The Bakery
Gudrun Gudbrandottir is a young woman with red hair in a long braid, wearing a green dress over a white blouse. She’s preparing meat pastries and rolling out dough.
Would you be Gudrun? We are looking for yer niece and nephew... Methinks they may be able to help us... Toki says with a smile. He takes in the scent of fresh breads and sweets with a deep breath, How much for that one?
Inhaling all of the delicious scents, Braith mutters something about sure I can eat again, and pokes her head around Toki's arm. Pointing to a golden pastry, she asks And how much for that one?.
Observing your entry at first with a slight, suspicious frown -- a frown that deepens at the first question about the teens.
Gudrun brightens considerably, however, as you buy a couple of pastries: "Those are 5cp each."
"As for the twins -- how would they be able to help you?"
The bunny watches in rapt attention as the baker does her thing of baking with her baking accessories and asks if he can help roll out the dough, make the dough and if she makes onion or tomato tarts.
Toki fishes out a couple of silvers, expecting the others to partake as well and leans in, The gods, Gudrun... they have sent us here to partake in a quest, a quest about magicks. After what we have seen them do, even if they do not understand it, I think they can help us... You remember how revered the seer was back in the old days? Well, we each had this one visit us in our dreams, and I don't relish turning my back on the gods...
Jack a lope is growing bored with all this talk, he would rather dance or sing or play, he still wonders where his tag buddy went. Looking around something catches his attention. The bunny folk sees a bit of loose cloth on Toki's pants and begins to unravel it like a ball of yarn.
Gudrun begins to tell Jacka-Lope that, no, he cannot help with the baking, and please could he stay on the other side of the counter, but it seems like the harengon has already moved on. [ooc]There are meat-free buns and some sweet pastries with honey, but nothing with vegetables.[/b]
Jaylen notices that, unlike the other townsfolk he's encountered, Gudrun is unperturbed when Toki starts to talk about magic.
"The gods, eh? Well, what's this quest about, and how are a pair of teenagers (who haven't even finished their chores for the day) supposed to help you with that?"
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Gideon orders whatever was most recently baked hoping that nothing has had a chance to spoil it yet. He nods at Toki's statement with full mouth, careful not to let too many crumbs fall to the floor.
If he sees Jacka-Lope with his frivolity he will shake his head in amusement, but not say anything.
I'll have to keep an eye on him to make sure I'm not his target... but his mischief could prove a useful distraction to more... well... discrete actions.
While Toki and Gudrun talk, she exchanges coin for a baked treat and starts to consume it. She gives Jack some serious side eye for his antics, wonders to herself if he's altogether right in the head.
After a brief conversation, you extract from Gudrun that her brother, Gorm, is a sorcerer. He and his wife left the twins with her when Gorm went to Olafstaad (south of Blodvahrer) to join a group called the Initiates of Flame.
Gudrun becomes very concerned for the children's safety when she hears about Yrsa's accidental spellcasting: "Things aren't going to go well for them if they stick around here now. Bloody small-minded.... And where the hell is Gorm -- he should have been back by now to fetch these kids."
We think that they may be the 'two-fold child' that the prophecy tells of to lead us to Witwulf's power... a spellbook, we think? Toki muses, Do you think you could arrange a meet for us?
Gudrun doesn't know what you're talking about ("Witwulf? Who's that?" "Those kids definitely don't have a spellbook"), and is about to tell you to get lost when the twins come in through the back.
Gulli: "Sounds like you need to do some research!"
Yrsa: "Best place to learn stuff is at the Law House!"
Gulli: "Well, yeah -- it's pretty much the only place in town with books, unless you count the Tempus temple."
Yrsa: "And we don't. Obviously."
Gulli: "Yeah -- obvi."
Yrsa: "We can take you there!"
Gulli: "Yes! Let's go right now!"
Gudrun interrupts (finally): "Whoa, now. Hang on -- I don't think you two should be off wandering the town after this morning's mishap."
We'll watch over them, Toki smiles reassuringly, though it probably comes off a little awkward...
Gudrun puts her foot down: "I don't think so -- you run off and look for your spellbook, if that's what you need to do. Leave my family out of it."
Gulli: "Aww, but Auntie..."
"No! Things are bad enough -- I don't want you running off with a bunch of strangers to get into even more trouble. Just let things quiet down a bit -- maybe they'll forget all about this morning."
Yrsa mutters darkly: "Yeah, like that'll ever happen around here." But she pulls Gulli after her into the back of the bakery.
The heregon declares, I like books! I like to read books in my hollow drinking hot tea or hot cocoa that my mom has made, only with warm cream, and eating a cookie. I can help you look for your book because I am the bestest and fastest book finder EVER! with emphasis on the last word.
Should we split up the two places? Some of us could try the Tempus Temple, and some the Law Library.
Jaylen, surprised that the twins weren’t noticed before they came into the room, tries to smooth over the situation and maybe salvage Gundrun’s blessing that the kids help on the mission.
Please, he says as he moves to the counter to speak directly to the baker. We need your assistance in this endeavor and those kids need some guidance too. Their magic will only grow and some of us” (motioning to the others) ”have the experience to help those kids.”
"Help with what?? The Law House is at the north end of town -- you don't need the kids to find it. And how are you proposing to help them with magic? No -- best they just forget about such things unless they want to end up like their father. And best you be leaving now, I think."
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Gideon shrugs at the unwillingness to let the children accompany them and tries to defuse the situation.
"There, there now. We mean no harm, and like you care for the safety of yours and any children. We'll go to this law library and do a little research, but perhaps we might schedule a time to meet with the children... under your supervision of course. We may be able to help them come to grips with the... problems they are experiencing. I am Gideon of the Dawnbringer Clan, and you have my word that no harm shall come to them under our watch".
Persuasion
He then turns to the door.
"Come friends let's chance our tack for the moment".
Excitedly, the haregon follows Gideon out the door, playing hop scotch on the way out.
Gudrun remains unconvinced by your arguments.
Leaving the market, you walk along the main north / south road through town, passing the inn and general store, and then the artisan and merchant's districts.
Toki shrugs, Sorry kids... Listen to your elders. Your aunt is only concerned for your safety...
The Northlander looks to his companions, Reading too many words in a row makes me sleepy, but I guess unless we find an old-timer to tell us the history of this place, I am going to have to suck it up!
Almost at the very northern edge of town stands, according to the sign out front, Blodvahrer’s Law House. Part log house, the structure contains several side buildings that are made up of large stones cemented together.
The door is answered by an old man, bald, wearing simple yet expensive black clothes. He introduces himself as Ragnar Alisson, lawspeaker for Blodvahrer and the surrounding region.
"How can I help you folks today?"
Greetings, Elder Toki greets the Lawspeaker, We are here to learn of Witwulf. He was the founder of this settlement, yes?
Braith glances at Toki with that 'say what?!' look, because she has no idea why he thinks that. But, she elects to keep quiet, just to see what information the lawspeaker might actually have.
Ragnar takes a step back at this unexpected assertion: "Oh, certainly not. You have been misinformed, my young friend. The founder of this settlement was Gudbjorg Ingibjorgdottir, who was shipwrecked here on her way to Olafstaad. The natural harbour appealed, and she decided... But wait, who did you say? Witwulf? Could you mean Bronal Witwulf? Hmm... I'm sure I've read about him in our archives -- he was born and died here in Blodvahrer, oh, maybe a hundred years ago? Fool of an adventurer, if I recall."
The haregon has to stifle a laugh at these funny sounding names.
Toki smiles, a satisfied smile, Tell me about Bronal Witwulf... Where did he live? Where did he die?
"Oh, I think he adventured all over the Moonshaes, but we'll have to find that book again -- I can't hold all the details in mind at my age. What's your interest in Witwulf?"
Ragnar invites you inside to discuss further, and is happy to give you access to the archives, which are held in several rooms in the Law House.
The seer charged us with finding his spellbook or something. You know how cryptic they are... but perhaps the more we complete of the prophecy, the more it will all make sense, Toki admits with a shrug.
EDIT:
Ragnar blinks rapidly, tilting his head to one side: "Spellbook? How odd? This area is not known to produce spellcasters, or any deep thinkers, really. And it seems especially unlikely that Bronal Witwulf would know anything about magic. But... well, stories do tend to gain and lose interesting bits through the years. Why there once was a man from Corwell said to be over ten feet tall? Yes, if you can imagine one of the Ffolk..." Ragnar chuckles lightly and continues on this and several other tangents ... er, stories.
Toki laughs, Let us get to the bottom of this then! What have you got on this Witwulf?
Ragnar scratches his head vaguely: "Oh, there's at least one book in here somewhere. Might have to dig a bit to find it, though."
Who is this woman?
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Gideon, recalling the countless hours searching the libraries in his childhood manor begins a systematic search for anything of interest about this Witwulf individual.
Investigation
And though the organization of the book stacks confuses him he gathers a few texts to more thoroughly examine hoping something can be unearthed.
"Anybody want to help me look through these"?
Umm, yeah... Toki glances again at the book before setting it down and joining Gideon.
After a couple of hours of searching and cross-referencing, Gideon passes around a small stack of books that he's narrowed his search to. As it turns out, one of the books he kept for himself is a compilation of pamphlets about historical figures and events that have been bound together; including one about Witwulf. He learns that:
- 140 years ago, Bronal Witwulf was an infamous adventurer.
- Witwulf was a barbarian known for feats of strength and endurance, and especially acts of extreme stupidity. So much so that some of his exploits became cautionary tales.
- The tales make mention of Witwulf referring to his warhammer as his "spellbook," joking that he used it to cast sleep on people.
- In old age, Witwulf returned to Blodvahrer and commissioned a tomb of sorts near the old burial mounds of his forefathers. He was buried there upon his death.
- The archives contain a map with the location of this tomb.
Ahah! Toki exclaims, His spellbook was his warhammer! We need to find his weapon!
Jaylen, flipping through one of the books, closes his book matter of factly. ”Well at least we know what we’re looking for now. It seems we have a map as well.”
Someone has to re-explain everything the lawman tells them, as Braith was just too distracted to understand it all. But it does sound like we're off to hunt for a warhammer in a tomb! Blunt seems to be winning the day today, Toki.
Ragnar mutters to himself: "'His warhammer was his spellbook' *sigh* I should have known it would be something like that..."
Clearing his throat as he starts to put some of the books away: "Anything else I can help you with today?"
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"You have been more than helpful. Perhaps we might keep our destination quite... wouldn't want anyone from the town to get into any danger... and if it's not too much to ask, perhaps you could put in a good word for us with Gulli and Yrsa's Aunt. We really only want to help".
Gideon either pockets the map or makes a sketch of the directions, then leads the way towards the tomb.
"Gudrun is very protective of those kids, ever since her brother left town. I'm sure she didn't mean to be surly with you, but, from her perspective, you're just a bunch of people from away and she probably wasn't sure of your intentions -- what did you want from the twins anyway?"
The seer's prophecy mentioned something about the two-fold child, or something like that. It just seemed to make sense to me... Toki shrugs, But those reminds me of myself at their age...
EDIT:
Knowing what he has read about tombs being filled with scary things, like ghosts and ghouls and spiders and centipedes the little haregon asks out loud, If we are going to go to the tomb we might find some SC-AA-RRY things. Maybe we should take punch and pie with us, things are nicer if we offer them punch and pie!
You make your way out of town, following the map toward Witwulf's final resting place. You begin walking single file, as your route takes you off the main road and onto a smaller path. After about ten minutes, Jaylen, who seems to notice little things that most of you miss, signals for you all to stop -- he whispers that you are being followed, either by someone stealthy or by someone who knows the area.
Toki nods and dons his shield, then continues, hand on his axe...