Patricia Flaherty's page

Robert Macintyre, well I didn’t see this coming. I thought your eyes were misty for that Panforey girl, and that was all you could see. I’m glad to hear you are taking arms to defend our homes. The more of your kind, the better our chances.

I don’t really think Woodbridge will be in any serious danger for a while. The way the soldiers are talking, there are more of them on the way, many more. The Alodoan’s don’t look kindly on upstarts and would be lords trying to take over this land now that they have invested in its security. I imagine in a month there will be four companies of soldiers here, and if you should travel all the way to the marshes, as Calex seems to think that is the goal, by the time you return this place might look very different. The marshes are over a hundred miles away. By foot it is a journey of ten days or more, if you don’t have any troubles along the way. I’ve only been there twice myself, and both times I was following the feet of the fellow in front of me. There is a road, it is well known, well made, and well-marked that you can find in the village of Carnergaaugg. That’s a village at the base of the mountains to the east. You can follow the river, passed MacNorra House, and into the foothills, always stay to the north of the streams you come upon and you should be climbing the valley toward the Inhar Spring, from that hill you can the village of Carnergaauugg about three miles to the east of the hill. That road, out of Carnergaauugg follows the mountains to the north and east to the city of Tallerigan, and from there the road goes south east, with the mountains always on your right, passing many small towns and villages until it comes to the great Maetaur community of Aular Havenwind. From there the road goes even further southeast finally crossing the Rowandul Plane before reaching the highlands of Nach Moor, and the ghost light fen.

Taking the road is the easiest, safest way I know to get there, but it isn’t the shortest by far. If you cross the mountains to the east of Carnergaauugg into the Dardun Lands you can reach the fen faster, but it is a wild untamed place. There is a great lake there, and the folks that settled around that lake think this land still belongs to them, and are never fond of outsiders of any kind. I’d stick to the road if I were you, and be sure to be courteous to any merchants you meet along the way. They are your best friends along the road between more civilized places.

That is true, away from here, far away from here the better, She then stands and extends her hand toward the man saying, In all the confusion over the past few days I seem to have forgotten your name. I know you are new to our village, we have a small population, tell me, stranger are you planning on settling here, or just moving through the village on your way to bigger and better things. My name is Patricia Flaherty, and I live here. My family has lived here for four generations. What can you tell me about yourself? Is Calex planning on meeting us here?

I’m not saying it’s altogether a bad plan. I’m just saying it is a lot further than I think they realize. How can we even know for sure these orcs made it all the way there with Wiscara in the first place…

Yes, I heard, this swamp was described to you by people who I know have never been there. This swamp you're looking for, I've never been there myself, but I was once as close as a few days travel from the valley where it is supposed to be, and that was when I was on campaign with Chief Dolgegany and his people against an Alodoan company, in the northern foothills seventy miles from here. I'm not sure I can make a map, but I can tell you about the roads that will take you to Murghaugh, and Lough Loghaire, maybe, if you make it that far without getting lost you can get better directions from those people, but I think you should know, the people in the northeast are still biter over the Alodoan's treatment of the lords in those lands. Let's meet at the Bread and Board tonight after supper and I'll tell you what I know about the roads to the eastern kingdoms.

Patricia hears that Calex is looking to speak to her, and after asking a few people about the village what is going on, hears that he might be planning to travel to a place only few people have ever really heard of, let alone seen.

She runs him down, finally, while he is Riverside, talking with Marcus, and walks up to him, folding her arms across her chest she smiles and asks him

Do you have any idea at all where it is you are going or how you are going to get there?

Marcus, Patricia says, her voice sounding tired, but resolute. We’ve collected the bodies of the Tafganor and sashi-anhain and carried them out to the southwest of town near the cemetery. Mister Panforey, feeling better every minute, insists that they be blessed, before we bury them all in a common grave, citing his concern that the evil in them may still be lingering and it might draw a surge in wild necromancy. The old priest isn’t strong enough to walk yet, but that isn’t a problem as it is going to take us the rest of today and part of tomorrow to dig a large enough grave for all of them. On the other hand, we’ve collected several good weapons from the fallen enemy, and the steel is not poor. There are mostly long handled war axes, but we could put them to use felling trees, and we will need the lumber.

Patricia sits down on the porch, bringing her knee up near her chin, and goes on. The men and women from Alodoa seem happy with the idea of settling down here Lakeside. The talk among them is that being stationed here, for the time being, is better than being posted anywhere north of Castletown. I take it from what they are suggesting that there are more troubles with settlers that way than here in our little village and for that I am thankful. A couple of the soldiers will be going back tomorrow to report what happened here, and take their dead back so their families can have a proper funeral for them. We are going to give them the Foregan family’s wagon and mule to help them in this task.

She pause for a moment, looks out toward the trees and marshes west of lakeside, and then turns back to Marcus and says with a half-smile, I think we’re going to be alright, don’t you?

Patricia, now quieter, and calmer, speaks up
Let’s make sure we account for everyone, and settle as many down as we can for the night. We’ll want patrols moving around the edge of the island all night long just to make sure another crossing isn’t tried.

No, thanks to Marcus, everyone was evacuated from Lakeside, even the stubborn ones. It seems that we will lose a lot Lakeside, but at least we won’t lose anymore lives, even the livestock was brought to Riverside. In time, we will be able to rebuild. In time, I hope. But what exactly the Tafganor will do once the sun rises is anyone’s guess.

Horde! What do you know? And who are you again? How many were there? Ten, twenty, a hundred, are you sure it was a horde? That bridge is our only way off this island. Maybe, maybe there are two small boats. But everyone in Woodbridge, including the people of Mingary Bend, are on this island now. We don’t have the food, to feed everyone. Ferrying people back across the lake is going to exhaust you, after what, five, or maybe six trips, if you can keep that up, then what are we supposed to do? The bridge was important, it should not have been set afire so carelessly!

They’ve stopped shooting arrows into the village, but I don’t know why. What happened at the bridge?

Patricia shrugs, and gives Arvid a sheepish grin

No, sorry, no town hall, hell we only just got a tavern a few years ago. I suppose a town hall isn't a bad idea, but, yeah, it is a little village after all.

From what we saw at MacNorra house, Patricia says as she joins the table with a bowl of cooked oats in her hand I don't know what to think these monsters will be after. When they attacked MacNorra House they burned everything they could to the ground, and took the whole village captive, but left behind tools, and other valuables. Maybe Leto can tell us why they attacked in the first place

As to the defenses of the island, I'm sure a simple fence won't be taken as some sort of fortification, but Calex is right. I've had some dealings with the Alodoans and they tend to take things like agreements and contracts very seriously, so Calex knows what he should or should not do. I'm not going to go to war with Alodoa with the tafganor coming in the back door. I've fought against the Alodoan army, well, didn't really fight much, it was over before it started. if The empire thinks we are arming against them we won't stand a chance. Our only hope is to keep the tafganor at bay until the Alodoan soldiers arrive so they can see for themselves what we are up against.
For now, let’s let Calex and Leto get some sleep. Marcus can show us what has been done, and the three of us, Arvid, Marwan, and myself, can take a look at where we need everyone to be tonight when the enemy arrives.

These two volunteered to come with me and return to Woodbridge as fast as we could, there were, well, there were others, but I guess they changed their minds at the last minute. But this isn't all the help Casytletown is sending. There is a whole platoon, some forty men, armed and armored on their way, following the river road, they will, or should be here tomorrow late. And then, in another week or so, a company will be on the way, as soon as they are free, and ready to travel

The Bridge, at Woodbridge

Patrica points to the creatures guarding the bridge and says

These are Maetaur, and they are friends of Woodbridge. They have their own community, just three quarters of a mile north of the lake, called Mingary Bend.

She then recognizes one of them and waves, and the Maetaur, a young female, calls out over her shoulder.

Leaving Castletown

Day 11, morning

As Marwan and Patricia head away from the Rising Sun, one of the other fellows, Arvid, catches up to them, humming a fanciful tune, and as he matches their pace, the three seem to pick up their feet a bit and march at a quick time to the east.

Patricia turns her head and smiles at the newcomer, even as Marwan asks her a question. She says to the newcomer

Arvil, isn’t that your name? Glad you decided to join us, and thank you for lifting our spirits with such a hopeful song. She then moves ahead a little, and says casually over her shoulder to Marwan

I’m a volunteer, sort of. Lately our village elder has been distracted by a health issue in his family and he asked me to look out for the well being of Woodbridge, and most important make sure the spring festival was a success, and it was, thank you very much, but now with these, um, uh, problems, the village getting bigger, and the recent attack on a settlement very close to Woodbridge, a little place called MacNorra House, I decided to come to Castletown and bring back all the help that could be raised. I’ve no title, nothing more than Patricia is all you need call me.

Castletown, The Rising Sun

Day 11, sunrise

In the morning,

Patricia waits just a short while longer, then turns to marwan and says

Well, I suppose it’s just you and me. The other’s must have changed their minds.

She shoulders her back pack and says

Let’s get moving. If the weather stays nice, and we don’t have any distractions, we should reach Woodbridge by sunset, then you can bu8ild all the fences you want to build.

Turning away from Marwan, Patricia looks east, sighs, and thinks to herself

Well, I suppose all it took was a night of comfort in a nice Inn to convince those others that a march through the marshes wasn’t worth their efforts

Castletown – outside the Rising Sun Inn, Morning of the eleventh day
Patricia greets Marwan with a warm smile

Good Morning, I don’t suppose you ran into any of those other folk who were intending to travel with us this morning while you were on your way down t, did you?

Day 10 Location, the Rising Sun, East Quarter, Castletown

Patricia gives Marwan her full attention, taking note of the description of the war in his homeland, and trying to gauge his inner feelings about the matter

When she is certain he is done talking about it, she leans back, and folds her arms.

I really don’t know, but I hope their captain comes by soon. I’d like to get to bed, and get an early start in the morning. There isn’t really any road to Woodbridge, though there is a regular trail along the Lorisane river, but following it all the way to Woodbridge can take longer, as much as two full days longer, than if you cut through the fens. You can get lost in there, if you don’t know the markers and landmarks, so I imagine the soldiers will either have to be ready to go when we leave in the morning, and follow us, as I intend to take the shortest route, or if they aren’t ready they will have to follow the river, so I wouldn’t expect them to be in Woodbridge until a day or two, hell maybe three, depending on their motivation or lack thereof, after we get there.

She looks across the table at the others.

Arvid
Alfred
and
Anima

Then back to Marwan, and says

Look, I don’t want any of you to get the idea I’m hiding anything, or that there is more in the way of a reward for helping us than I lead on. We are a small village. We need all the help we can get. The attack on our neighbors has been swift and deadly, and I’m not even certain how large of a force they have, it could be more than we can handle, so if you have any doubts, don’t go, and if you are still sure this is what you want to do, I’ll be here, in this room before sunrise. We leave at first light.

Day 10 late afternoon At the Rising Sun Inn, in the East Quarter, Castletown

Patricia welcomes Marwan to her table, and then answers Arvid
No, I was promised a group of trained soldiers from the castle, lead by a man I haven’t met, but he should be here tonight I understand. His name is Hector Pavicar, and I was told he is from Harrispania, which could be a good thing for us. I heard a rumor that Harrispania supplied most of the soldiers who fought in the failed Baravkovian Succession, and so he could be combat trained, which is more than I expected.

She turns to Marwan, and says

I’m afraid I’ve never been away from Urandoma, or Orimar, as you Alodoans call it, so I don’t much about the geography over there. Is Vurespania north or south of Harrispania? Is it anywhere near the mountains of Baravkovia? I only heard the fighting between Alodoa and Baravkovia was intense, but short, mostly along some river that flows out of the Mountains in Baravkovia.

meanwhile, a day earlier, in Castletown, on the way to the Sunset Inn

Redhill, hmmm? I remember a Redhill family living Lakeside, before I left to travel to the north. That was, oh, fourteen or fifteen years ago I think. Wait, you’re Alfred, Alfred Redhill, sure I know you. I left Woodbridge right after you did, right after that, well, let’s not talk about that. I think everyone was put out by the floods and they way everything was done wrong to try and protect Lakeside the year before. We should have listened to the Maetaur then, but we didn’t. We lost more than half the fields on the north side of Lakeside that year. Anyway, let’s get to the Sunset Inn.

Patricia leads the small group to the Sunset Inn, where Hillary Ilyiomearra greats the group as they come in, it is early evening, or late afternoon, and the place is already filling up with farmers and laborers from around this part of the city (what is called the Eastern Quarter), which is actually a good walk away from the river, and the tightly packed buildings of downtown Castletown. Here, in the Sunset Inn, Elves and Humans, of Alodoan descent, mingle with a few Urandoman humans, after a hard day of farm work. The Inn can sleep many guest, usually people stay the night here on their last day in Castletown before setting out for towns south and east, but tonight, there are only a couple of guest and Hillary has many rooms available. Tables are pushed together, while wagons and carts are secured outside. Animals are taken to the barn behind the Inn, to be cared for by one of the young boys always hanging about.

I’m sorry, Patricia says as she takes a step toward the tall woman. I was told at the castle that I could distribute some fliers and ask for volunteers for the defense of my Village. I didn’t think it would create such a crowd. I’ll go.

She then turns to the crowd, and then looking down smiles at the halfling, and says. I’ll be staying at the Rising Sun, it’s an Inn to the east of here, on the Four Mile Road. She then looks all around and adds, Anyone willing to help us, I’ll pay for a room for the night at the Rising Sun for you. We leave in the morning at dawn. Thank you.

Patricia is about to respond to Arvid, when she feels a tug on her pants leg. When she looks down, she meets they eyes of an Alodoan, one of the halflings, as she knows they are called.

Be careful, Patricia reminds herself, these Alodoan’s have far more tricks up their sleeves than their looks would indicate.

I’m not, I’m, look I’m only asking for volunteers to come to Woodbridge to help us complete a fence around the village, and should things get worse, to defend the village as best we can until the regular Alodoan army from Pelican Bay can get her, and that’s probably one, maybe two months depending on the weather and the availability of ships at the harbor of Prince Oliver Sound. We have…

Led, no. Been part of, yes. I fought in the first invasion wars with Urandoma against Alodoa, under the banner of King Lur MacNog. That was along time ago. You're not Alodoan. I don't think I've ever met anyone like you before. You look different, similar, but different. My name is Patricia Flaherty and I'd be glad to have you come to Woodbridge with us. We need all the help we can get.

She offers her hand to the man who calls himself Arvid

I’m telling you that a small army of Sashi-Anhain and Tafganor attack a Gymnaga settlement south of Woodbridge and carried off more than twenty of the Gymnaga folk, heading into the mountains south of us. It happened, I saw the ruins and the bodies of those they killed. Please, you got to believe me, we have little time before this army marches on Woodbridge and we are a small village with no defenses and no soldiers of our own, barely even fifty able bodied citizens, and most of them have no real weapons to speak of Patricia is pleading with strangers as they pass by

Yes, if you want to join this game, really want to, create an Alias, and I will get you in.

My current idea is to try and find time to send each of you a tidbit of information, what you would know about Castletown and what is going on right now, there.

Then I want to post in the game thread as this character, who is seeking not only help from the Duke's Widow (who I have already decided will send 24 soldiers, eight of which will be mounted) but she is also going around Castletown to each of the pubs and Inns, looking for volunteers to come aid Woodbridge against the Tafganor threat, which is getting her laughed at not only by the Alodoan's (who think there are no Tafganor in this country) and the Urandoman's who are sure the Tafganor were driven out of Urandoma generations ago.

Then, after each new player has introduced themselves in the discussion thread, they can introduce themselves to others in Castletown, and decide to approach Patricia singly, or as a group.

Patricia set out for Castletown, on Day 9 of this campaign, and it is now Day 11, so she is certainly there (she knows the way, and how to avoid the dangers).

She would have warned Marwan to either go into Woodbridge, or come with her to Castletown (I'll clear that up in a PM)

These were Patricia's, last words before she left Woodbridge

Patricia walks over to stand by the wall of the barn. She crosses her arms, leans her back against the wall and sighs heavily again. There’s just too much going on, too many dangers are closing in on us, too many threats, and all we have that stands between us and them, are the Alodoans. We have no choice but to ask them to send soldiers here and defend our village. If the Tafganor have returned, if the Sashi- Anhain have moved this far to the north, what can we do? There are barely thirty people in this village that can hold a weapon let alone be counted on to know how to use it when it matters. We need to send a message to Castletown. I’ll go myself, and take Phineas, and anyone else who can make the journey without losing time in their fields. We’ll set out in the morning. May we all be blessed with good fortune. We’ll certainly need it.

Patricia looks first to Dieredon, then to Calex, then she turns her eyes back toward Poseus. She lowers her head and sighs.

Poseus, I couldn’t and I wouldn’t stop you from going after your friends and family, but, from what you’ve described, this is a large organized force. You can’t just rush off and think that you can confront monsters like these and believe you have a chance at winning.

Even if all of you go, all of you, you’ll still be out numbered. You’ve got to be smart. Track them, but follow them, find out where they are going, and since you already have a reason to go south into the mountains, keep your eyes and ears open for signs of the other Lyphs. We’ve still got unfinished business with their kind, and a plan to deal with the monsters of the bogs.

Patricia walks over to stand by the wall of the barn. She crosses her arms, leans her back against the wall and sighs heavily again. There’s just too much going on, too many dangers are closing in on us, too many threats, and all we have that stands between us and them, are the Aladoans. We have no choice but to ask them to send soldiers here and defend our village. If the Tafganor have returned, if the Sashi- Anhain have moved this far to the north, what can we do? There are barely thirty people in this village that can hold a weapon let alone be counted on to know how to use it when it matters. We need to send a message to Castletown. I’ll go myself, and take Phineas, and anyone else who can make the journey without losing time in their fields. We’ll set out in the morning. May we all be blessed with good fortune. We’ll certainly need it.

Patricia grabs Calex by the arm, "Be careful, don’t get separated. I’ll gather who I can and follow, but Calex, the smoke, look at it, buckets won’t put that out, whatever it is." She looks to the west and points at the sky to say, "Rain, the thing we bemoan more often than we should, is coming, take heart in that"

there are dark rain clouds in the western sky

The people of Woodbridge take their seats and wait for Patricia to take the lead and explain what is going to happen next, but the young red head simple shrugs her shoulders and says

This is out of my hands. I’m not a person to make charters and proclamations. Calex is master of the the village now, we might elect a council, to advise him, and he might select a alderman to write a town charter, but all we can do now is look to him, and Dieredon to tell us what we are supposed to do next, and how soon we are expected to do it.

Elizabeth, that’s exciting news, Patricia says, but we have some very important things to talk about right now and I really need you to go and fetch your mother and father. Your family has a large holding here, lakeside, and I think they should hear what Dieredon and Calex have to say. It’s very important so please ask them to drop whatever they are doing and come here as soon as they can.

Patricia goes around the room and ask everyone to take a seat and then she pulls a large table to the center of the room with Oscar’s help.

”I want everyone to just calm down. We don’t need to fight about this. Believe me, I’ve had experience with the kind of thing these men are talking about, and if it is true, they’ll have papers, signed by some governor or lord with the seal of their empire. Now, you all know me, you know I went off as a young girl to find my fortune, but what you may not know is that I joined the army of King Bron O’Gower, of Kaleckair. We fought the Alodoans, and I’m not proud of that, but I’m no liar either. It’s what I did, what’s been done, but listen to me. The army of Alodoa could have crushed us, we were out matched in every way, but these people took victory with their hearts in the hands, and spared us. They made the same proclamation at Doringal, in Kaleckair and at first the people, like you and me, they stood against the orders of the Empire and do you want to know what happened next? Four thousand Alodoans marched on Doringal. They didn’t come to fight, no. The brought builders, masons, master masons, and every kind of craftsman, and they began building another castle like the one at Castletown. Doringal sits on a flat dry plain just off the Bonnegale Rver. Their probably still building that castle and Doringal is prospering for it, but look around you. Our village in on the edge of a marsh, nothing but a creek not suited for a two man boat, and a forest of hard wood trees that even the Maetaur can’t tame. You think they’ll build a castle here? They won’t. If we fight this, we are fighting people who solve problems their way, one way or another, and I don’t see any of us liking the solution. So go home, all of you. Collin, you come with me. You’ll represent the Alodaons. Geoffrey, Egan, and Margie Toolwoad will represent us, and we’ll take this to the Bread and Board. We’ll get the village elders, Auria, Old Connor, and my father, and we’ll see the papers these two bare, and when we’ve seen it, and know it, we’ll draft a notice for the whole village that explains it all and what people re to do next. But if you want my sword, just start some trouble, by the grass in my shoes I’ll finish it.”

”Auria has done all she can, and we have asked Cicily and Rosilindea for their help as well. The men have not died, and the rumors you are all hearing are just that, rumors. There is no reason for us to think we’ve done anything to bring down the wrath of the Aladoans.”

“Oh, well Phineas I wish I could go with you, I really do. I could use a break. Who knew that running the village was such a chore, haha. I’ll never give my father a hard time about it ever again, but no. You see, people are already starting to talk, especially after that night a few days ago. People are worried and if I left on this adventure with you, that might be enough to make some people panic. I need to stay here, keep working with Auria, and help those Alodoans until Calex and Dieredon get back with a doctor who is better educated than we are. And there is still work to do at my parents house, with mom down it’s been hard on me Da.”

Warning, huge posts ahead...

Day 5, morning at Woodbridge

Poseus – Elizabeth included in the sack lunch she provided to you a cheesecloth wrapped apple “turnover’ style pie.

Alomar, Phineas and Poseus, at Patricia’s residence.

“Good morning,” Patricia says when she answers the door, “I’ve been waiting for you. Let me come outside and we can walk to someplace a bit quieter.”

She walks with the three of you to the very eastern edge of the island. Here there are several small trees, and the ground is about four feet above the river as it flows passed the island from the southwest flowing toward the northeast.

“I’m afraid I have something awful to tell you. Roan is ill. It could be serious and Auria is sure it is a slow acting poison. We can only guess that what you, well not you Alomar, but the other’s, I hope they told you about it, anyway, what I was saying is we can only guess that what was stopped the other night was an attempt by the Fulogh’Mogobbh to kill the Furlough Barghnora by feeding Roan to it with him poisoned. This is why I asked the three of you to see me. Aruia’s has very little knowledge of poisons, but we know the good folk have been at war with the grindylow for as long as anyone remembers and if anyone can help us find a cure for the poison that is killing Roan it will be them. I only wish I could tell you exactly where to go, or even give you a map, but I can’t, and I’ve asked everyone I dare talk to about this without spreading a panick. Yoe see right now we have two sick Alodoans in our village, and Roan’s condition, even though we know it is a result of a poison, is hard to distinguish from the sickness the men are suffering from and the last thing we need is a panic in the village about a strange epidemic. So keep all this in your socks, and talk to know one but myself, Aruia or Cicily not even Roan’s parents.”

“Here is all I can tell you that might help. In the Green Wood there are a few tribes of Lyphs, and somewhere living among those tribes is a female Sakalyph who is a witch, like Auria, and she is supposed to know every herb, every plant, every toxin that is natural to this land. Her name is Ha’Uldurah. I don’t know where you will find her, but if you find any Lyphs at all, they should be able to take you to her. According to the stories I’ve heard, she will help you, but she will ask a price, and it is usually the recovery of something dangerous or the theft of some prize from one of the Lyph tribes, which I’ve also heard she returns to them in exchange for something she wants from them. It’s all very convoluted and hard to understand, but it is how those people are. “

“now here is the more important thing. We need her help, yes, but I also need to try to find a way to make the Lyph people understand that the Alodoans are not a threat to them. It may be that they are not concerned about them, the Alodoans, but when I was away from the village I heard terrible stories of fierce fighting between the Alodoans and the Good Folk, fighting that was needlessly brutal because every attempt the Alodoans made to negotiate with the Lyphs ended in disaster. I cannot have the Alodoans quartering an army in our village. Yes, I’m sorry to say this, yes most of them, the ones living in our village for certain, are good people, but soldiers will be soldiers, and it will not go well for us if war comes to Woodbridge. So, I’m asking you to go and find help for Roan, if you can, and while you are doing that talk to as many of the Lyph leaders as you can and assure them that we, the people of Woodbridge think the Alodoans are good people and their coming to this land is not a bad thing, and tell them that we will do everything in our power to talk with the Alodoans, on their behalf, if they have any doubts. Try to stress to them that we all want peace. When you return, with aid for Roan I hope, you can tell me what the position of the Lyph people is, and if we have to send more ambassadors, we will.”

“It is about half a day’s walk to the Hill of the Cairns, and a few hours past that to reach the edge of the Green Wood. I suggest you take care of anything you can think of before you leave, camp at the hill tonight, and then set out for the green wood early tomorrow. If you do not meet any Lyphs in two day, return, and we will have to try to find another way to cure Roan. Good luck. Do you have any questions?”

Alomar, Phineas, and poseus, Day 4, evening

You hurry across the island to Patricia’s cottage. It is a small cottage, built by her father as a gift to her when she returned from the wars. You knock upon the door frame and Patricia answers quickly.
She is still dressed in her day attire, wool pants, low cut boots, and a three layer assortment of two shirts and a vest. She has a small leather bound book in her right hand, it is partially opened and she holds one finger between the pages.

“Good evening Phineas,” she says when she opens the door, and then noticing he is not alone she goes on to say, “Alomar, right, I think we’ve met before, I haven’t seen you in a while. You’ve grown, and it’s Poseus, right, from the other night I remember you. I was just reading an old book that’s a favorite of mine. I should be in bed, but seems I’m glad I wasn’t. What brings you around?”