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Chapter 51

Seeds of Rebellion

     In which we shopped in South Reach, chatted with Arl Bryland and Bann Bronic, bantered with bandits, performed good works in Lothering, and pondered the perils of a shrinking (but heavier) coin purse.

9:30 Dragon, 7th Day of Cloudreach - Spring

     After some shopping, Bran left town to visit Arl Bryland at his estate near South Reach. An officious secretary was a slight impediment, but eventually Bran was given a note with directions to a shuttered building in a quiet quarter of the town. The four of us were also given disguises.

     The shuttered building was unlocked; we entered and met the Arl. After some introductions, Bran told of Arl Howe's treachery at Highever, and of Teryn Loghain's betrayal of the King and army. The Arl couldn't afford to stay long; he told us of an estate 40 miles to the west -- technically abandoned, but a small staff have been left there by the Arl. Our Heroes could use this estate, Blue Eagle Manor, to lie-up out of the way, and to pass messages to the Arl. With that, he left; we consumed the nice meal which had been laid out, and departed to spend the night in some empty barn or threshing-hall outside of the town.

9:30 Dragon, 8th Day of Cloudreach - Spring

     We traveled to the small manor of Bann Bronic, west of South Reach, near the Imperial Highway. It rained, with some gaps; a few of the farms had been abandoned, but the majority were still inhabited. We were welcomed into the hall, and seated at the lower end of the table for dinner. After the meal, we met the bann in a private room and spoke about conditions in Ferelden:  which lords were bound to Teryn Loghain, what Arl Howe must have been thinking ...

     The bann sent us to stay in a farm, formerly home to the Ferguson family.

9:30 Dragon, 9th Day of Cloudreach - Spring

     This day was spent at the Ferguson farm, and in the small village around the bann's manor. Bran arranged to have his armor repaired, and to have some of the ancient Templar symbols removed, ground off, or covered up.  The mages did some reading, and Landon wandered the woods and pastures in search of herbs -- he found some elfroot, at least.

9:30 Dragon, 10th Day of Cloudreach - Spring

     Our Heroes departed for Lothering.

9:30 Dragon, 14th Day of Cloudreach - Spring

     A quarter-mile from Lothering, we saw a man hiding in a tree; another man was hiding in the bushes. They were watching the road, and the one in the bushes scuttled off towards the town. It became clear they were part of a bandit gang, preying on the refugees; a few hundred yards from the town we met the actual bandits. Eight of them in number, they called on us to surrender. Bran notified them our party included magicians, and rushed up at them, brandishing his axe. They immediately backed down ...

     We learned there had been many refugees passing through Lothering; the teryn had a group of eight or so men in Lothering, and another group of thirty or forty men on the Imperial Highway south of Lothering (towards Ostagar). The bandits got off with a stern warning.

      In the town, Landon and Alpheus set to work helping Sister Molly with the sick and injured. There was a squalid refugee camp, where people fleeing the darkspawn had gathered. Prices for useful items -- food, warm clothing, camp goods, transport -- were very high.

      Bran brought some donations to the Reverend Mother, and spoke with her. He learned that Ser Andy, one of Arl Eamon's knights, was also in town; and heard more about the Regent's men. They were taking a fifth (or maybe a quarter) of the loot from the bandits outside of town, and were spending much of it at the remaining tavern.

     After that, Bran sought out Ser Andy, and told her of the teryn's betrayal of the king, and how Arl Howe killed the Couslands, and probably also the Arl of Denerim.

     Sister Molly found a house in the town -- owned by a very devout family -- where we could operate on the most sick and ill -- and hide our use of magical healing. We brought them to the house in small groups, made a lot of noise, and cast healing spells upon them. Of the 18 or 20 people who were too ill to travel when we arrived, all but a couple would be able to leave the next day. We slept that night in the same house, quite tightly packed in with the devout family.

9:30 Dragon, 15th Day of Cloudreach - Spring

     We escorted a large party of refugees (including most of the people healed the previous day) to the east, past the bandits and their lookout Simon. Having done our final good deed in Lothering, we turned west, bound for Redcliffe. Ser Andy had left already; we caught up with her before the end of the day.

On to Chapter 52:  Blood on the Imperial Highway