Yarr
Definitely no where near Absalom you find yourselves in the nation of Nirmathas, in the small town of Scallion's Wrap.
Near the center of the village an older halfling woman in bright clothes approaches you, stopping right in front of you, a golden wolfhound at her side.
“I don’t suppose you’re looking for any work, by chance?!” she asks. “If you are, I have just the task. Doesn’t pay much, but you’ll get full bellies and a place to stay, along with the joy of helping an old woman on Winter Week!”
She holds up a small cobble stone with great reverence and a slightly crooked facial expression. “My name is Kupyn Baro,” says the halfling. “Me and my pup Darb need your help to make this rock into a stew that will feed our village.
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"Work? Perhaps. A trial of my training? Definitely." the speaker's voice arrives a moment before his soundless steps alerts the rest to his presence. Hiro Sakano walks humbly. The man is taciturn after the single thought, though his expression is soft. Not overly tall or muscled, the man's physique is obviously impressive.
After making eye contact with everyone in the room he slams his right fist into his left palm before bowing at the waist, "Greetings. I am Hiro Sakano, son of Jiro. It is a pleasure to leave the dojo in order to put my skills to the test. It is an honor to do it with all of you."
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Zalmora is conflicted about being back in her home country. She has spent a great deal of her formative years as a Nirmathi involved in the guerrilla conflict with Molthune and, more recently, the Ironfang Legion. Her step brother was a noted hero of that conflict, though she has never actually met him.
Still, all roads lead to Absalom. Eventually. They sure meander with this group, but she doesn't mind.
At Hiro's introduction she gives the man a nod. "Zalmora," she says, dropping the last name to prevent any connection to her step brother Morvius. "And this is Baxter. Pleased to meet you."
As the present swirls out of focus she launches into story "You see, after the town of Scallion’s Wrap lost all their crops and sheep to a roving band of wolves, the townsfolk met in the village green to figure out where they should move now that they had no food. Their witch, Tulyn Baro, questioned why moving was necessary.
“What would you have us do,” the mayor asked, “eat rocks from the Hollow Hills?”
Some laughed at that, but Tulyn picked up a gray rock and said, “Do you not know this little rock is magic? Why, with it I can make a stew that would feed the whole of Scallion’s Wrap through Winter Week!”
The villagers allowed Tulyn the chance to prove her boast. Thus began Tulyn’s plan. As she poured water into her cauldron, she began to wheedle small things from various folks in the area, “just to help the magic of the rock along.”
From the farmers, she finagled carrots and celery. From the dwarf miners in the Hollow Hills, she received bags of deep-root potatoes. From the brownies in the surrounding glade, she procured five bundles of scallions. After this, Tulyn grimly left the town to see about meat for the stew, bouncing the “magic rock” in her hand. Where she found the meat, none dared ask, but wolves never troubled Scallion’s Wrap again.
Upon returning, Tulyn placed the rock into her cauldron And that is why we have rock stew every year for Winter Week!
As she finishes the story and the present comes back into focus she adds "Every year I place a special rock in the stew. The one who finds the rock is said to have good luck throughout the coming year.”
"I can fetch the mutton myself buy I pay you a nice bounty to collect the other ingredients. Carrots and celery from Greetle's farm, a bag of tatters from the Dwarves to the west and a bundle of scallions from the brownies to the north."
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Hiro looks at the others in turn, Zalmora's garb bespeaks a comfort in the wilds, likely a perfect choice. Similarly, Dr. Vex seems to be both observant and erudite. Karianamu and Aeslynn are harder to read. "Ma'am, there are quite a few people here who likely have more to offer than foraging. Are there threats of which we have not been informed?"
She answers "No foraging, just collecting from the townsfolk, but Well err uhhh, something's up... normally Greetle sends them over for free but is demanding payments, no idea why... I normally make a tincture to help out the Dwarven head miner but this month there wasn't enough after my own back problems. I'm sure a group such as yourselves could work it out."
She looks down a bit in shame, looks to her wolfhound and looks back... "The brownies were tying poor Darb's hair in knots... andIlostmytemperandknockedtheirhutover... I just think it'll go better if somebody else asked, maybe even bring Darb, they love him."
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Zalmora crouches down in front of Darb, allowing the animal to smell her. Baxter, a mixed breed mutt, circles around the two of them. After a moment to get acquainted, the ranger says, "Darb can come, sure. I'll make sure to keep them out of trouble."
She then responds to what Kupyn said. "It sounds like the challenge here will require a level head and a taste for diplomacy. That about right?"
Darb is a very personable and friendly dog and after sniffing Baxter's butt is happy to come along.
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"Oh, this sound fun! And Tulyn was obviously a very wise and powerful witch. To summon such an amazing soup from just a stone! Amazing, hee, hee!" giggles the Irrisini witch.
"Let us go see the brownies first. They will just love Sebastian, won't they you little scamp?!
"Plus, I might be able to fix their hut, like I did in the desert. How did we get here, anyways, Sebastian?"
She scratches her head in some confusion.
If Sebastian knows how they have been bouncing around the Inner Sea, he clearly is not telling any one.
As you approach the grove, a multitude of twinkling lights begin dancing about in the shadows beneath the ancient trees. Giggles and whispers fill the air, but you see nothing.
Upon reaching the center of the grove, where scallions, garlic, onions, and chives grow in thick clumps amid the dark soil, the whispering stops and the twinkling lights fade. Several diminutive fey wearing leaves and flowers emerge from their hiding places from within the wood. One, taller than the rest, wearing a crown of woven scallions and holding a purple onion flower (several times her height) like a scepter, steps forward. “I am Nelia Starsister, the Grove’s Grand Garlicia and Alliumic Empress. Who are you to set foot in our domain?”
Several of the other fey fail dramatically at whispering quietly.
"It's Lord Darbington the Golden... Sir Darbious the Glorious.. Goldington Lordington Darbington the Glorious... etc"
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With two dogs at her heels, Zalmora takes a moment to pat each on the head. It is both a sign of affection and one that shows who defers to whom in the group.
She then takes a knee before Nelia, lowering herself down to a more manageable height for the brownie. She bows her head for a moment, then looks at the brownie and says, "I am Zalmora Wintrish, a defender of Nirmathas. My father raised me in the southern Fangwood, and when the Ironfang Legion came I was amongst the many who fought their incursion.
"With me are my friends and allies," she adds, letting the others introduce themselves.
GM - Of course, I'm not sure if there's anything that you want to do with this lore, but I thought I'd share it.
"Squeak!"
The brownies coo over the various canines, floating over and tying various fabulous ribbons into bit of fur and such.
"Ahh, with Darb of course you're from Kupyn... She came to complain about Darb's ribbons and when we thought she made a joke, we giggled, but she was mad and knocked down our castle :("
The brownies point to several logs that were clearly previously stacked together, "So she can't have any of our onions of any color until she makes things right..."
Meanwhile brownies are buzy braining and tying ribbons in all the animals' fur while singing...
Rock stew for me, rock stew for you!
It’s the soup that helps us in all that we do!
If you want to make it, you need a few things,
Potatoes, carrots, celery, and
FIVE SCALLION RINGS
Rock stew for me, rock stew for you!
It’s the dish that helps us see winter through!
Some salt, some pepper,
a cauldron of bounty,
a few cuts of mutton
and a magic rock or three!
Rock stew for me, rock stew for you!
Have a Happy Winter Week, let’s eat some stew!
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"Oh, I am so certain that Kupyn didn't mean it." exclaims as the brownies do their dance. "Why, I know that the only reason that she hasn't come back is she is so embarrassed by her actions, that she doesn't know how to say she is sorry. I know that she would apologize immediately if she were here, to hear your excited singing."
The brownies nod "Have the scallions and we'll attend the festival!"
Darb and all the other animals leave quite fabulous.
A nicey screen swirl transition takes us to the Dwarven mining camp.
A small mining compound sits just at the foot of the Hollow Hills. Several dwarves sit outside eating lunch. Hanging above the entrance is the sign At the head of the table sits a venerable dwarf with a flowing white beard spilling over his mining leathers. “Hello there. Here for ore or potatoes? If it’s the former, you’re in luck. If it’s the latter, there might be a problem.”
The older dwarf responds "The current crop is set asside for Kupyn, ain't got no tatters left for ya."
"Oh, well why didn't you say so?" responds the old dwarf, "Just waitin' on my pain meds, these ole joints ain't what they used ta be ya know."
"If you've can take care o these achy bones, you can bring em to Kupyn."
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Zalmora rummages through her pack, retrieving a mortar and pestle as well as few bits of dried plants: aloe vera, ginger, frankincense, and cat's claw. She mashes them together into a fine paste, then rolls it together into a easy to digest ball. A ball that she offers to the dwarf.
"This is a combination of herbs that are known to, among other things, help joint pain. It's not delicious, but it does the job. Take it."
The Dwarf swallows it without trouble and says "Thanks, bag o' tots is right over here, we'll see ya at the celebration, also as my thanks take these solvents, we got too many sitting around anyway."
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Having succeeded at the potatoes you eventually find yourself heading to Greetle Farm.
From the new paint and fine wooden carvings of the farmers’ god Erastil lining the gate, it’s evident the farmer has been doing well.
An elderly human, sits on the front porch with his grandchildren, shelling peas and singing about rock stew. Far from unfriendly, when Farmer Greetle sees you approaching, a smile breaks over his face. “Hail and well met, strangers! What can I do for you on this fine day?”
You can hear the kids singing in the background "Rock stew for me, rock stew for you!
It’s the dish that helps us see winter through!"
Greetle nods and sighs, shooing the kids inside for now. "Kupyn decided to hire y'all to come collect?"
He then follows up "Ya know, we all work hard together on this... I still remember way back when i was only 6 and I found the lucky rock! Done well in life ever since. Kupyn's been grumblin' about all the work she does to put it together. Complainin' even, and well, well she hurt my feelin's."
He stiffens up a bit, clearly a bit uncomfortable, but about to explain his grand act of defiance. "So rather than just send them along, I'm waitin for her to come pick them up herself, maybe sight o' the kids will help rekindle her spirit."
You can still hear the kids singing from inside.
"Some salt, some pepper,
a cauldron of bounty,
a few cuts of mutton
and a magic rock or three!"
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"I hear the pain in your words, but it is unfounded. Why, we only just met Kupyn and as perfect strangers, we were astonished by the praise and admiration for your role in all of this. Kupyn seemed fully aware of your part and even told us the amazing story of the lucky stone. Truly! She would not cease with telling us about it.
Why don't you bring the kids along once the stew is made and join the celebrations? I think Kupyn might even be tempted to name you the guest of honour!"
Greetle shakes his head "It's nice of you to say it but her words really hurt me, and a few strangers coming by to apologize don't make it right."
Kids continue to sing from inside the house
"Rock stew for me, rock stew for you!
It’s the soup that helps us in all that we do!"