Session 2: Many Meetings

The crew:

Teithbor, a Weixranbori Warden [played by Daniel S.] - The strong and silent type, Teithbor has been the party's anchor. He is taciturn, tends not to follow the crowd, but is always on the lookout for danger.

Varanjala, a Sothbori Warden [played by Sabrina A.] - Varanjala is a beautiful, nonconformist warden from the marches of the Amborian Wood. She has come to the Northern Province, and the town of Karet Cheykor, with the hopes of acquiring enough amber to forge a sword of great worth with which to better defend her people. Varanjala has demonstrated a general disregard for established authority, but as long as the goals of the rest of the group align with her own, she's along for the ride.

Reiana, daughter of Rinsosa, a Weixranbori Leader [played by Sophia] - Born to the warrior culture of the Red Isle, Reiana's father had wanted a son, but got a daughter instead. Reiana is accordingly something of an "army brat," and is an extremely skilled tactician and swordswoman. Reiana has bonded closely with Teithbor, a fellow child of the Red Isle, and with Ralatharr, who probably owes the fact that he is still alive at least partially to her.

Tengelbur of the Road, a Sothbori Wanderer [played by Ben] - Tengelbur is the heir of some great noble house, although he has never deigned to explain how he became a wanderer and vagabond, living on the road and taking his chances as a duelist, rake, and gambler. The unofficial spokesman for the party, Tengelbur is a man of great personal honor, comfortable among ruffians and nobles alike.

Orusen, a Njeitbori Wanderer [played by Arthur] - An exile from his own people, the raft-dwelling Njeitbori, Orusen attached himself to the party hoping for adventure and treasure. He has become fast friends with Tengelbur, and despite the jibes of "water-breather" aimed at him by some of his companions, he has proven stalwart in battle, if perhaps less-so at the drinking table.

Ralatharr, scribe of Sencankarr, a Sothbori Scholar [played by Ana S.] - A scholar and a hopeless romantic, Ralatharr began travelling to the North in the hopes of chronicling the great deeds of his age. Along the way, he fell in love with a merciless woman, who set him up to fight a duel with an honorable man, whom he was forced to kill. Just how this will change Ralatharr remains to be seen.

And joining us for the first time:

Hasanyah, Feirkanbori Treasure-hunter [played by Hope] - Hasanyah is newly arrived in Cheykor, having come to the North in the hopes of seeing the world and reviving her family fortune. She has traveled widely for one so young, having been fostered by one of the great houses of the Oornan kingdom to the south of the Sea. Two days ago Hasanyah was approached by Lieutenant Samlon, aide-de-camp to Sir Ralus, commander of the River Forts. She has already agreed to join a caravan escort taking badly needed supplies to Hural-i-Yalir, the northernmost of the forts.

Tanurendal, Cheybori Slayer [played by PJ] - Born and raised in the North, Tanurendal's whole family was slain by a Nalshbori raid during Galal's war some thirty years ago. Ever since that day, he has been chafing to wet his sword in the blood of the hated enemies of the Ambori. Tanurendal was hired two days ago by Lieutenant Samlon, and has taken it upon himself to screen the newly arrived party of heavily armed adventurers and determine whether they are suitable for hire as additional caravan guards.

~~~

Our party of six adventurers arrived at the gate of Karet Cheykor on the 14th day of Orupeim (The Sword), in the year 451 of the Third Eon.

The road you are following -- really, it's more of a dirt track than anything else - has been winding slowly downward for hours, ever since you entered the Cheyth River Valley. But now, as the last of the moorland just seems to vanish behind you like a mantle of gray mist which is driven by a wind from the sea, the road cuts away to your left, and begins leading again up the slope of a hill. This hill, although not particularly high under normal circumstances, is the largest of a whole range of hills which runs north and south along the western bank of the icy Cheyth, which from your vantage point you can now see as it winds like a long silver snake down to the sea.

The path beneath your feet is muddy, scarred by the ruts of wagon-wheels and the heavy sleds which, in the deep winter, are used to transport goods through the ice and snow. As you wind your way up the hill, you enter the outskirts of town, passing a few buildings which, although they seem of relatively new construction, appear to be completely abandoned. As you reach the gate of the high stockade - a wall of wood and earth some fifteen feet high - a man at the gate in a padded gambeson and carrying a long spear limps forward to accost you.

Upon arriving, they were immediately questioned by Raoseina, Warden of the Gate and Captain of the Guard.

"Hail, travelers from the waste. I am Raoseina, Warden of the Gate. In these evil times we do not suffer spies or enemies to pass within our walls. Tell me, and haste is best, who are you, what is your business, and in whose name do you come an armed man to the gate of Cheykor?"

Tengelbur stepped forward and introduced himself and his companions, and after the exchange of a few words (and Tengelbur forgetting the Warden's name), the part was allowed to enter. On the way into the town, Reiana noticed that the guard on the gate was unusually heavy for such a quiet town. But the party was allowed to enter without incident, and made their way to the town square.

Passing through the gate of the town, you enter what at first appears to be a maze of buildings, and only after a moment do you realize that each is built along a series of concentric circles, ever narrowing, ever nearing the top of the hill. About halfway up the hill the newer construction stops, and in place of the houses of timber you see houses of stone, culminating in the low black stone structure which caps the hill. That is when you realize, for the first time, that Cheykor must be a very old town. At the same time, the placement of this town so near to the dangerous, often-flooded Cheyth makes sense now: for there is a sacred well here, perhaps the easternmost in all the Northern Province, and by the architecture of the shrine you assume it must be immensely old.

In the meantime, Hasanyah decided to head to the local Norinlakor, the "hall of records" although really it was more of a small, cramped stone building on the hill just below the shrine. Here, she met Palfeinan the Scholar, an obsessive compulsive scribe who seems to have filed the books and scrolls in his keeping according to some bizarre calendar that requires things to be constantly shifted about in complicated circular patterns. She inquired about a book on the Stone Kings, but he informed her that that particular book was stored in the month of Kanuvar (roughly equivalent to our January) and that she'd have to come back that evening.

Hasanyah then left, emerging onto the market square to see her companion, Tanurendal, suspiciously requesting the group of adventurers (the other 6 PC's) who had just arrived. Despite the fact that he had been newly hired into Sir Ralus' service, Tanurendal was taking his new role very seriously - some might have even said he was exceeding his remit. Between them, Reiana and Hasanyah managed to diffuse tensions, and Tanurendal offered to buy everyone drinks at the local karilin (public house), the Cracked Beaker.

In the meantime, Varanjala went to the house of the local amber cutter Vitherai, wife of the town blacksmith and mother to two precious daughters the PC's had bumped into a couple of times already. (An amber cutter is someone who is responsible for selecting, cutting, and preparing the lodes of amber brought back by miners across the river for sale.) Vitherai was evidently very well-off and very good at what she did, but apparently a bit unhappy with her lot in life, here on the edge of the kingdom and so far from the land of her birth. Varanjala made a good impression on her, and requested to become her apprentice. Vitherai was a bit taken aback by the request, but was not uninterested. She invited Varanjala to come and have dinner with them that evening so that she could meet her husband, Yuralesh the Smith, a noted judge of character.

Teithbor, perhaps deciding it was a little early for drinks, wandered through the town, eventually making his way down the hill towards the docks. While doing so, his ever-watchful eyes spied out a couple of shady looking characters speaking together beneath the shadow of one of the abandoned houses. Sneaking closer to listen in, Teithbor's mail jangled and his sword clanged against the side of the building, alerting them to his approach. Of the two men, one was dressed like a hunter or outlander, while the other was shrouded in dark robes which made it impossible for Teithbor to see other than his two eyes, which glittered out from beneath his hood. The man in the robes quickly bid his companion good-day, and vanished around the side of the building, while the other, shorter man approached Teithbor. Teithbor managed to allay any fears the man might have had of being overhead, and the man hinted that Teithbor should make his way back up into town, where Lieutenant Samlon was hiring men for a caravan escort. Teithbor chose to continue on down to the docks, and on his way noticed a flash of black fur running north along the riverbank - something he could have sworn was a wolf.

Meanwhile, at the Cracked Beaker, Lt. Samlon was indeed there, sipping on his tea and watching with amusement as Tanurendal bought a round for the new arrivals and grilled them regarding their suitability as caravan guards. Samlon, a dashing figure, though every inch the soldier, caught the eye of Reiana and exchanged a bemused look with her before standing and approaching the party.

"Well, when I hired you, Tanurendal, I thought I was getting a caravan guard, not a recruiter. But," here he turns to the rest of you, "he is right. Sir Ralus is looking for brave men... and women. There will be treasure enough, and reputation, and the good graces of the commander of the River Forts... If you survive."

Tengelbur grinned. "Danger. Treasure. What more could we ask for?"

"It is coming time for the midday meal. Eat here with me, as my guests, and I will tell you the full tale."