town, Kali's ears perk up and she asks "Who is the local healer here?"
Brillag pauses his slow waddle long enough to point in the direction of the church building sticking up over the low houses.
Following the smell, Oryn finds the dining hall at the Goose 'n Gander inn. A quick glance around finds an empty table where Oryn sits down. "Bolkvar, Mathine I found us a table." To the young woman approaching the table the golden haired lad says "What smells so good? Never mind, I'll have that and bring us a pitcher of beer please." When the serving girl returns with the ale and three mugs Oryn tells her "Sorry, only two mugs for us, thanks. Brillag tells us this is a plague town, do you know when people starting getting sick?"
The serving maid nearly fumbles the extra mug in shock. ”Plague? No plague here. Everything here is fine.”
She then quickly and nervously scurries off before you can question her further.
”That went well.” Bolkvar said dryly. ”Probably afraid we would eat here if we knew. Think we could make some coin looking into this? Probably a healer in town looking to make a coin on a cure that’d hire some muscle.”
Oryn pours out two mugs of beer and replies to Bolkvar "I like the idea of doing something other than guarding Brillag's caravan. Mathine is right, I have had enough of hardtack and dried meat and that wheel that always needs fixing." Then turning to Mathine "Do you know anything about the churches or healers in this town? Think we might have a chance to get hired on here in town? C'mon, we all know you can't stand Brillag. Can we convince you to help figure out what is going on here - and possibly get a better paying job?"
"At least it wasn't you he was leaning on to do all the fixing," Mathine answes dryly with a chuckle. "I'd meant to ask after the churches and healers in town tomorrow, actually, once I'd had a chance to wash away the grime of traveling. I'm not sure hands this dirty belong in a healing house. I have not been blessed with healing magics, as some of the Inheritor's other servants are, but there's usually no shortage of lifting and carrying needed, and that ability I've certainly been blessed with."
Oryn asks Bolkvar "You OK with accompanying Mathine tomorrow to the churches and healers in town? Then inquiring to no one in particular "Wasn't there someone else on the caravan asking around about the churches in town? Maybe it would be a good idea if we all went together."
"Oh, the blue one, right?" The comment isn't said cruelly, just matter-of-factly. "She seems nice - I'm not surprised she'd ask. She looked in on my mother a few times on the way here." Mathine can't help but steal a glance up toward the room she'd reserved, meant for one but having to suffice for two. Her mother was there now, sitting motionless on the bed as she had in the cart. There just wasn't a good way to explain that Mother's problems aren't going to be fixed with medicines.
"Why don't you just say that again!?" and angry young voice calls out through the hum of conversation.
Turning towards the disturbance, you see a fiesty, short-haired girl of about 11 staring down a pair of mid-teen boys, putting herself between the older boys and a tall, thin dark-haired boy sitting at the table and trying to hunch himself into oblivion.
The girl brandishes a fist at shoulder height (for her) and snarls, "Why don't you lean over just this far and call him stupid again? You look pretty thin. Let me feed you your teeth!"
The serving girl hustles over to put an end to the display, until the voice of another boy, also around 11, calls out from a secluded table in the back, "Go on, Jigs. 10 gold says you cry more than you bleed once she's done with ya!"
The serving girl glances at the boy in the back, and quickly backs away to allow the drama to unfold. Jigs, however, apparently feels that discretion is the better part of not getting his ass kicked, despite the obvious disparity in size. He holds up his hands, and whines, "Hey, sorry Kimi. Didn't mean nothin' by it. Honest." Jigs' friend tugs at his sleeve, and the two of them beat a hasty retreat out the front door.
Mathine had jumped to her feet the moment Kimi brandished her fist, and halfway across the room by the time Jigs beat his retreat. Carefully (and less tensely), she continues weaving her way toward the girl, sitting down carefully next to her and the boy she'd been defending. "Hey there - we haven't met, but I get the feeling I'll like to know you," she says with a smile to the girl. "I'm Mathine."
"Why would you want to... Say, are you a real, honest-to-goodness knight of Iomedae? Lady Cirthana wears an amulet that looks like your armour. Is that a real sword? Can I hold it?"
Mathine feels a pair of eyes on the back of her neck, and a quick turn of her head catches the boy at the back staring and glaring at her.
Before she can say anything, however, she feels a tug at her hip as Kimi tries to pull the sword out to look at it.
Kali makes her way towards the church while the others head to the tavern. She politiely knocks on the door and waits for them to respond, making sure to stay a step or two away.
The door to the church of Iomedae opens at Kali’s knock. A regal but tired woman looks out and asks, ”Yes? How long have you had your symptoms?”
"Me? I am not diseased, that I know of. I am here to offer help. I am a trained healer."
”And an outsider, as well. I’m not certain if you really want to involve yourself in the affairs of Falcon’s Hollow. Much of the local element resents outsiders, or anybody who tries to make things...better. Do you have magic that can heal fungal diseases?”
Bolkvar stood back, arms crossed, while he watched. He knew squat about healing, so he was just glad that Kali was there to handle this.
Bolkvar stood back, arms crossed, while he watched. He knew squat about healing, so he was just glad that Kali was there to handle this.
At the inn: Bolkvar, Mathine, and Oryn.
At the church: Kali
Unknown at present: Rao Redflame
"I do not, but as I said, I am a trained healer and you look like you need the help, to be honest." Kali said as she smiled sweetly.
The woman stares into Kali’s eyes for several seconds before slumping and allowing her tiredness to show.
”I am Lady Cirthana, and I have the honour of being the Inheritor’s voice in what passes for the town of Falcon’s Hollow. It may be that you could help a great deal, so I will take a chance and trust you. Don’t say anything for a moment. You came in on the merchant train that just arrived? Of course you did. I appreciate your offer - I sense that you are a kind soul, such a rare sight indeed in these parts. While I too am a trained medic, my training is in removing arrows and patching sword wounds, not plague care, especially when there’s no cure for it. Please do not take offence, but I actually don’t need an extra pair of hands. I have five patients within the church: most of the residents of Falcon’s Hollow, those not too frightened of the lumber bosses to even admit they’re sick, prefer the snake oils of the herbalist Laurel. She probably could actually use an extra pair of hands.”
Lady Cirthana reaches out to feel Kali’s forehead and glands.
”It’s probably for the best, for both of us, if we pretend you came here for a check-up. By now, the magistrate-elect has met with the owner of your caravan. If he’s a scrupulous man, he’s probably already under arrest. If he’s a greedy man, he’s probably already been paid to leave town and keep what he’s seen here to himself. Is he a greedy man? Yes, I can see by your face he is.”
”More than a pair of hands, I need word of this plague to get out, though I suspect it is already too late: those who will die will die and those who will recover will live. If there is a cure to be found locally, if course that is the first priority, but barring that, if you really wish to help, consider leaving with your merchant train and getting word to Carpendem of this sickness. My elders at the Church there can send a real healer, someone with the magical strength needed to end this sickness. Turn around slowly.”
Lady Cirthana gently forces Kali around, pretending to examine the back of her neck. ”Don’t stare, but do you see the two men hiding but not hiding in that alleyway? They watch the Church to ensure I don’t try to leave town.”
She turns Kali around all the way and smiles. ”I believe you are fine, my dear,” she continues, projecting her voice. ”No need for you to worry. Do not drink the water from the Brookman’s Well and you’ll be fine.”
After finishing a delicious dinner of roasted chicken and vegetables, the table was served some sort of fruit cobbler for desert. "Now that was the best meal I have had since I signed on with Brillag. Time to get cleaned up and turn in for the night. See you all in the morning. Good Night." With a wave to the table Oryn heads to his room.
”Aye. That sure beats travel rations. Suppose we’ll find work come morning. Or if not, ye all can join me in looking for some ruins. Either way, will see ya.” Bolkvar said as he finished his drink.
"I am, As honest-to-goodness as they come," Mathine answer's Kimi's question about her knighthood with a self-satisfied smile. No matter what the rest of those closed-minded fools might tell you. The boy's glare unnerves her, but it's the grab for her sword that grabs her attention; she shoos Kimi away gently by setting her hand on the sword's hilt. "This is no place for drawn blades. Drawing it in here would only cause people to worry. 'Learn the weight of your sword' - it's one of the first things my mother taught me." When she was worthy to bear the blade.
Seeing Oryn and Bolkvar retreat, Mathine turns back to Kimi, still half-smiling. "You said there was a woman wearing this symbol, a Lady Cirthana? Tell you what - take me to her, and I'll let you watch me practice with my sword this evening, all right? I'd like very much to meet her."
"Sure thing!" Kimi exclaims. "C'mon, Mikra. Let's get out of here. Say, you wouldn't happen to have a pair of coppers for our ciders, would ya? I think I'm out."
Kimi is quite happy to lead you to the Church of Iomedae, though before you can make it all the way there, you encounter Kali on her way back.
"Sure." It was only fair, after all, given Kimi was showing her around. As she passes the serving girl, she passes on to add the children's cider to her room's tab, then leaves in Kimi's tow. When she sees the blue girl on the path Kimi leads her rather authoritatively down, it doesn't take long to put two and two together. "Hey - hey! I saw you in the caravan. I guess you beat me going to the church? What did you find out?"
"I'm sure I've not seen you here in town before. I am Belinda."
"Oh, lady Knight. I was just coming to find you. I heard that the inn has some really good stew, and I wanted to share a bowl with you. Now come along."
Without waiting for an answer, Kali hooks her arm in Mathine's and bodily hauls her back towards the inn. Each time she tries to speak, Kali gently yet firmly squeezes her arm.
"Ahh, there are my favorite men. Enjoying a nice meal, are we? That's nice. I thought we might all retire to a side room to enjoy a bottle of wine and discuss our fortures on having come to this lovely town. It'll be my treat."
She then walks up to the bar and asks about their wine selection. She's looking for something more expensive, since it would be less likely to have been pulled out recently. She pointedly does not answer any questions from the group.
"O-of course? Thanks, Kimi -" The near-stranger's persistence throws Mathine off for just a moment, but she recovers quickly and falls in stride with one last friendly wave toward her young new acquaintance. She'd have liked to make small talk along the way, enhance the illusion of a friendly stroll, but her former traveling companion seems intent on keeping her quiet. Whatever she heard, it must have really rattled her...
Kimi appears concerned that she's now going to miss out on watching the swordplay, so she follows the two women back to the inn, shooting Kali several angry glares. Once back at the inn, she plunks herself down at a table near the entrance and watches the two of them from a sullen distance.
Meanwhile, Rao at the bar with Belinda notices the two women from the caravan enter the inn and take up a deep discussion at a table nearby.
"Ahh, my favorite men are not here. I'll go and find them. You get us a bottle of wine to share so that we can toast our fortunes at coming to this delightful town." She then tosses Mathine a gold coin before asking which rooms Bolkvar and Oryn were in, then heading upstairs once she got her answer.
She knocks on both their doors and waits for both to open, then says in a normal tone of voice [b]"Ah, my friends, I'm glad you are still up and fully dressed. I thought we might share a bottle of wine and toast to our fortunes at coming here.
Her face, however, is full of anything but joy, her eyes basically pleading for you to agree. She also looks towards pointedly at any weapons that might be visible from the door to your rooms.
She then makes her way back downstairs and asks to rent one of the bartender's private rooms for the evening.
By the time she was asking, her smile had returned to her face.
”There is a minor illness infecting a small number of our citizens. Certainly not anything a young and sturdy lad such as yourself should worry about.”
Glancing at the two arrivals, she pats Rao’s hand. ”I see your friends have returned. You no doubt have things to discuss, such as whether or not to flee our little plague. I shall see you around, I’m sure.”
She finishes her drink, slides off her stool, and heads for the stairs and up.
Alas, Kali, there are no private rooms, though there is the table at the back. The surly lad seems to have left.
Kali, upon hearing this, directs the rest to join her in the room she rents (using the same coin instead).
Once everyone is assembled, she says "We need to leave. As soon as possible."
Bolkvar glared at Kali. He didn’t mean to, but he had been enjoying lying in a soft bed. ”What’s the meaning of this? It’s been so fooking long since we had the chance to sleep in real beds, and ye want to leave already? Why’s that?”