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The Calling of the News

Page history last edited by Kirk 9 years, 7 months ago

back to the Index, or back to The Last Party

 

Chapter 22

The Calling of the News

 

 

9:30 Dragon, First Day -- Winter

 

     The newly-Joined recruits were slowly recovering in the sick room of Hounds Hall; the staff and senior Wardens told them of the Joining's outcome. A memorial service was scheduled for sunset; all were expected to attend.

     Duncan asked Landon to learn more of what the Korcarians were up to.

     After the somber, dignified service, Boane, Landon, Sextus and Alpheus set off for the Fine Fin Inn, a very popular restaurant specializing in fish dishes. The line at the door was long but a quick mention of Clan Rayotia got Landon and his friends waved in.

 

The Fine Fin Inn

★★★

     A popular new restaurant in Denerim, specializing in fish and seafood dishes. Very crowded at most times.

 

     Landon recognized that many of the staff were Old Korcarians; his shared ancestry got the quartet a table very quickly. The restaurant's owner, Juvo, had a chat with Landon about the Korcarian's migration and colonizing plans. According to Juvo, several hundred Korcarians will be leaving in early Draconis, on a ship whose owner has agreed to take them to Gwaren. There, they will meet up with more Korcarians, led by Bela Desus; she apparently has some experience in the Korcari Wilds.

     Leaving the restaurant, Sextus was accosted by a teenaged elven boy, Jalen. He told a sad story of how his sister, Mena, had that very day been kidnapped by slavers, and taken to a small ship outside of the city. With a great deal of convincing, Sextus agreed to accompany the rest of the Wardens to the slave ship.

     The small ship was anchored a few yards offshore, in a quiet cove a couple of miles from town. Sextus paralyzed the man on watch on deck, and we awkwardly paddled the slavers' boat out to the ship. Aboard were four men total -- one human warrior or rogue, two kossith (probably Tal-vashoth), and one a magician -- but we quickly overcame them. The mage was forced to tell us who brought them to Denerim:  "The Hero of the River Dane", aka Loghain Mac Tir, the Teryn of Gwaren. Sextus was dubious of this claim as there was no paper to back it up.  The four slavers were executed.

     The ship had few records, but there was a list of slaves, all elves, taken in the last month or so from Denerim. There were four Captive Hoods -- magical items that covered a person's head, with a chain leading to a manacle for one wrist. If worn, the hood forced the wearer to obey orders ... we didn't conduct experiments to see the limits of this! Sextus took the hoods, adding them to the Wardens' collection of odd goods.

     There were six more slavers not aboard the ship; since we had no idea when they would return, we burned the ship and led the three slaves (including Mena) back to town. At Hounds Hall, Duncan was already asleep by the time the Wardens returned, so we took to our beds.

 

 

9:30 Dragon, 1st of Wintermarch -- Winter

 

     The newly-Joined Wardens were awakened just after dawn, and told to gather for instruction and a briefing in an hour. Landon sent a copy of the list of elven slaves to the hahren, and headed down for breakfast.

     Duncan and some other experienced Wardens gathered with the six new Wardens in the upper hall, and passed on some wisdom, notes, suggestions, and strategic information.

 

  • caches of equipment are being established at Blue River (in the Korcari Wilds), and at Gwaren

  • scouting in the Korcari Wilds has revealed a sealed vault door, of Dwarven make, leading to the Deep Roads

  • Ebris Argen has been organizing a company of Warden soldiery; to prevent political issues, they wear the colors of, and report to, Bann Argen

  • Mirian is taking her Blight Studies students on a field trip; Cray will accompany them

  • Boane is investigating Ostagar; the Darkspawn forces will probably come north either through Ostagar, or through the Brecilian Passage. The Chasind Wilders are, understandably, concerned about the Darkspawn. Some of the Wilders may be evacuating to the north ... towards, or even into, Ferelden.

  • Duncan introduced Holden, a Warden apothecary. He discussed blightbane, marsh crocus, and felendairis, three useful plants.

  • all the Wardens, new and old, would have their assignments and be on their way by the 5th of Wintermarch

 

     After this briefing, Duncan and some other senior Wardens asked Landon to tell them of the Old Korcarian colony plan, and of the possible uses or dangers presented by werewolves. Landon showed them a map:  "A map depicting the regions of southern Ferelden and the lands further south, long ago. A location along the mountains, south of Honnleath, is labeled Korcarim."

     Alpheus and Landon began studying spells with Sextus, Mirian, and Samesly.

     Near sunset, there was a hubbub among the staff. Alistair, Bran and Eornan had left a corpse to be dealt with -- Martin. He'd apparently died this same day, of many small wounds. There were many small pieces of broken phylactery glass on his body. We arranged for a pyre.

     Eornan also gave gifts of Pillows of Restful Sleeping for Landon and Alpheus. The fabric of these has been soaked in a solution that promotes deep sleep (the sleeper is harder to awaken, less likely to be bothered by noises, jostling, etc).

 

9:30 Dragon, 2nd of Wintermarch -- Winter

 

     Eornan, Bran, and Laney (and Alistair, unknown to the rest of us) departed for South Reach ...

     Landon and Alpheus continued studying magic. Holden confirmed that, in his opinion, Landon's "cure for lycanthropy" actually only caused lycanthropy -- and even for that it needed much improvement. At this point, Landon remembered it was Athras who originally crafted the potion, to reduce the stress of joining the Laidir.

     Landon received two Master Injury Kits, and 4 Basic Injury Kits. The senior Warden magicians pondered Wrale's sealed book, and noted the six letters in the seal glyph might be the initials of Landon's immediate family ... plus one other.

     By the end of the day, Landon had learned (but not mastered) the Weakness spell, and had begun learning Paralysis. Sextus provided a book to continue studies of the Paralysis spell, since it was quite likely we'd have to depart before Landon had learned it entirely ...

 

9:30 Dragon, 3rd of Wintermarch -- Winter

 

     Very early, Duncan sent for Landon, Alpheus and Tienan. It seemed that Bran and Eornan had set out the previous day, bound for Celatus -- and had taken Alistair with them. Duncan is sending this group of three Wardens to return Alistair to Hounds Hall; "don't return without him." We hastily packed and set out after eating breakfast standing up.

     As far as we could tell, Bran's group was traveling in the wagon, pulled by a draft horse; two mabari hounds were with them, Fi and Sobrata.

     We trudged through the slush and snow all day; at the end of the day, the inn keeper confirmed that Bran's party had passed by the day before.

 

9:30 Dragon, 4th of Wintermarch -- Winter

 

     More trudging, as we ascended to the frozen summit of Dragon Pass; the party of three Wardens were kept warm by thoughts of what they would say to Bran, Eornan and Alistair. We expected to reach the Dragon Pass Inn (★★★★✰ $$$$) after sunset.

 

300 experience points

 

on to The Black Hounds

 

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