Having spent their Spring Fellowship Phase in Cheykor, the party observed the Feast of Eibram, which marked the beginning of summer, in the traditional Amborian fashion. This included a solemn parade through the village culminating in an assembly of the whole village before the Sacred Well at the summit of the hilltop, followed by three days of dancing and feasting on wild game and fresh-caught fish, seasoned with the fermented remains of last summer's catch.
On the 4th day of Wanorsuna the Calf, the party was relaxing at leisure in the common room of the Cracked Beaker, getting to know Vanera's younger sister Anaris, a heavily-armed young woman who had apparently "seen some action" in the service of one of the March-Lords on the western edge of the kingdom. She had subsequently followed her older brother out to the Marches of the Cheyth, where she hopes to make a name for herself [Anaris is Arthur's new character, replacing Orusen].
Tengelbur showed a manuscript to Vanera, a copy he had made of a document he had found in the Norinlakor during the previous weeks [as part of his Fellowship Phase undertaking]. There had been several parts of the original manuscript either too damaged or too obscure for Tengelbur's little training, and he hoped Vanera would be able to help him decipher them. But Vanera was able to make out nothing of Tengelbur's copy, and decided they would need to see a copy of the original manuscript.
As they sat and discussed all of this, the Company was approached by Telini--the beautiful, red-headed fletcher whom Teithbor (again absent tonight) had met upon first arriving in Cheykor. By now all of the Company knew her at least by sight, and greeted her gladly as she joined them at their table. Telini bore greetings from Onerama the Bald, a local farmer and landowner, believed by some (most of whom work for him) to be the real power in Cheykor. Onerama had, Telini said, a job he would like the Company to undertake based upon their valorous deeds the previous Spring, and promised that they would all be rewarded handsomely. Agreeing dine at Onerama's house that night and at least hear his proposal, the Company made preparations to leave.
Vanera and Tanurendal went to the Norinlakor to see if they could get the original of the manuscript which Tengelbur had copied. Palfeinan the scholar was there, moving things about in his usual obscure way. When Vanera tried to get him to turn over the manuscript (which he insisted was in the month of Setelnor, while in the library it was still only Palkaro) Palfeinan nearly had a nervous breakdown, followed by his pushing everyone out and locking the door of the building due to a "total eclipse of the sun." Ten minutes later, when the library re-opened, Palfeinan promised (at great personal distress) to set the manuscript aside when it came up in a couple of days. Vanera repaid him by spending two hours painstakingly helping him move manuscripts from one shelf to another in the strange, arc-like movements Vanera had become accustomed to after helping him the previous spring [as part of his Spring fellowship undertaking].
Having had no luck getting the manuscript out of Palfeinan (or finding it themselves) the party traveled the six miles north of Cheykor to Onerama's farm, arriving a little before sundown.
Onerama's farm is located about six miles north of town, nestled in cleft in the hills on the western side of the river valley. Here the land is fertile, but somewhat elevated for drainage, and as you approach you can see the rows of barley and grain still green and stiff in the bright afternoon light of early summer. Onerama himself sees you coming, for there is only one pathway in and out of the valley where his farm stands, and he is apparently already out working in the fields when you approach. You see him hot from work, a big man, with muscles like knotted cord beneath a layer of comfortable insulation. He is bald, as you have heard, and his head is covered in pockmarked in what appear to be small burn scars. He is naked to the waist, apparently not content to merely supervise his workers. All told there are about thirty men working out in the fields here, and you would guess that when it comes time for the harvest, that number is doubled. The thick , heady smell of fermenting barley wine and the slight sulphur of distillation hangs over the valley, drowning out the smells of moor and river you have grown accustomed to during your time in the North.
"Welcome, my friends, to Karet Onerama. Or so I hope to call it someday, if fate is kind. Pardon me if I have not met you with, shall we say, royal ceremony, but I think you will not find my board ungenerous. Come, now. We will not talk business until you have feasted on the best we poor Cheibori have to offer."
As it turns out, the best Onerama has to offer is quite rich indeed. The meal begins with a sweet, rich rice wine mixed with honey and sage, followed by eggplants and caviar cooked in garlic and fat, seasoned with cumin, and served on crisp rice cakes. The main meal is of sweet-and-sour lamb flavoured with cinnamon and ginger, garnished with sugared almonds and the roast legs of rabbits. The meal finishes with stewed pears in rice wine, spiced with cinnamon and ginger. The whole meal is rich, and by the time it is over you have eaten and drunk your fill--and possibly a bit more. Several of the younger members of the household stand. A harp and some drums are started up, and they begin to dance. Onerama leans in now for more serious conversation, and as he raises a hand and the music lowers, he begins to speak...
Although Onerama has made his fortune primarily on the export of grain (and things, like barely wine and spirits, which can be made from various cold-weather grains; grain does not grow in the Royal Wood, where rice is the main staple), he has recently attempted to dip his toe in the amber trade. Yesterday, he received word that a group of amber miners whom he had hired, based out of Kor-Ikush, had not returned when expected. Fearing the worst and knowing the Company's reputation, he seeks to hire them to go in after his miners and bring them out again, or, if that is not possible, to bring word to him of their fate so that we can avenged. Onerama put great weight on this last point: it seems he attaches great importance to loyalty. The miners were named Tsuperal, Feiyaleth, Amsotha, and Keila (the only woman of the bunch).
As the party discussed terms with Onerama, Telini rose and invited Tanurendal to dance with her. As they danced, she spoke to him softly of how Onerama had looked after her, of her own tragic past (she lost her family in the same raid that claimed the lives of Tanurendal's village), and of her general suspicions of his Sothbori comrades. Tanurendal assured her they were trustworthy.
After spending the night at Onerama's house, the Company returned briefly to Cheykor, where they did a bit of asking around about the miners--and about Onerama--before crossing the river. Anaris spoke with Fjalakar, the town's aging midwife, who tried to warn her off from working for Onerama, but the conversation soured when Fjalakar became increasingly shocked by Anaris' total flouting of social norms. Vanera interviewed Vitherai the Amber Cutter, who was apparently more interested in the latest gossip from Sencankarr than answering the young scholar's questions, although she had no reason to think Onerama was not at least "on the level" with his offer of employment.
With plans laid and the road before them, the Company at last prepared to cross the river and head for the mining settlement of Kor-Ikush.
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