Book Seven, Chapter One �Aleath here we come, hic�

 

����������� 25/06/2005

 

We are in Ulfshafen and it�s the 1st of Peonu 727 and we are off to Aleath, a Free City in Kanday. By boat so we don�t have to go through Trobridge. Ah but what about the vision � �The vision � it�s a� confusing dream � a long journey overland to the west where you visit a priest and a noble � a journey over land back east and ends in a vision of a burning boat and a screaming nun. And there is no way he can make sense of it at the time. He starts the journey in dirt clothes and ends in clean cloths. There is a significant amount of money involved.�

 

So we go by land, and its seven days to Trobridge, sixteen to seventeen days to Aleath. Its safe journey through the Elven Forest to Trobridge and we arrive on the 7th Peonu. There a few things to sort out there, which takes two days. The next caravan arrives on 30th of Peonu, leaving on the 1st Kelen. We decide not to wait, or to form our own caravan, and set of on 10th of Peonu.

 

We travel through Athul, the realm of the Tulwyn, a polite but ruthless tribe. They are supposed to by quite tough and turn up in a bunch of a hundred or so, unlike the Pagaelin. One night, about 5 days into the journey, Zytsi wandered off and got lost. Aruth tracked and followed him, meanwhile Zytsi wandered into camp. Meanwhile we find a path, which Aruth says three leather armoured, spear armed, solemn men walked along it. We go back to the camp.

 

Early the next we meet a woodsman, from the Trobridge area. He was exploring, he was following up rumours of a Tulwyn religious site in this area. There is a grave and people turn up and put stuff in. He wants to sell us the information on how to find it. Aruth gave him 105d! Everyone was shocked, especially the peasant.

 

Follow the path there is a raised rectangular mound in a clearing and a door way in one side. There two permanent guards on the door, plus any visitors that might be around. How much to we want to piss off the neighbours? We leave, but Sir Martyn decides he wants to go there after half a day. As we think about turning back Zytsi says �look, there�s a raven� and mimics one, both Sir Martyn and Daniel believe it. We turn around and get back to our original site just as its getting dark. A considerable number of people have crossed the road since we passed. Its lots of Tulwyn men, women and kids with livestock heading north, which is the tomb side of the road.

 

We set up camp and Sir Martyn blows a signalling horn to let everyone know that he is here. We have three watches set up by Sir Martyn: Bowlhead and Zytsi, then Daniel and Aruth, and finally Bowlhead and Zytsi. Nice one, Sir Martyn. On the third watch Zytsi sees, in the needle wood forest, four or five men watching the camp. Bowlhead wakes the butler, who duly informs Sir Martyn that the new scruffy gentleman claims he has visitors.

 

Sir Martyn looks and sees seven men; Crowley turns up with seven mugs just as Sir Martyn asks for them. Sir Martyn invites them in, and in they come into the campsite.

 

They are incredible honourable, based on a personal standard; honest, so their word is good (and not Lawful Evil); tolerating no rudeness; very good at sneak and hide, and make good weapons. There are about 30 tribes, each could put at least 60 men into the field. Worship a form of animism � Kekemar the wind god. Very, very burn the witch orientated. Individual travellers can impress them, but it�s rare. They like silver, jewellery and good weapon gifts, would be insulted by food but accept booze.

 

One walks up to Sir Martyn and says �You must be Sir Martyn�, there is no toll this week. Sir Martyn starts the new quest story, slanted to impress them. We are looking for the bones of warriors of his land. Have they seen anything that may aid him in his quest?

 

For such a quest it might be a good idea to the Great Gathering and consult the priests. But first we must meet his leader to exchange gifts.

 

We contemplate goods for gifts. A silver jewellery box with a dose of Yulpris in it, well that would be a good gift. Well at least it won�t be wasted on a peasant this time. And just why is Robin laughing?

 

They come back in a couple of hours time. They lead us to the path and then to the grave. Its time to present our gifts to their leader, who died three days ago. These seven guys are the elite bodyguard of the chieftain.

 

Our gifts are the silver box with Yulpris from Sir Martyn, Zytsi gives +15 dagger and very well made +10 short sword, Aruth leaves +15 shield, Daniel +10 bastard sword. Bowlhead waits outside. It�s an exchange of gifts. Sir Martyn picks a figurine of a winged lion, ring for Zytsi, cloak clasp for Aruth, and broach with a nightingale (10d) on it for Daniel.

 

At this time every year every tribe gathers nearby. Unfortunately their king died, of natural causes, on the way here so they are late. The Gathering features lots of tale telling, and tale standardising. There is a very windy cave with standings stones nearby where the priests worship and mediate. Apparently it�s quite dangerous to go into the cave because of the winds.

 

Because of Sir Martyn�s gift we get to ask a question of their priests. This is on the 17th of Peonu, and it�ll take 2 days to get to this hill of meeting. Once there they go ahead to meet the priests, and come back and say they they�ve agreed.

 

The party has to undergo three rituals: a ritual of pure strength, a ritual of combat, and a ritual of purification. Daniel is to under go the pure strength ritual, Sir Martyn for the ritual of combat, Bowlhead for the ritual of purification. Zytsi also wanted to do the ritual of combat, no worries, he can if he wants. Aruth thought about it but didn�t. Wise move there from Aruth.

 

The ritual of strength: stand in a circle of straw, which has been doused in something flammable, holding a big spiky log with lit torches. Hold up the log for as long as possible. Six rounds is the average lasting time. << Add the Strength stat plus bonuses plus whatever. So that�s 97 + 20 + 15 from my inspiring song for a total of 132. To this you add a dice roll. On the first round the grand total must be above 25, and it goes up by 25 each round. >> Well Daniel quite happily got to 6 rounds and thought he�d go for a seventh before putting down the log. That was a big mistake as he failed by 35 and took a couple of broken ribs, a nasty gash and a minor burn before he got rid of the log.

 

Ritual of purification � Bowlhead is up for the drugs. They have particular holy herb they munch on quite readily, every one else thinks it�s a deadly nerve poison. You have to take ever increasing doses until you die, or give up. Three doses are normal, Bowlhead went for 5 doses, and failed losing 3 points of strength and constitution.

 

The ritual of combat, they contemplated it for a while and Sir Martyn and Zytsi are fighting each other. They didn�t have to, but they wanted to. It�s without armour, and no pulling to As. This is going to dangerous. They wanted to do it to see what happened. Sir Martyn was up for it and Zytsi wanted to fight. They start 20 feet apart on the edge of circle. If you are knocked out of the circle you lose. On the fourth round Zytsi hit Sir Martyn, boy did he hit him. The War hammer�s secondary critical killed him in 12 rounds taking his liver out, so he re-rolled it using his token. Unfortunately that killed him instantly by exploding his chest and lungs, so Sir Martyn had to use his token. That worked, and was knocked down and failed to act for 2 rounds.

 

The four of us how under went the rituals are certified friends of Tulwyn, and can pass hassle free through their lands. Most of all the Tulwyn are here and see us.

 

Daniel tells the tale of the hero�s bones, and it goes down well. The crowd demand that the priests aid in our quest.

The priest say that �A woman with a scarlet ribbon in her hair re-claiming the bodies of about 50 warriors. We need to talk to the woman.� The re-claiming of the bodies will help us get our bodies. There is a road called the scarlet ribbon that leads north out of Rethem.

 

We stay out the festival, and feasting. There were no diplomatic incidents, though it nearly was. We stay there for four days after the trial. So we leave on the 25th of Peonu. Then it takes us three days to be guided back on to the road. There is a fortress from Coranan about half way between Coranan and Trobridge, with about 100 men in it. We come out on the road more or less by it on the 27th of Peonu; it is 5 days from there to Moleryn. Two days into this stretch we come round a corner and see a huge golden bear. We attempt to avoid it; we didn�t quite manage to sneak round it so Daniel sung it a lullaby and it went sleep. So we did avoid it after all.

 

Five days out of Moleryn on the 3rd of Kelen we see an angry mob. They appear to about to burn a witch. They are outside a noble�s castle, about half a mile away, though he doesn�t seem to be present. We are now in Kanday, the most civilised part of Harn. This is civilized!

Sir Martyn asks what they are doing.

Burning a witch, sir. (Who is about 17 and rather pretty.)

Has she been found guilty by your Lord?

No sir, he�s away.

Well done. I will take her to Kanday to try her.

Mass rumbles of discontent. Sir Martyn exerts his knightly authority. Not happy and they want to send someone with us to see she is burnt.

 

Her name is Bethsemony (Beth for short). She has the second sight. She foresaw the river burst its banks so she warned everyone. The river burst its banks, so they want to burn her. A bit harsh we thought.

 

We stay at the manor house, the lord is absent. Aleath is a day away, so we go there the next day. She seems to be a Mentalist of some kind. It was the mind to mind communication with Sir Martyn that was the give away. We sent off the next day, and half way there we tell the bloke with us to go away. We get to Aleath with the witch and take her to the Temple of Larani.

 

Aleath, it has the usual sort of shops. The worship of Agrik, Ilvir, Morgath and Naveh is banned, and there are Temples to Halea, Larani, Peoni and Save-K�nor here. The inhabitants of the city are generally thought of as prudish snobs. The Chantry of Arcane Lore, a magicians� guild effectively, is here. One of the four Bardic collages of Harn is here. There are heralds and a library as well.

 

So Sir Martyn takes Beth to the Temple, which is the Order of Hyvrik headquarters. He wants an audience with the High Priest. We get settled in to our quarters at the Temple. Everyone, except Sir Martyn, goes and gets pissed as we make a survey of the local pubs. Sir Martyn goes to the theatre and sees a historical drama about Aleath holding out against the Corani Empire, several hundred years ago. He took Beth with him. She scrubbed up nicely. She is an orphan, who was brought up by an aunt. He gets some basic info about her.

 

The local mason is a Khuzdul who specialises in fortress lives here. We decide not to knock on his door at 11 o�clock at night. We leave the pub and are soon rounded up by the local militia to be escorted back to the Temple. Zytsi gets Aruth�s tankard stuck on his head. Sir Martyn is informed that he needs a wagon to bring his friends home. He takes two carts to do this with the porters. We arrive back to the Temple, singing as we go. Sir Martyn Suggests we shut up as we go in.

 

We sneak quietly into our rooms and only Sir Martyn is in the corridor when an acolyte comes to investigate. Zytsi still has the tankard on his head and fails to take it off, but stunned himself to sleep.

 

The next day Sir Martyn gets us up early. Aruth cures his hangover and then pulls Zytsi�s tankard off his head. Bowlhead refused to cure Daniel�s hangover so he had a bath, then got dressed in good clothes and turns up for breakfast late.

 

5,000eps each

 

I did all my mirena berry addiction rolls when I got home. I wonder if anyone else bothered with their rolls.