Vladimir does receive that beating. Jerrid is something of a favourite and Mistress Leeth wastes no thing in mentioning the way that Seddani was "mistreated" too.
Jerrid and his gang resort to underhand and sneaky tactics designed to get the boy into trouble.
The book is never seen again since part of Master Leeth's punishment is to ensure that all Vlad's work must be done while he is in attendance, so that the boy can be preached to about what makes a good friend. Stablehands and horsebreeders are not included.
Taya
Taya's father instantly starts the whip training. It will take many years to learn all the tricks and tools but for now he concentrates on the basics.
Orick
That day, Orick does more than enough to impress Hortin. Over time the good, kind merchant gradually lets Orick become more and more involved in the show. What starts as errands slowly turns into work, but fun work.
The merchant and his friend, Tillispey, occasionally offer to take the boy away from home for a few days, maybe to Narwell. It is there that the boy runs into Septimus, Hortin's mate and a cleric of Norebo. The cleric is familiar to Orick but doesn't remember him well. At first he advises the boy to train at Ehlonna's shrine, but eventually changes his mind and offers to take over from Palfourd.
Soon Orick is drawn into a circle of Hortin's friends all merchants and travellers and he is able to spend whole weeks at a time away from home (if he wishes).
When Orick disappears towards the end of the second year, no one is more happy to see the return of the grown up lad then Hortin.
Orick
That day, Orick does more than enough to impress Hortin. Over time the good, kind merchant gradually lets Orick become more and more involved in the show. What starts as errands slowly turns into work, but fun work.
Oh no! Work! What would Norebo think? :P
The merchant and his friend, Tillispey, occasionally offer to take the boy away from home for a few days, maybe to Narwell. It is there that the boy runs into Septimus, Hortin's mate and a cleric of Norebo. The cleric is familiar to Orick but doesn't remember him well. At first he advises the boy to train at Ehlonna's shrine, but eventually changes his mind and offers to take over from Palfourd.
I don't know if you noticed but I've included the first set of random events in my character's history. This Septimus is the cleric Orick helped in the woods correct? The one that gave him a holy symbol?
Soon Orick is drawn into a circle of Hortin's friends all merchants and travellers and he is able to spend whole weeks at a time away from home (if he wishes).
Orick loves traveling (as long as it's on someone else's dime).
Taya
Taya's father instantly starts the whip training. It will take many years to learn all the tricks and tools but for now he concentrates on the basics.
"Balance girl, it's all about balance." Thuliss leans on the fence and watches with amusement as Taya hits her own ear for the second time in as many minutes.
"Taya, slow down. You control the whip, not the other way around. Think about it. You're not going to kill anything with that thing, but you can put someone's eye out if you don't know what you're doing. So learn. Now, from the beginning. Start again. Balance."
Taya's stuggles with mastering something that her father makes look so simple are mitigated by a better relationship with her mother. Gelianne has stopped hinting about marriage to Taya's great relief and they get along better because of it.
"I don't deny it's helpful having you on the farm Taya. But that's not the only reason. I realised how young you are when you had the fever. I'm not ready to lose you yet." That unusual conversation had finished in a rough embrace, odd, but welcome to both of them.
Orick
That day, Orick does more than enough to impress Hortin. Over time the good, kind merchant gradually lets Orick become more and more involved in the show. What starts as errands slowly turns into work, but fun work.
Oh no! Work! What would Norebo think? :P
The merchant and his friend, Tillispey, occasionally offer to take the boy away from home for a few days, maybe to Narwell. It is there that the boy runs into Septimus, Hortin's mate and a cleric of Norebo. The cleric is familiar to Orick but doesn't remember him well. At first he advises the boy to train at Ehlonna's shrine, but eventually changes his mind and offers to take over from Palfourd.I don't know if you noticed but I've included the first set of random events in my character's history. This Septimus is the cleric Orick helped in the woods correct? The one that gave him a holy symbol?
Soon Orick is drawn into a circle of Hortin's friends all merchants and travellers and he is able to spend whole weeks at a time away from home (if he wishes).Orick loves traveling (as long as it's on someone else's dime).
Yes Septimus is that cleric.
** spoiler omitted **Taya
Taya's father instantly starts the whip training. It will take many years to learn all the tricks and tools but for now he concentrates on the basics.
Taya
One thing Orick was going to do after the fair was spend his coppers on candy for his friends. Orick believes in sharing good fortune and he knows some of his friends (and half sister's friends) haven't been dealt very good hands.
Taya starts to build up a tentative friendship with Bethsemane. She admires Beth's meticulous approach to the work Raggedy sets them, even though her own abilities seem to be more organic in origin.
As time passes they talk more about how the magic Raggedy is describing works and wonder if it all comes from the same source. She wonders as well if Vlad's power comes from the same place or if it's somehow different again.
At home, she works hard, trying to help her mother, feeling guilty that she's been selfish and not noticed how hard times are. It's impossible not to feel resentment at the tax collectors. Every year the Rispers work to raise good horses and make a living and every year just when solvency beckons, it's all taken away again. A slow burning bubble of vengance is growing.
Korgoth returns to the drudgery of the stables. He feels a bit better about people now that he has seen that some folks can stand with him rather than assuming he is evil. He still practices with Feisam . He spends a lot of time alone practicing dexterity skills, since they have proven helpful in avoiding the bullies. He notices that the townsfolk seem to be more frightened of him as he grows, and he often plays off this by given particularly obnoxious people the 'evil eye'.
Korgoth will attempt to maintain ties of friendship with the others if it is possible. Asfer he allows to drift away, unsure if he wants her hanging around and getting hurt by being his friend.
Orick is somewhat disappointed that he doesn't seem to be making much progress towards becoming a priest, however now with a proper teacher, and with a few adults that seem willing to mentor and teach him, Orick feels particularly hopeful about his future. Who knows? If this priest thing doesn't work out he might be able to find work as a merchant.
Orick's earlier education was (he thought) very focused. He'd spent a lot of time reading and observing. Now Orick intends to take a much broader approach: mind and body!
Not that he had much choice . . . the town requires militia training and Orick really couldn't avoid his duty much longer. Orick is growing, almost five feet tall now, and could hardly pass as a child any longer. Although the militia trains with shield and spear Orick is going to try and sweet talk the comander into letting him learn how to use a dagger. Priests of Norebo favor the dagger . . . as do the priests of Wee Jas, and if Orick is given too much hassle about it he'll simply state that it's a weapon sacred to his father.
bump
As her health improves, Taya realises she needs to do more to strengthen herself. Now she's not just breaking the youngstock, but riding them as well, improving her own skills along with the horses. It's slow, slow progress and she can sense Thuliss's impatience, and rather than face that she spends the little free time she has at Raggedy Sorda's.
That's little enough. Life at the farm is always busy, but this year particularly she and her mother seem to be constantly cooking large meals for the young folks who flock to their table.
Vlad is still there of course, along with Korgoth, Daetha and Orick, even shy Beth comes along sometimes. There's a new face among the familiar ones as well, a hulking 19 year old who talks about his passionate desire to change the world for the better through his own actions. The shrine to Ehlonna on the Risper land was the original attraction, but the warmth of the family drew him in like all the others.
Nagy is ill. He is lying in bed and has been for the last few days. His mother is worried that the "black blood fever" everyone else is talking about has hit the family. Already in the last six months what started as a single soldier collapsing after a woodland patrol has become a nightmare.
So far of the 170 people living in Tricaster, about 25 have died, mostly the old and the young. They slowly bleed away over three or four days. Healers such as Old Movomm have been unable to stem the tide of death although she has managed to save one or two each day.
Word is spreading, Tricaster is death
Godsday, and a very tired Palfourd has requested as many families and friends gather for a service of remembrance and plea to the Goddess for salvation (even Hortin and his apprentice have returned).
The morning has been taken up with natural song and worship, the sharing of food and drink and the veneration of the stand of silver birches. A long fallen tree has been shaved flat and turned into a single long bench.
All morning Taya has worked and worked and worked. Anything at all to take her mind off the desperately small and fragile figure lying in the upstairs room. Knowing she may be very close to losing her closest sibling is tearing her apart. Fighting back tears has made her snappy and she's physically exhausted as well.
Finally Gelianne stops her rushing into another pointless errand and holds her daughter close.
"You stop right now Taya. Nagy gains nothing by this. You father will stay with him. At least believe that he and I love him as much as you do. Now wash. We're going to attend that ceremony in a decent frame of mind."
So now here they are, surrounded by familiar faces, Daetha, Vlad, Korgoth, Elor, Orick and Beth are all there. And now there's no excuse at all not to think about what's probably coming and Taya stops fighting as the tears come hard and fast.
At this, Palfourd takes a moment from his duties to give her a bearhug. A hug of safety and warmth.
The man has spoken briefly of the plague in his morning service and has asked Ehlonna to give him and the congregation that the fevers will end. Even Nagy was named in the list of those for the Unicorn Goddess' especial attention.
Hortin has used his wagon to ferry out a large amount of food and drink from the halflings. Although he doesn't profess to follow Ehlonna he wanted to help.
There are several large families at the service, most are trying to come to terms with the present danger.
One family however has just lost their grandfather, Jakan. The Tulall's are emotional, especially as the true farmer and leader of the group has just died. When they arrived, Jakan's daughter, had made an angry plea for revenge against Old Movomm who chose to save a little Wottinbrook boy over her father.
It took the combined efforts of Palfourd and Hortin to calm them down. Now the Tulalls sit on the end of the trunk in a small group.
Orick can't help but be slightly confused over these last few weeks. His father, a man who could have lent much aid to the small village, had decided to stay in Greyhawk. His mentor, a priest of Norebo, had also decided to avoid the town. Hortin, a merchant, and perhaps the first sort of person you'd expect to abandon the town was one of the few outsiders willing to risk their lives to try and save it.
'If I were a priest,' Orick thinks to himself, 'I think risking my life to save this town would be a worthy gamble.'
Orick's mother, being an apothecary, has probably made good use of Orick and his half sister Bethsemane running medicines around the town. That, combined with helping Hortin, and his militia training has left the poor lad very run down most nights. Orick is almost thankful for the town meeting as a bit of rest . . . almost . . . and then when the shouting starts he's quickly reminded why he prefers to observe these big meetings from the outside.
As usual, Bethsemane feels out of place among all the townspeople. She thinks they're always staring at her, or worse, talking about her behind her back. At least she had a good night's sleep last night, even though that horrible monster spider was once more in her dreams. Maybe when I'm a wizard, I won't be scared of those kind of things, she thinks.
Bethsemane's reverie is interrupted by shouting from the Tulall family, angered and saddened by their grandfather's death. Then she remembers Nagy and his illness. She's been so busy recently, studying with Master Sorda and running errands for her mother with Orick, that she had forgotten all about the poor boy. She notices Taya sitting to the side, crying, and decides to go over to her.
Reaching the tearful girl, Bethsemane suddenly realizes she doesn't know what to say. She's heard that Nagy is really sick, and so many people have died recently, and he's so small. She almost turns around and goes back, feeling almost painfully uncomfortable.
No. Taya is my friend. Maybe that's all she needs right now. Beth sits down nexts to Taya, and gives her a small smile, but says nothing. I wish there was something I could do... she thinks.
Father Palfourd's hug is welcome and comforting but Taya can't stop crying that easily now she's started. It's like a dam breaking. Then through her tears she sees Beth approaching.
That's brave of her. I know how shy she is.
Taya tentatively holds out a hand to her friend and pulls her in for a quick hug.
"Don't worry Beth, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do this. It just suddenly hit me that Nagy may ..." but she can't finish the sentence and her lips quiver again.
More to distract herself than for any other reason, she looks at the Tulall's.
"They've not forgiven Movuum. I wish there was something we could do. Do you feel helpless too? That's the worst part for me. I'm used to doing things, not thinking about them too hard."
Tubtaffer Wottinbrook stands on a timber working away at a barbacue grill to one side.
The smell of pork grilling wafts over towards everyone. He and his son are the only ones here, Petunia is usually here but not today for some reason.
Palfourd waits for the nod from the pint sized chef and then waves everyone over. He grabs Daetha by the arm and quietly asks him a question as the others move away.
Daetha
One of the younger Tulalls shouts across at Vladimir that he is not welcome here. That he and that Movomm killed their grandfather when they could have saved him.
"Granfa' cud be ere if'n you healed him proper like what some of the others got. Movomm always looks down-," at which point she is manhandled away and forced to shut up. Again Hortin moves in to stop things getting out of hand.
Vladimir looks ready to run or fight but doesn't seem able to speak. He is fixed to the spot.
Since the outbreak of the disease, Daetha has been spending a lot of time outside of the village, in the company of Running Fox and the Gnarly Rangers. Some might put this down to pragmatism, or even fear of the disease, but the truth is the pain of losing his own family is still raw, and the boy can barely stand to see others, especially those he cares about, suffer in a similar way.
It is Palfourd who convinces him to attend the service at the Risper’s ranch. “Nagy is very ill,” he says. “I hope and pray that he will recover, and will do all I can to see that he does … but it is not a certainty. The more prayers and support we can offer, the better.”
So Daetha shows up at the farm in his best (third hand, oft patched, river washed) clothes. Recently, he’s taken to wearing his dagger, and the bow given to him by Running Fox. Today though, the bow is left behind, and the dagger is tucked away in its sheath inside his shirt.
He takes part in the prayers to Ehlonna, but makes little eye contact with people. The Rispers are the closest he has left to family (whispers in the village suggest that they are his family), but he does not know what to say, and does not want to see them so sad.
He keeps an eye on the Tulalls from under his fringe of unruly hair. He knows, better than most, that people look for someone to blame in times like this.
He finds himself next to Orick at one point in proceedings. “You know about priests and religion, don’t you?” he quietly asks the other boy. “Do you think this illness is a punishment, sent by the gods? Or maybe … a curse. What if someone in the village worshipped some dark god, and brought this down on us?” He looks about to say more, but grows silent when Palfourd draws near.
“My mother always had herbs and such about the place, and there were some there still when last I was there. I could look for you, if it will help … if you tell me what to look for.”
He finds himself next to Orick at one point in proceedings. “You know about priests and religion, don’t you?” he quietly asks the other boy. “Do you think this illness is a punishment, sent by the gods? Or maybe … a curse. What if someone in the village worshipped some dark god, and brought this down on us?” He looks about to say more, but grows silent when Palfourd draws near.
"Why do gods let bad things happen to good people?" Orick says, trying to put his friend's words into words that Orick himself can better understand, "that's a question I can't answer, not yet anyways. All I can say for certain is that life is just one big toss of the dice. I'm praying for everyone . . . seems that's all I can do . . . when I'm not burying my head in work."
Orick gives the two space when Palfourd approaches, Orick has been working at disappearing into crowds . . .
"They've not forgiven Movuum. I wish there was something we could do. Do you feel helpless too? That's the worst part for me. I'm used to doing things, not thinking about them too hard."
Beth nods solemnly. "Me too. Maybe someday, when we're real wizards, we can do something. Or maybe not. Wizards don't have that kind of magic. Why haven't any priests come to town, to see what they can do?"
She pauses for a moment, and then says in a very low voice: "Sometimes I wonder if the gods are really real, you know?"
"Its ready!" shouts the cook. "Come and get it."
Palfourd nods at Daetha after giving their conversation a little thought. "Yes, go but take help," he waves at the other teenagers about.
The food is hot and rich greasy smells of spiced pork hits everyone in the nose. Tubtaffer knows his food.
Afterwards Hortin steps up to the centre of the gathering, "I am off to Greyhawk City and I shall personally take Tricaster's plague to them. In fact I shall be approaching every temple and healer between there and here to make sure that no stone isn't turned over."
He lets that sink in.
Slowly Palfourd asks all the villagers to pray over their food. Another plea for forgiveness and bounty and health and happiness to the people from Ehlonna. His words sound a little hollow when anyone looks at the Tulalls.
She pauses for a moment, and then says in a very low voice: "Sometimes I wonder if the gods are really real, you know?"
"I have to believe in them Beth. I have to. I don't think anything else will save Nagy."
Taya spots Daetha's exchange with Father Palfourd out of the corner of her eye and wonders just a little what's going on there. She nudges Beth very gently to draw her attention to the same thing.
"Daetha's looking worried. Shall we go and see? It's what we do isn't it? Help people with our powers?" It comes out a little bitterly. Taya doesn't feel confident in her powers, or the gods or anything else right now.
Daetha looks about for some familiar faces. He was sitting by Orick earlier, surely the boy can’t have gone far … and there are Taya and Orick’s homely half-sister, looking in his direction.
“Palfourd has asked me to go back to … my old home and look for herbs and such that my mother might have hoarded,” he says. “We should gather a few people together … um, there may be a lot to carry.” Truthfully Daetha does not wish to face any lingering ghosts (real or imagined) alone.
Korgoth hears about Nagy's illness. He is saddened, remembering the plucky boy who helped out during the terrible fight at the Halfling's barn. He attempts to find Taya to see if there is anything he can do to assit her or her family.
"I'll go. Taya, do you want to come too?" Maybe it'll take her mind off Nagy...
"I'll come. I'd rather be doing something." Taya sighs at bit ruefully. "Mother would probably rather I was out of the way in case I start cleaning up the kitchen again."
She looks around at the familar faces, reminded of the incident with Jerrid in the barn last year and more pointedly of Nagy's absence.
As the service and meal finishes people begin to drift away in their families.
Vladimir is soon left alone but he joins the others with Taya. "What's up, Taya. Those Tulalls are wrong just so you all know. I was there. The old man asked Movomm to save the other child." He shrugs.
"It's Nagy. He's so ill. I know it's the plague. Vlad ... if he dies, what am I going to do without him?"
A thought strikes her and she pulls herself together.
"Deatha, I'm sorry. This must be awful for you. I shouldn't be dwelling on what hasn't happened yet. Do you know where your mother kept her herbs and remedies?"
“It’s alright,” Daetha shrugs uncomfortably. “Yes, I know where it is kept – or should be, if it’s not gone bad or been taken by drifters or some such.” He looks about for more familiar faces. “I think it would be smart for a few of us to go – it’s not far into the woods but … the woods can be dangerous sometimes.”
Daetha's home is about a twenty minute walk to the north of Tricaster. It was the northern most home, but Daetha's mother liked it that way.
Gelianne will give her blessing on an afternoon jaunt with the others, if a little absentmindedly. She leaves with Palfourd and the little girl, Rosylle.
Tubtaffer collects his cutlery and rakes over the coals leaving the barbacue under its wooden shelter of curved tree branches.
He quickly waves and heads back to Tricaster.
"Lemme run home to get my stuff, and then we can go." Bethsemane tears off before anyone can stop her, returning a few minutes later out of breath, but with her staff and crossbow.
"Anything dangerous comes along, I'll be ready."
FW:
Beth
"Wait a second."
Taya goes to the big barn and picks up the whip she's been trying to learn to use.
On her way back, she pauses in the garden. There are a couple of rosebushes and she remembers how she and Nagy had argued over the colours of one particular shrub.
"It's yellow Tay - you know it's yellow." he'd said pointing to a fully open bloom.
"Yes, but it starts orange, so I think of it as orange. That makes sense."
"Doesn't. I see things the way they are now."
The conversation comes back to her with huge clarity. Somehow it seems to sum up all their closeness and all their differences in one exchange. Almost absent mindedly, she pulls a couple of petals from a bloom, rubbing them between her fingers to release the scent.
Then she remembers Raggedy's lessons. The petals are necessary for the spell she's been learning, so for luck, she picks a few more and puts them carefully in her pocket.
Daetha makes a slight detour to the old woodshed at the back of the Risper’s place, where he stowed his bow and arrows on the way here. If he spies any familiar faces on the way there and back, he will invite them along.
The group begins to gather for their short trek, looking a little more tooled up than ever before.
But then the Tain hut was attacked by hochebi (orcs) and they took no prisoners. Its a twenty minute walk there along mostly well travlled tracks.
Korgoth finds Taya after the service.
"Taya I am so sorry to hear about Nagy. Is there anything I can do?"
Korgoth finds Taya after the service.
"Taya I am so sorry to hear about Nagy. Is there anything I can do?"
"Not really Korgoth, but you're kind to ask. Are you coming with us to the cottage?"
Korgoth smiles at Taya
"Sure! Anything to help. I owe you big for your help with Jeridd, and you can count on me."
Orick suddenly appears from out of the crowd.
"That could be a dangerous part of the woods," Orick says, "You'll probably do better with numbers and a bit of luck if we should stumble across anything. I'll help you guys out if you want though . . ."
Orick
Orick
** spoiler omitted **
FW: