Kingdom of Arim I (IC)

[Keylac]

The Kingdom of Arim has recently fought a war against the neighboring Kingdom of Mizan. The war lasted barely a year, and was ended by the only major engagement, the Battle of Cold River. While Arim won the battle and the war, it gained little in the peace treaty which followed, leaving many to label it a hollow victory. Many of the common folk were left confused, unsure why Mizan had attacked the kingdom.

After the war, many soldiers, both regulars and conscripts, were discharged from the army without pay. Lacking either pay or the loot of a successful war, these former soldiers are now growing destitute. Many are becoming desperate and may turn to crime, from simple banditry to joining criminal organizations, in order to survive.

Times are not yet dark, but people's confidence in the steady course of the Kingdom has been shaken.

You are affected as well. You currently reside in the City of Kerist, and your purse seems to grow lighter by the day. If something doesn't change soon, you may be forced to leave the city to find opportunity elsewhere.

It is with this knowledge weighing on you that you take the parchment a temple ward hands you. It seems you have received a message from a Captain Kavaren. The Captain, a respected soldier before the war, was discharged from of the army after losing his arm defending against a flank attack at Cold River. Now, he asks for your aid...

***

The City of Kerist, in the Duchy of Kerist, Kingdom of Arim.
14th day of Blooming, 792.

The cool morning of late spring is already on the wane as you break the wax seal on the note the boy handed you. Unrolling it, you tilt it towards the light to read.

I Greet You, Stranger.

My name is Ryn Kavaren, once Captain in the King's Army.
I realize that you do not know me, anymore than I know you. What I do know is: when I asked a friend in the guard for a favor, he gave me your name. You see, I asked him who in town he would consider formidable. I am in need of such people.
I have recently come into some information that may lead to a large amount of wealth, at least as we measure it. It is imperative that I discover if this information is accurate, but I fear I cannot find out myself. I am still weak from injuries, and, were I recovered, still would I be unable to wield a sword.
I can promise nothing, but I ask that you come to the Cathedral of Krin, at 10th Bell, there to meet with me.

Krin's Blessings upon you,

Ryn Kavaren, Captain (Ret.)

The note isn't long, but it's plea is earnest, and something in it calls to you. Perhaps the potential for glory, the siren song of fame, or the hint of wealth. Perhaps you are moved by a desire to help a man, a good man by all reports, struck down by misfortune. Or perhaps it is the lure of adventure. Only you could say, but you find yourself checking the position of the sun, feet turning in the direction of the cathedral.

***

The Cathedral of Krin in Kerist is perhaps the most majestic building in the city. The triple spires, each one housing the largest bells in Kerist, rise high above, seeming to pierce the sky. Cleverly fitted stone without mortar makes up the entire construction, and beautiful stained glass windows line the walls.

For all it's beauty, the Cathedral is still a simple place. No precious metals reflect the sun from those towers, only the common brass of the bells. No gems encrust the walls, only the plain stone of masons. Even the windows, though ornate, show simple scenes of farmers and craftsmen, common guardsmen and foresters, not kings and lords. Yet, it has a presence that far outweighs mere gold and glitter, an aura of peace and safety, that reaches out even to non-believers.

Upon entering the cathedral, you're greeted by the quiet ringing of bells, clear notes, yet almost seeming hushed. The interior is bathed in gorgeous color from sunlight streaming through the windows and well illuminated by magical globes of golden light. Priests move about their tasks, while worshipers, scattered among the wooden benches, pray softly, ringing their bells.

The Captain - recognizable by his missing arm - is standing in the back, leaning against the wall. He is tall, with light brown hair to match his light brown eyes, like most Arimites. His frame, once well muscled, has weakened as of late, but he remains fit. But his face...

Momentarily unguarded, his face shows the despair which has been growing within him since Cold River. Eyes closed, his lips move slowly in a silent prayer while his his left arm unconsciously rubs the stump of his right. When he finishes, he bows his head for a moment, concealing his face.

When he raises it, banished is the despair. The face that turns to you is calm and clear-eyed; the face of a soldier and leader of soldiers. A movement of still powerful shoulders leaves him standing erect, and he moves over to a small table. He motions you to join him, in a gesture that includes maybe a half-dozen others. When you've all gathered around the table, he speaks in a clear baritone; softly, but you can tell his voice is trained to carry in battle.

“Thank you for coming. I apologize for not meeting you in a tavern, where we could hoist a drink. I'm afraid I live here for the moment, in the infirmary, and the priests don't wish for me to leave yet.” He pauses for a moment, meeting the eyes of each person gathered round the table. Satisfied by what he see's there, he continues. “Let me tell you a story.”

“During the war, I met a fellow, another officer. He claimed his grandfather was the last Captain of the Guard for the old Barons of Ashe Wood, before that line died out. After the last barons death, his title and all his wealth were turned over to the Baron of Stallman, including the estate here in Kerist. There was a second estate though, up in the Ashe Wood; the Baron's modest hunting lodge.”

Here a bark of harsh, almost rusty laughter. “Modest Hunting Lodge indeed. Having heard of the Ashe Wood's, it's probably bigger than the Duke's palace! Still, it was looted before Stallman could take possession of it, and he left it to rot. Turns out, the looters may have missed something. This fellow had a map, showing a treasure room hidden in the basement, and a key to open it. He claimed he got them from his grandfather.”

From his vest, he draws forth a folded piece of parchment and a large iron key, laying them on a table next to him. “He died just before Cold River, without any heirs, and I managed to retrieve the map and key when his gear defaulted to the army. What I need from you is to go and retrieve any valuables in the vault. In exchange, you can keep half the value of the contents, and anything else you may find along the way.”

He stops, staring down at the key, idly spinning it around. After a few seconds, he looks back up at you.

“It may not be true of course, though I've prayed to Krin daily since I awoke that it is. All I can offer you for your assistance is the share of the vault... and this. I called in one of my last favors to get it.” With that, he extracts a piece of parchment from his vest. Paper rustles as he places it on the table, unrolling it to display the seal of the Duke of Kerist. After a glance at you, his eyes drop to it and begins to read.

Let it be known that the bearer of this charter has been granted, by the Duke of Kerist, acting in all things in the name of His Majesty the King, Rahjyis the IV, and in all things for the good of the Kingdom of Arim, the right to adventure within the borders of the Duchy of Kerist.
The Bearer, and any Companions, are hereby charged with protecting the Duchy in the manner they see fit, acting always to Protect the Duchy, Maintain the Laws, and Uphold the Righteousness of Krin. So signed by His Grace, Lord Akos Tarsin, Duke of Kerist, and witnessed by His Excellency, Bishop Eridan, Bishop of Kerist, under the sight of Krin.

Coming to the end, he pauses a moment, almost not daring to look up.

“That's it. Truly, there's no more thankless task, in this world or the next, than adventuring. You're more likely to meet an early grave than anything else. But... you might not, too. More then a few have earned riches, fame, and glory as an adventurer. I suppose it comes down to if you're willing to risk everything for it.” For a moment his lips twitch in a small, sad smile, before his face returns to his confident mask. “I suppose I am. Maybe you are too.”

He gestures at a young man, sitting quietly on a bench a few feet away. “This is Brother Donat, an aide to His Excellency the Bishop. He's been graciously assisting me since I awoke from my injuries.” For a moment, the Captain's calm frays, mouth twisting into a bitter smile. “In fact, he's the one who transcribed the message you received.” Taking a deep breathe, he composes himself again. “If you agree, all you have to do is sign. Brother Donat will take it to the Bishop for his signature, and you'll be adventurers.”

A second deep breathe. “So tell me friends...”

A third. “What shall it be?”

[Comissar]

The sun had not long crested the horizon, but Darius was already hard at work. Since his "retirement" from the military, he'd been forced to find work where he could to keep himself fed. His current employment was as a farm hand, the labour was hard work and he wasn't paid especially well, but he wasn't going to complain. Times were tough for a lot of ex-soldiers, he had been lucky to find the work in the first place. Unfortunately, it looked like his work was coming to an end. He had been hired to help plough the field ready for sowing and there was very little field left to plough.

I'll need to remember to look for new work in town later...

The sound of somebody crunching through the undergrowth outside of the field caught Darius' attention. Looking up, he saw a ward of Krin coming towards him. Smiling slightly, he stood up straighter, resting his hands on the plough.

"Good Morning my friend!" He called out, "If you are looking for the owner of this land, I'm afraid you will need to look a little further."

"You misunderstand, you are Darius Strensson, correct?" Darius nodded, "I bring a message for you."

Curious as to who could be contacting him, Darius thanked the ward and took the letter. Whilst he read, the ward left, presumably to see to other errands.

Having read the message, he estimated how long he would have before heading to the Cathedral. Though he was not a greedy man, the promises of wealth intrigued him.

"Should be just enough time to finish up here." he muttered to himself.

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After thanking the farmer for the work he had given him, Darius headed back to his lodgings to pick up his equipment. Donning his armour always gave him some time to think. The note had said people rather than person, that suggested the Captain was assembling a group for some purpose, presumably related to the wealth that was mentioned.

Pulling on his gauntlets last, Darius shouldered his backpack and shield, strapped his shortsword to his waist and hefted up his Halberd, the bell softly ringing as he did so. He didn't know how formally Kavaren expected them to be dressed but, as the meeting was taking place at the Cathedral, Darius felt that the armour and weapons that signified his faith would perhaps be the best choice. His walk to the Cathedral was accompanied by a soft ringing the entire way.

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The Cathedral always brightened Darius' mood, the simplicity of it spoke volumes and yet it seemed to be grand all the same. After murmuring a quick prayer to Krin, he turned to one of the Priests.

"Excuse me, can you point me to Captain Kavaren?"

The Priest gestured over to the injured soldier at the far end of the hall. "Thankyou."

After exchanging greetings, he waited for the others to arrive. It did not take long and soon Karaven was outlining why he had requested their presence. The offer of an Adventurer's Charter was surprising, the deal seemed too good to pass up though.

"I for one am happy to help you with this."

[Archmage1]

Wandering through Kerist, Alexis was amazed at the beauty of the cathedral of Krin, as she headed towards the noble quarter of the city. She was planning on paying a visit to one of the nobles, as it seemed to be more fair than stealing from rich merchants, and begging, so that she could eat today. However, she also knew that most of these nobles had supported the war, and were most likely responsible for not paying the soldiers, as well as starting the whole war, so it seemed a fair exchange. However, as she passed through the northern end of Cathedral Square, one of the priests intercepted her.
"You are Alexis, right?"
Why would a priest of Krin be seeking me?
"Yes"
"I have a message for you" He hands her the message.
"Thank you. Was there anything else?"
"No, that was all I was told to do."
I wonder what this is about?
Alexis opens and reads the message.
Captain Kavaren? I heard of him on the way here. He did something heroic at the Battle of Cold River. This must be important to him. It is also a job that sounds helpful, and possibly fun. Hopefully the others he contacts are competent.
Alexis, after deciding that this is a good idea, heads to her stash, and gathers up what is left of her equipment. She then makes her way back to the cathedral, and enters.
She is amazed at the sense of peace and safety that comes over her.
She looks around, and sees an armless man in the back of the cathedral.
The poor man. I had heard that the Cold River was bad, but he looks like he has been through Hell. He looks like he is unused to being unable to do things for himself. If I can help him, I will.
She approaches him, and asks "Are you Captain Kavaren?"
"Yes I am."
"I got your message. This should be interesting. I suppose that we are waiting for the rest to arrive?"
At his nod, Alexis sits down, and waits for the rest of the group arrive. Once they do, Karaven explains what he wants, and what he expects. He also offers an Adventurer's Charter, which means that there is probably more to this than it appears. However, since she had no other real choice, the deal seemed to be acceptable.
"Sounds like an interesting adventure. I'm in."

[Holice]

As another day began to end in the city, Uriell began his trip back home. He had stopped in every shop, mill and forge he could find looking to find work. He would muck stalls or clean waste culverts if he had to, but there was nothing.

With the war coming to a close, many of the men of the city returned home, and when in times past, they returned with grandeur and riches, this time, they returned impoverish and disdainful. Thus, his family began to suffer as no one was looking to buy new clothes when they could barely afford to keep their own. And it wasn't just the tailors hurting, it was the smiths and millers and every other tradesman.

He just wanted to run into the forests and forget about this city life. Leave it all behind and live with nature. Aye, that would be the ideal life but sadly he could not leave his parents alone, in a time such as this. Thugs and other shady men shaking down businesses, stealing, and inflicting other ungodly harm. No, he must find a way to make some coin for the sake of his family.

These thoughts filled his head every evening on the way home. Walking with a frown, a gentle nudge on his leg brought a smile to his face.

"You're right boy, its not all bad," he said to his dog companion. A lean and muscular husky, who was originally trained as a riding dog, but apparently disliked the idea of having noble children treat him like a horse.

Finally arriving home and walking inside, he sensed something was wrong. Hu began to growl as the priest came into view.

"Easy boy", he said as he pet Hu on the side.

"Ah, you must be the one I am waiting for," the priest said.

Still surprised to see a priest in his home, Uriell responded with slight confusion, "I am?"

"Yes indeed!" Walking over to Uriell, the priest reached into his robe and began to pull something out, as he noticed Hu bearing his teeth and tensing to pounce.

"Hu!" Uriell exclaimed, and the dog quickly went back to panting, as if nothing had happened. Looking back to the priest, "You had something for me?"

The priest handed him the letter and quickly left, keeping the dog in his vision til he was clear out the door. Reading over the letter, he looked up and said to his parents, "I may have found a way to earn some coin."

---------------------------

On the way to the cathedral, Uriell could only wonder how exactly the Captain learned of him. Perhaps I am not as stealthy as I imagined myself, he thought to himself.

This was his first time at the cathedral, as he did not have much time or interest in attending any sermons, and he preferred to commune out in the forest, where he felt more at peace and one with the world. Taking a step to go inside, he looked at Hu and said, "Perhaps you should stay out here, we wouldn't want to offend."

Continuing into the Cathedral he saw a man with one arm ahead of him, and several other people scattered about. The one-armed man motions for the group of us to head to a nearby table and begins to tell us just why we are here.

Do I really have a choice? It's this or watch as we drift further into poverty, Uriell thought to himself.

With a definitive nod, "I too agree to join."

[Morbis Meh]

The loud but somehow meekish rap at the door awoke Anthony from his half drunk stupor. He looked around sharply for the source of the noise and his axe, most avoided trying to wake him up in the morning after he nearly strangled the stable boy to death. Anthony pushed the three women off of him unceremoniously and grabbed the wine jub to his right when the door opened. Lifting the jug to his lips he was agitated to discover the contents were missing... today was going to be a bad day"Skanks drank all my wine!" In a fit he hurls the jug at the door he hears the startled cry as the jugs shatters harmlessly against the wall. He turns his head and sees a boy of fifteen or so, in meager attire with a look of terror in his eyes and his trembling hands clutched for dear life to a letter. The look of terror transforms into one of shock then embarrassment as the eyes move from the bear of a man to the naked women lying on the ground. Anthony, though not normally observant did notice this and barked out "What's the matter boy? Never seen a tit before? If you want attention from these floozies you will need some coin, I recommend Rosy, she may not be the prettiest to look at but damn does she know how to use them hips of hers." The looks of horror returned to the young mans face. Sighing Anthony rose up stark naked and slogged towards the boy, he was growing impatient with this one "Spit it out boy what do you want and quit staring at my package!" The boy lets out a strangled cry as he hands over the letter and bolts through the door.

Anthony squints at the letter then roars in frustration "God damn tiny script, who writes like this? Hey do any of you trollops know how to read?" He walks over and kicks the woman who called herself Bethany in the side, not too hard but hard enough to get his point across. The woman, obviously startled scrambles up and rubs her sore side and blinks up at Anthony her gaze drift down to his hand. "Answer me, do you know how to read or not?" She gives a frantic nod and slowly reaches out a grabs the letter. Her rendition of the letter was poor, she stumbled over a lot of the words and her pronounciation was terrible but at the very least she got the letter's point across. Anthony muttered to himself "Damn old cripples, looking for me to do their damn dirty work and go into a church." Since the war Anthony continued working for his liege lord, he was one of the lucky ones to be honest. Though he was no longer required to continue serving he did it anyway because it kept him in enough coin to blunder about in brothels full of booze. Though the coin never lasted very long... what Anthony truly missed was battle, he lived for it in fact and he was damn disappointed that the war was so short. This propposition at the very least would get him swinging again. Hastily he donned his clothing and arms, the sable jerkin with crimson trim of his house was striking and made him look even more formidable. Before he left the establishment he quickly jotted down a letter explaining to his lord his request for leave, something his lord would most assuridly grant, and walked out the door.

Much to his chagrin, the day was bright and cheery, Anthony hated days like this and his demeanor reflected his feelings. Upon entering the Cathedral, Anthony noticed a bunch of people huddled around the cripple who he assumed was this former captain. Sure he had heard of him, he was the unlucky bloke who lead the company next to Anthony's during the initial charge. Anthony approached the basin of water at the entrance, the one worshipers used for blessings, grabbing the edges of said basin he procceeded to completely submerge his head into the cold water. He shook his head and wiped off excess water from his face before approaching the group.

Karaven eyed him warily but gave a curt nod signifying Anthony's approach. Anthony half listened and half stared at the rear of some fine lass praying at the altar, when a response was required he mumbled "Yeah, yeah, sure you got it...treasure, money, dead lodge."

[Electrobolt]

Tamni'el sighed as he began to head on his way to the local tavern, now that the war had ended. He had nothing left that he could really do, and even though the war was over, he felt as if it was a hollow victory. Even though he can go back to stroll through the woods, he just could not feel the same peacefulness as he did in the past.

Shaking his head, he looked up and saw the tavern was only a few yards away from him now. *I just wonder if I should go do something as opposed to just drinking my remaining coin away...* he pondered to himself. Letting out a chuckle, he added in his mind, *It's not like anything will come and offer me work, after all...* However, as soon as he started approaching the tavern, a voice had called out to him, effectively stopping him in his tracks.

"Excuse me, you wouldn't happen to be Tamni'el, right?" is what the voice spoke up. Quickly turning around, facing the person who had called out to him, noticing it was a priest. Nodding, he responded, "Yes, that would be me. Why do you ask, though?" As the priest came closer, he pulled a letter out of his clothing. "I was told to deliver this to you, should I find you." Silently taking the letter, he nodded as he opened it to read the contents. The priest's job done, he began to leave as Tamni'el poured over the contents of the letter. Chuckling to himself, he said, "Looks like work did find me after all..."

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As opposed to going to the tavern, Tamni'el instead decided to return to his home located close to the woods he frequented. Walking inside, he looked around at the empty, silent abode. "Now, where did I put them..." he asked himself, trying to find his old gear that he had during the war. As he walked into one of the rooms, he recognized a familiar sight: his armor. Looking around the room some more, he eventually found his weapons and the rest of his gear.

"Never imagined I would see the day that I would use these again..." he mused to himself as he eventually donned his armor. As he slung his backpack on, he grabbed his bow with his left arm. "Even though I still haven't recovered from that incident, I still trust that I can make use of my bow..." After grabbing the last of his gear, Tamni'el started on his way to the Cathedral of Krin.

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Even though he hadn't visited the town much, he was able to recall where the cathedral was. As he headed towards the cathedral, he recalled the note and all that it had said. *Should this prove good, then things will hopefully start looking up for me... And any others that were called up by him, assuming that he was calling for more than just one person.* As he walked inside, Tamni'el asked where he could find Kavaren, to which one of the church priests pointed him in the direction of the ex-captain.

As he approached the location, he noticed a number of people around as well. As he remained silent, he listened to the words Kavaren had to speak. Once he was finished speaking, Tamni'el thought for a moment. It was either he live his current life out, with little-to-no coin left to his name, or he goes and risks his life in hopes of finally being able to get a chance at earning some money. After thinking it through, he finally nods, replying, "I also agree."

[AvocadoAvenger]

Tulare had been doing work as a hired sword in the last few months. With thievery and bandits on an increase, there had been enough need for muscle. Of course, his jobs were also the kind of thing that veterans would be attracted to, so he did have enough competition to keep him from prospearing from his work. He also played a hireling in enforce transactions of lawful and unlawful nature. Even so, he almost never saw action. His work bored him- which pissed him off- but he did need it to make his small income.

When the man came to him to deliver the letter, Tulkar was hardly surprised. He had worked with soldiers before, and accepted work like that all the time. What was surprising is that some soldier put in a good word for him. He eventually figured that he was in need of a bulk force, or was facing some kind of special danger. Tulkar certainly mistrusted the note. After his incident with the Mizzns, he dislike and mistrusted soldiers; beliefs that proved not to be unfounded from his experience in Arim. But alas, he figured he needed to go as he hadn't found work in several days, and would risk going without food if he went much longer. Besides, priests were generally worthy of trust. "I suppose I'll be there." he told the man with a sigh. He really did hate his work.

Approaching the temple, Tulkar felt none of its splendor. He just didn't care all that much about his surroundings. He had no special love for priests either, they were too good for his tastes, and everything could be taken as offensive to them. He just didn't get why they chose the lifestyle that they did.

When the rest of the group went up to Kavaren, Tulkar did the same. He thought he knew what to expect from this, the same old thing. An adventuring contract was not what he was expecting. However, it sounded like an improvement from what he was doing now "An adventurer... he said quietly aloud "I suppose I'm in as well. he continued with more resolution. But only as long as it suits me well he thought I can quit this whenever it benefits me best.

[Keylac]

As each of you agreed, signing your name or symbol to the charter, the Captain's mood seems to lighten. As the young Half-Orc signs, he lets out a breathe, shoulders slumping in obvious relief.

“Truly, I had not expected to find that all of you would be so willing to come here, so willing to agree. But... I thank you for it.” He picks up the charter, handing it to Brother Donat, who turns and heads for the right wing of the cathedral.

“The good Brother will return with the Bishop's signature in a moment, my friends. Right now, let me show you the way to the Manor.” With that, he pulls another paper from his pocket, unfolding it to show a map of the Duchy. He puts it down on the table, gesturing you all to join him, before leaning over the map.

“Here,” he says, finger indicating a recently added notation. “This is the Manor. It took me days to find it's location, looking through old archives here in the Cathedral. To get there, you could take one of two routes.”

“The obvious one would be to take the Kerist Road north to the village of Stallman,” here his finger traces the highway leading north, then the side road leading to Stallman. “From there, you could cut through the woods, to reach the Manor. It's the longer route, forty miles by Royal High Road, and another five or so through the wood, but you'll make good time along the High Road.”

“Alternately, you could cut straight through the Ashe Wood,” here, his finger taps the large wood north of Kerist. “It's twenty-five miles straight through, as the crow flies, but I've no landmarks to keep you from getting lost. I'd not try that way unless you knew what you were doing in the woods and had a good eye for terrain.”

“In either case, you should be able to make it in two day's travel or so. I'd recommend you approach it from the south; it's apparently backed up against some gullies and hills that would play merry-hell with horses, and could harbor unfriendly beasts.”

As the Captain finishes, you hear the sound of footsteps behind you. Turning, you see Brother Donat returning, accompanied by a stout looking, plain woman in the robes of a Mother. While he hands out a copy of the now-signed charter to each of you, she stands there, arms crossed, tapping her foot and glaring at the Captain.

“Here are the charters,” says Brother Donat, nodding at the papers you now all held. “However, I'm afraid that Mother Ilona here is insisting that Captain Kavaren return to his bed. He is still not fully recovered from his wounds. Now, I must bid you all a good day, Sir Paladin, Good Lady, Good Folk.” With a smile and a nod to each of you – though his smile is noticeably brighter when he looks at Darius, and seems to lose all sign of friendliness and become stiff when he looks at Anthony – he turns and walks back towards the right wing, giving Mother Ilona a short bow as he leaves.

As he departs, the Captain turns back to all of you, muttering something to soft to hear. “Well, there you have it my friends; you're now officially adventurer's. The map is yours, along with the key and the directions. Luck be with you, and Krin ward your steps.” With that he gives you all a crisp nod, and turns to the Mother, allowing her to badger him out of the room.

OOC

Spoiler

Show

And once again, three things. I seem to have a lot of things to say in threes...

First, you guys are now the proud owners of four new items – or 9 if you count the copies.

Each of you now has:

Adventurer's Charter – This charter allows you to adventure throughout the Duchy of Kerist.

In addition, the party as a whole (no, I don't care who carries them) has these three items:

Map of the Duchy of Kerist - This is a fairly detailed Map of the Duchy of Kerist. Notations along the edges lead you to assume it was used for military planning. Among the points of interest marked, a new one has been added showing the location of the Ashe Wood Manor.

Map to the Vault - This rough sketch shows the location of the rumored vault in the basement of the Ashe Wood Manor.

Key to the Vault - This large iron key supposedly opens the vault in the basement of the Ashe Wood Manor.

Second, we have also now reached the second part of the railroading. Specifically, Go ahead and discuss, describe, decide, etc to your hearts content, but tomorrow morning, you should show up at the gate outside of Kerist (I'll do the next post from there, and then let you guys talk a bit as you travel) at Dawn tomorrow. You also don't get to explore the city or buy anything, just get ready with what you've got.

Soon as you're on your way, the railroading ends and it all opens up, though I figure you'll still do the Manor. Once you get back to the city, then the whole place opens up to you, and I'll post all the information on it when you do return.

Third, Travel. This is pretty much just a RP experience for you folks, since most of the mechanics for travel do not work very well in a PBP game. If you guys decide to take the highway, it's about 2 days to get there, no problems. The forest is also 2 days, though if you take that, someone in each group has to make a DC 15 survival check to follow the path. Somebody may even know something to allow you to pass through it more quickly. - he said in a very broad, one time hint.

Allright, enough explaining. I need to do less of that, or you guys will drown in letters.

[Archmage1]

Alexis accepts the maps and the key from Captain Kavaren. As he leaves, she says Thank you for the chance to succeed. Hopefully, we will not dissapoint

Alexis looks at the others that she just became partners, and observes each one carefully.

The first one that attracts her attention is a human knight.
He seems to be a veteran, and is probably fairly useful in a fight, although possibly not as useful out of one. He may be a good friend, or he may not. Only time would tell. Kaveran referred to him as Sir Paladin. Hopefully he will not be too aggravated at questionable behaviour
The second one seems to be some sort of ranger or druid.
He should be able to take us cross country, which would have the benefit of keeping this mission secret for longer. Hopefully he really is a druid, as healing may come in handy
The taller human knight seems to blame the world for something.
He had a reason to fight once, to have taken a beating, but is he still willing to go on? Considering the smell of alcohol on him, that is a major question. Hopefully his alcoholism will not prove a problem.
The green eyed elf appears to be a scout or ranger of some sort.
Hopefully he has not seen that bounty, as if he has he may be problematic, but if not, it would be good to talk to another elf after so long.
The final member, the half orc, seems to be quite angry.
The half-orc may be problematical. He seems to be quite angry. With luck, that anger will not be directed at me. If it is, he may... change his mind

Turning to the odd group that she just became a part of, Alexis introduces herself " My name is Alexis, and I am looking forwards to this adventure. Hopefully, together we can succeed at this mission, and have a good time while doing so."
With that, Alexis calmly waits for the others to respond

After the others have all introduced themselves, Alexis inquires
Which way shall we go. We could take the high road, it would be simple and safe, but also fairly obvious. I think we would be better off if "
she turns to Uriel and Tamni'el " one of you could guide us through the woods. There may be a shortcut, although if there is, I have not heard of it. Either way, we should leave in the morning. There is not much light left for today, and we may need the time to prepare. I think we should meet at the north gate tomorrow at dawn,"
She looks at Anthony "In a condition to travel".

[Comissar]

Darius smiles warmly back at Brother Donat, giving a small nod of acknowledgement as he does so. He makes no comment as Karaven is ushered back to his bed, but instead turns to the group he finds himself with.

"A pleasure to meet you Alexis, my name is Darius. If I may be so bold as to ask, is anybody here particularly well versed in navigating the Ashe Wood? I feel that we may be able to save a lot of time if we cut through the forest instead of taking a detour."

[Morbis Meh]

At the sound of the mention of another lady approaching, Anthony's head snaps back but is dismayed to see an matronly woman approaching. Damn it... hmm she's not that bad, I have done much worse (dear god don't think of that time with that giant and the donkey, find your happy place find your happy place) and the 'chaste' ones can be rather kinky after a mug of ale or ten... yes, I think it is time for a challenge, she can flog my bishop any day.

When the elf lass speaks Anthony refocuses on here but is not really listening to her speak, more of trying to undress her with his one eye Bah, what are you doing man!? You remember those elves are terrible in the sack not to mention this one looks like she has two pebbles on a cutting board for a chest! "Ahem ugh, yeah, I be Anthony, former Shield Warden of House Atreidies, most call me bull though especially the ladies ahahahaha!" He inspects the young templar before him This one is barely out of diapers, hopefully he doesn't panic mid battle like scared cattle... though he seems to be fine looking, wonder if he prefers brunettes or red heads, it has been a long time since I had a proper wingman...

"The only wood I know of templar is the one between me legs, though I can say they probably have been travelled more than the Ashewoods!" Grinning broadly, his splitting headache began to slowly disapate, though he was tempted to head back to the brothel...Damn, forgot to ask for an advance, bloody Thor playing a banjo! He breaks out of thought long enough to see the scathing glance thrown his way from the elf. He replies with an incredulous look "Why you be looking at me for? Do I have something on my face, a warrior never drinks before battle but then again since it be no proper battle I shall partake in a little company this evening." He turns to the youthful knight "Care to join me pup, I promise ye will see and do things that will make a demon blush?"

[Holice]

Looking at the charter in his hand, Uriel can't help but wonder if this will be the key to his family's future. It is. It HAS to be.

Nodding with affirmation to himself, he thinks about the Captain's proposal and the routes he offers. I really dislike traveling the roadways, but the Ashe Wood may not be much safer. I know I can navigate it safely and quietly, but with a group this large, we are bound to have something notice us.

His thoughts were interrupted as he hears Alexis indicate that either himself or the elf could guide the group through the forest. An elf that needs guidance throw the forest? he ponders, as he looks towards the other elf.

"I could...," he begins to say just as the giant of a man begins speaking. Listening to the man boast, he can't help but wonder if this man's actions in battle speak as loudly as his words of jest.

As the man finishes his remarks with a quip, Uriell continues what he was going to say.

"With the map in hand I could guide us to this location, but I must warn you, I have never been through the heart of the Ashe Wood, so we must be prepared for anything and everything.

"Speaking of which, I would truly enjoy knowing what everyone brings to the party," he then turns to look towards Anthony, "perhaps over a pint? My treat."

[Electrobolt]

Holding onto the charter in his left hand, his mind began to race with the thoughts of what they might see ahead of them. As one of them spoke up, a female elf by the name of Alexis, Tamni'el nodded as he introduced himself as well. "It's good to meet you. I'm known by the name of Tamni'el, but if you'd prefer, you could also call me by the name Niel."

After Alexis suggested someone guide them through the woods, he was confused. His confusion didn't show on his face though, but in his mind he, wondered, *She's an elf, yet she needs guidance through the woods?* Clearing that thought out of his head, he began to say something, until Anthony interrupted abruptly. Sighing as he finished, and after listening to Uriell, he spoke out, "I know my way through the woods, seeing as I frequented them before. So there's that option, if we decide to take it. And I agree, perhaps departing in the morning would be a wise idea."

[AvocadoAvenger]

"And i'm Tulkar" Tulkar says bruskly, jabbing a thumb at himself. He thought the notion of getting along and becoming close friends to be an absurd one, but not quite as absurd as the notion of cutting through the woods. Sir Paladin, The Pervert, The She-Elf, Mr. Tracker, and WoodsBoy he thought to himself with disdain, labeling each of them in his head. They may be honorable, or not, or adventurous, or simple, but gods know they are daft for that idea- every one of them. "So, what you think is- that we should cut through the middle of nowhere in order to save a few hours on a trip to an objective that is not going anywhere instead of using the roads that were intended for travel?" Tulkar asks the group, particularly Darius who was the only one that expressly voiced that they go that way. He portrayed quite a bit of irritation and mockery in his voice.

He eyed his companions once again, considering what he thought of each of them. He thought Alexis to be a bit bossy. What a man does with his free time is his own business he thought. She was, however, an attractive enough girl, so he figured he could forgive her that. Of course, Anthony had made it everyone's business, and Tulkar found his comments extremely obnoxious. It reminded him of what some soldiers talked of doing before they killed his mom, and he made a fist without realizing it. I'll have to teach him a lesson if he continues like this Tulkar thought. He wasn't sure what he thought about the rest of them yet. Uriel, at least, seemed agreeable enough.

[Archmage1]

After hearing each of their responses, Alexis continues to evaluate the others she has found herself adventuring.
Well, of all of them, Darius, Tamni'el, and Uriel seem to be fairl friendly, but Anthony and Tulkar will probably be a bit more of a problem. Good idea on Uriell's part, going to the tavern. Especially if he is paying, however, I should be careful to avoid getting drunk.


"Uriell, thanks for the offer, It would probably be a good idea to continue to discuss our options, and our abilities in a more private and less churchy location. Does anyone know a good tavern?"

I do know a few taverns here, but I am doubtful that Anthony and Tulkar would be... appreciated there. They may know a better location. Besides, better to give them some choices, rather than control everything. People tend to work better when they have at least the illusion of choice

[Morbis Meh]

Anthony looks at the half orc up and down A brooding angsty teen with little respect for elders, oh joy, I may have to put this one over my knee and spank it...

"People travel through the woods to SAVE time and as far as you know others could be looking for this location. Who knows if this man is the only one with this information there could be others and if we have people who know what they are doing we could save a lot of time. If you would prefer, you can always go back to your mother and suck on her teet, child." He turns to Alexis "The naked blade is a rowdy place full of disgruntled soliders, all in all a horrible place to discuss business. If you want to talk business in private the best place in not a tavern, too many people around who could be listening. I will hold the offer of a drink to this man when we get back, we have work to do and a man needs to keep his wits about him. "

[Comissar]

Darius gives Anthony a pained look at the tirade of double entendre's he was spouting. He got the feeling he was going to be the butt of many jokes to come. His reasoning seemed unimpaired by his obvious uncouthness though.

"I'm going to have to agree with my lewd friend here, it's well worth saving what time we can by cutting through the forest. I'm less worried about bandits spiriting away any treasures we may find and just more interested in travelling the more direct path personally, but he is correct that we don't want to leave it alone for too long."

Turning to face Uriell, he continued "I thank you for your offer, but I'm afraid I will pass for today. Now, unless anyone has anything to add, I plan to retire for the evening. I look forward to meeting you come the morning."

[Holice]

Shaking his head, Uriell ponders his new companions. So much for getting to know these people prior to the journey. But hopefully this Captain picked adventurers that can be trusted.

"Perhaps that is best. Plenty of time on our journey to acquaint ourselves with each other."

Not wanting to get into the any argument about our chosen route he quickly adds, "And I vote for forest travel if we are taking a vote."

With that he does a quick bow and walks out of the church. As he leaves he whistles and Hu pops up and is at his side faster than you could blink. Scratching him behind the ear Uriell says quietly, "Let's go home boy."

[Archmage1]

Alexis sighs
I suppose introductions can wait until we are moving. At least it seems that we will be taking the forest path. Still, to be able to do something will be a nice change. Hopefully this will end well

Alexis turns and faces the group "I think we will meet at the north gate at dawn. no point in wasting daylight, and this will be an enjoyable trip. I have not been in the forests since I was 16. It would be good to travel through them again."
With that said, Alexis turns to depart

[Electrobolt]

Nodding, Tamni'el responded, "So we depart tomorrow at dawn, then. I will be at the gate as early as I am able to." With that, he nodded once more as he went out on his own way. In his mind, Tamni'el thought, *If we are going through the woods, we best be prepared...*

[AvocadoAvenger]

At Anthony's insult, Tulkar is on his feet with his fist poised to strike, probably drawing quite a bit of attention to himself. It is then that he remembers where he is, and has the restraint to not start a fight in a church. "You had best watch your mouth" he said coldly through bared teeth. He sat down just as solemnly, and the incident was over.

Seeing as how every other group member had elected to take the woods, Tulkar knew he couldn't possibly win this. "fine" he conceded "we can take the woods, but don't blame me when it all goes sour. I'll be there at dawn as well." That was one of their better ideas, Tulkar decided. By leaving at dawn, they could make the best use of all their daylight.

[Keylac]

The bright light of dawn finds you outside the King's Gate, the northern gate out of Kerist. Traffic is sparse at this hour, with only a few farmers and tradesmen passing through the great gate. Only the guards appear rested and alert as they wave you through.

A few moments spent in adjusting packs and straps, accompanied by greetings, give way to the start of your journey. Like all traveler's, you follow the Kerist Road north, at least until you're past the farms that surround Kerist to the north and east. Once past them, you cut across the empty grasslands, interrupted only by occasional woodlots and small strands of trees.

The day passes quicker with quiet conversation among yourself. These, your new companions, are a diverse lot, each with their own tales and stories. For all their unknown nature, the trip is not – generally – unpleasant.

It's not long before the trees start becoming more common, and shortly after you reach the edge of the woods. Now, without a map to guide your steps, you will have to rely on knowledge and wilderness lore to guide you through to your destination.

OOC

Spoiler

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Allright, so I'm going to need a Survival check from whomever is leading. Anyone who feels their character would have something to add, go ahead and roll Aid Another to give him a hand. If you've got Knowledge: Geography, you can also roll that to see if you know of an easier path.

[Holice]

The journey has been rather easy going and mundane, a few quick talks here and there, but it would seem that either most of us are a bit reserved about present company or simply still tired from an early departure.

Reaching the edge of the forest, Uriell quickly scans the tree line. Looking down at Hu, "You see anything boy?".

Spoiler

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Hu has Scent ability, which can alert us prior to an ambush at 30' or if we are downwind, 60'

Recalling the directions as indicated by the Captain, while looking at the Sun's position and bending down to check the moss on the trees, Uriell turns to the group.

"I can lead us on a North by North-West pass in the direction of the lodge. However, as I said before I have never seen this place nor am I familiar with the area that deep into the Ashe Wood. If anyone has any recollection of this place or hidden paths to it, now would be a great time to let me know."

[Morbis Meh]

Anthony remains silent, an oddity for those that didn't know him, a great deal thought of his as some drunken beast but in reality he was a soldier through and through and an officer to boot. He was always very reserved and even a hard ass during campaigning but he was always fair and when called for courageous. He was an officer willing to go into the thinck of battle to save his men, one of the few reasons why his other activities were tolerated. His men loved him and Anthony was more at home on the battlefield than anywhere else.

He could guess the one who made the attempt to create solidarity among the group was a scout, which was good for lord knows Anthony was already at a massive disadvantage in that regard. The orc boy was actually really funny, oh the stupidity of youth, if Anthony hadn't laughed at the kid he probably would have knocked him out. Some people are just too serious for their own good, if the boy used his head at all he would know that he would be at a massive disadvantage against me. Not only because of my fighting experience but because of my ties, I was still acting Shield Warden of House Atreidies before I made it official last night...

[Comissar]

"I come out here from time to time, I don't pretend to be an expert map reader but I know a little of this area. I'd be happy to help you."

Darius walked towards the front of the group, giving his advice to Uriell when asked for it. As they walked, he turned to Anthony "Forgive me if you do not wish to talk about it, but you seem to have served with the military for some time. I am curious as to who you've served under."

[Archmage1]

(Before they leave Alexis hands the map to Uriell)
Alexis has stayed mostly silent during the trip, however, she has been smiling and looking around at the trees around her
It has been far too long since I was in the forest, I had forgotten how peaceful it is, at least when nothing is happening. I am glad we chose this route
Alexis looks distant, as though she is lost in the past, as she responds to Uriell's question "I am afraid that I don't have any real skill in the forests. It has been almost one hundred years since I left the roads or the cities. I had almost forgotten what it is like to be here."

[Morbis Meh]

Anthony turns his head and ponders the question "The past is the past, no harm in talking about it and it at the very least helps one from repeating the same mistakes. I told you already that I was, up until last night, acting Shield Warden of House Artreidies. I led a small contingent of men at arms for the house during the war that made up a part of a larger body of fighters from the noble houses. As for who I served under, it was the Shield Warden of House Barthor who oversaw the noble house contingent. His name was Elmar, we endentured servants have little use for surnames and generally just refer to what house we serve. He was a good man, didn't micromanage between the houses but instead acted more as a peace keeper between feuding houses. Why do you ask? I imagine you were sectioned off with the other templars and not the shock troops like we were."

[Holice]

Taking in the info that Darius gave him, along with quick passage ways he knows himself, he is confident he can get the party to their destination by afternoon tomorrow if we camp this evening.

That game trail Darius spoke of is an excellent idea, saves at least a day from walking east around the thorn thicket, he thought quietly to himself. And using the dry river bed is an excellent option, especially this time of year with the waters low. To think that all this time there was a manor only a few miles from places I have been and I never knew.

Looking again at the position of the sun, If we travel straight through it will be dark by time we make it to the manor. Much safer to camp, but let's see what the group decides.

"Stay on guard Hu," he says to his companion before walking back to the group.

"Pardon the interruption, but we are set for travel. The journey should be well as we will stick to lower lands already cleared of heavy brush. If we leave now, we can make it there by the night, but it will require some quick movement. If we want to camp prior to the the manor, I know a spot about a few miles out that should suffice, and then we can reach the manor by early afternoon."

As he goes to walk away, he turns and adds, "And while we may converse on this journey, please keep your eyes and ears open for anything unusual. The forest is home to many unsavory and wild creatures."

[Archmage1]

I am glad that Uriell is here. Without him or Tamni'el, we would most likely be hopelessly lost in these woods. As it is, we can travel fairly quickly, along fairly easy routes. However, we should probably camp, as it is never a good idea to head into a job tired, and with complete unknowns. It would give us an opportunity to learn about each others tactics and skills.

"I think we would be better off facing any dangers and threats inside the manor well rested, additionally, we also need to discuss how we are going to explore the ruins. I am sure that each of us brings different skills to the table, and knowing each others skills and abilities will improve our chances of success"

This said, Alexis returns to looking around at the woods, remembering her travels as a child.

[Electrobolt]

Tamni'el nodded in agreement as Uriell and Alexis suggested that the group rest for the night, not wanting to push themselves hard and wear themselves out before getting to the manor. Speaking up, he agreed, "Yeah, it'd be best if we set up camp here for now. If we were to arrive tired, we would most likely not have a favorable outcome." As he recalled Alexis saying that they should probably discuss what each person is good at, he nodded. *Wouldn't be a bad idea to know what everyone else is good at,* he pondered silently to himself.