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Aphonion Tales: Agents of Canberry (edited transcripts, posts Thursdays, updated 3/17/23)
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<blockquote data-quote="CPaladin" data-source="post: 8967426" data-attributes="member: 7030144"><p>Session 4 (January 15, 2023)</p><p></p><p>4 End Year (cont'd)</p><p>[Father Bob's player missed this session. We also were joined by Twig, a gnome bard, whose player still hasn't made it, but where it was judged useful to have him along as an NPC.]</p><p></p><p>They depart immediately for Pivonzowe. The journey, about half a day long, is uneventful. As they approach the town, they see that it is a true walled town, much more so than anything since they left civilization. There are boats in the small lake behind it, and two small airships floating from a squat voller tower in the town. They are human-made, but they are vollers nonetheless. There are also about a hundred or so fortified farms scattered--stone-block houses, slate or metal roofs, and firing loops in the walls. Near the walls, well inside the belt of the farm, there is some cleared area with colored banners flying. No heraldry is on the banners, just colors. Near each banner, there is a mobile stall set up for trading, with three or four armored men standing near one corner of that space as if they are guarding it. There are a few people wandering through shopping--mostly women of the town.</p><p></p><p>Riverwood looks around at each of the stalls, seeing what they are selling. Some of the farmers wave at them as they start heading in, though others seem to recognize that they have a bard with them and then draw away. Riverwood notices that the two regular guards are male, but the person in charge is a woman, dressed as a knight. One of the stalls is selling vegetables, produce from a local farm. The next stall has a small woman--perhaps even a tallfellow halfling--with a collection of odd pots and jars in front of her, with no custom currently. There is also a stall with a man dressed in colorful robes attempting, seemingly futilely, to sell various things that look to be magical trinkets. He has a wagon behind it with a horse standing behind there. The people avoid him, walking a considerable distance around his stall--at least the women, and there aren't many men.</p><p></p><p>Aedrin hangs back, looking around the market for the people they're looking for. He doesn't see the people they are looking for, but he notices the cloth of the wagon behind the magic trinket stall moving, despite the fact that there is not a bit of wind. He suspects that there are people inside, looking out, but he can't see them clearly.</p><p></p><p>Through the partially open gate in the wall walks a woman. She is tall and slender, with gray hair that looks to have once been brown. She wears straight robes, with a loose metallic belt. The guards spring to attention, and the woman in the produce stall inclines to her as she walks past. Behind her, two more armored people have emerged.</p><p></p><p>Aedrin gives a nod of respect in her direction and walks over to the knight with the standing guard. She gives him a slight nod in response--the sort of polite but vaguely condescending recognition that he has experienced among the more polite Drowan matriarchies in the past. "Dame Knight. I'm a representative of the knight who rules one of the neighboring villages."</p><p></p><p>"And thank all the goddesses for his arrival."</p><p></p><p>"He has dispatched us here, investigating what we believe is merchants seeking to sell contraband--at least, it is contraband in our realm. We have reason to believe they have kriff."</p><p></p><p>He can tell from her face that she has no idea what that is.</p><p></p><p>"I believe the people you may be seeking may be over there," and she gestures with her chin toward the colorful wagon. "However, I think Lady Saksia has personally decided to intervene. What is this... kriff?"</p><p></p><p>"It is a vile drug. It provides a certain pleasure to the user, but it also is highly addictive, and it is destructive and kills over time. It is forbidden throughout our kingdom, and in most civilized lands."</p><p></p><p>"I see."</p><p></p><p>"We also suspect them of a murder, but that is of our jurisdiction, not yours, and so I thought I would mention the contraband first."</p><p></p><p>"Thank you." She begins moving towards the stall that Lady Saksia is approaching.</p><p></p><p>Aedrin quietly says, "We might want to head to the back of the wagon, in case someone bolts."</p><p></p><p>Both Grolnok and Riverwood have faded away from the situation, not wanting to be involved. Riverwood is keeping a close watch from the edge of another stand, while Grolnok has moved all the way into the vegetable stand.</p><p></p><p>The man in the colorful robe, seeing the respect the lady receives from all the others, inclines towards her. The lady makes a short cutting motion with her hand, and Grolnok and Riverwood can hear the word "forbidden." All of them see the curtain move again, and there are sparkles and a round piece of wood stick out through the curtain.</p><p></p><p>Aedrin yells, "Wand!" and she looks up. The brightly dressed merchant dives for the ground.</p><p></p><p>From the curtain, they hear "Death to the matriarchy!" A small red bead shoots from the wand at the lady, exploding into a fireball, but it doesn't engulf anyone except Lady Saksia and her two guards. Both of her guards fall to the ground, but she remains up, and while singed, does not look badly hurt.</p><p></p><p>The guards with the knight draw their weapons, and she gestures for two of them to head to the front of the wagon while she leads the other two towards the back towards where the fireball came from.</p><p></p><p>Riverwood dashes towards the curtain. From the ground behind the table where he threw himself, the brightly dressed man says in a rather demanding tone, "I told you not to use my wands!" The curtain twitches aside again, but this time two small darts of energy shoot out and strike Riverwood for a total of 7 damage. Aedrin can see in the wagon a man who used the wand, though it's unclear why he did not use the wand again--perhaps Riverwood is too close? But there is also another man in there wearing ring mail and clutching an axe or something similar. That man looks like he might be an ork or half-ork, matching the group they expect.</p><p></p><p>Twig inspires Riverwood, and fires his bow into the curtains... missing the curtain altogether.</p><p></p><p>Lady Saksia would have incinerated the entire wagon and stand with a fireball, but there are now people who have rushed in too close, so she needs to choose a different approach. She makes a long, slow gesture and an enormous hound with black fur, red eyes, and fire coming off it appears next to her.</p><p></p><p>Aedrin moves forward, low to the ground, while readying a psychic dagger for when the person with the wand pops out again. The knight with her accompanying guards is running forward towards the wagon in the back, while the other guards rush the front of the stall.</p><p></p><p>Grolnok, meanwhile, is standing in the produce stall, trying to blend in as a salesperson, while the actual farmer there looks at him oddly and slightly afraid. He has decided he wants no part of this mess.</p><p></p><p>Riverwood charges into the wagon, throwing the curtain aside. There's a figure clutching a stick trying to stay as far away as he can, while an ork in ring mail surges forward to intercept her. She strikes him for 6 points of damage. Her opponent swings his axe at her, missing narrowly. The fellow with the stick shoots a long slender ray of fire at Aedrin, who dodges aside nimbly. The mage screams out, in a furious tone, yelling "Servant of the Matriarchy!"</p><p></p><p>Twig stabs the ork for another 5 damage.</p><p></p><p>"I'll toast your glizer!" says the man with the stick.</p><p></p><p>"Gizzard! You'll toast his gizzard!" Shouts the brightly dressed man on the ground.</p><p></p><p>The hound bites at the ork but misses. Lady Saksia casts haste on everyone on her side.</p><p></p><p>The knight presses through to reach the spellcaster. The knight misses twice, then hits and knocks the mage unconscious.</p><p></p><p>Aedrin stabs the ork repeatedly until he surrenders, throwing down his axe while shouting "Shahvard, you pie-hole, you abandoned us!"</p><p></p><p>The additional guard at the front of the wagon calls out, "My Lady! There's no one here!"</p><p></p><p>Aedrin shouts, "He may have turned invisible. Can anyone see through that?"</p><p></p><p>Lady Saksia casts a quick spell, then says, "They're correct--there's no one here." She bows her head more respectfully to the group. "Welcome to Overlook. It is unfortunate that this is the way you were introduced to us."</p><p></p><p>"I thought you were called Pivonzowe. Were we wrong?"</p><p></p><p>"Yes, that's what the newcomers call us. But we have been Overlook for many, many, many years, and we do not choose to accept their change. We were founded by my grandmother nearly 200 years ago. Whom do I have the honor of addressing?"</p><p></p><p>"I am called Aedrin."</p><p></p><p>"A blessing on your mother. I'm glad that you and your cousin are not slaughtering each other in our town, or at least in our marketplace. And you, what is your name?"</p><p></p><p>"Riverwood."</p><p></p><p>"We have an understanding," Aedrin says.</p><p></p><p>"Thank you, Riverwood, for your assistance. A blessing on your mother."</p><p></p><p>While this is going on, Aedrin is stripping the magical equipment off of the spellcaster and tying his hands up and gagging him.</p><p></p><p>"It's fair enough," says Riverwood. "We shall no longer have issues from him."</p><p></p><p>They recover a wand of fire with 5 charges remaining.</p><p></p><p>"My lady, we believe that these merchants were bringing kriff to try to get it into your settlement. Are you familiar with kriff?"</p><p></p><p>"We are fairly cut off here, normally. It's a dangerous substance, I believe, capable of addicting the mind."</p><p></p><p>"Exactly. A forbidden drug. Well, forbidden in our Empire, at least."</p><p></p><p>"Certainly forbidden here, as well."</p><p></p><p>"May we search their establishment to confirm that they have it with them?"</p><p></p><p>"Oh, please do. You are from the new settlements."</p><p></p><p>"We are. We are representatives of the Empire, sent down to assist in matters that need assistance."</p><p></p><p>He can tell that she focused very carefully on his choice of words.</p><p></p><p>"And you are his companion," she says with a nod to Riverwood.</p><p></p><p>"Yes."</p><p></p><p>"Search their belongings. They were expelled from this town. Well, he was." She gestures with her chin to the young man who Aedrin just bound. "Years ago. I had thought this simply a charlatan selling worthless poultices until one of my people sighted him peering out of the back and saw his friend. I knew that we must deal with that. We appreciate your intervention and assistance, although their merchant seems to have slipped the net."</p><p></p><p>"Their merchant also referred to 'his' wand. That makes me wonder if he was, in fact, the leader of the group."</p><p></p><p>"It would make sense. I did not expect that one to have the courage to ever return."</p><p></p><p>"Is your town, in fact, a matriarchy?"</p><p></p><p>"Yes. With a school of mages that trains some of the finest female wizards and sorcerers on the continent. It's the way my grandmother established it, and now I seek to link to the lives of my predecessors. I have selected my need to interact with the outside very carefully. We have attempted not to be too troublesome to the newcomers. When we first came here there were many villages that are now destroyed. And things have only been getting worse these last few years. I have sent out my vollers twice to bombard gnollish groups that were attacking the new colony, but I do not have the forces to police the entire area, nor the desire to involve myself with another culture."</p><p></p><p>"If it is not overly prying, are you of the Seachen?"</p><p></p><p>"My grandmother was. We are more enlightened. We permit service in our military, service in the clergy. The only thing that is forbidden to males is the learning of magic."</p><p></p><p>Aedrin finds a chest full of noxious substances. Kriff, many poisons, all in little clay pots. They also find a fourth level spellbook. There is a fair number of very, very well preserved parts. Some have been mummified, some are very old, and another book which attempts to attack with electricity when they attempt to open it. It has runes of death and decay on it.</p><p></p><p>"Lady Saksia, do you have any objection to my trying to open this spell book?"</p><p></p><p>"No. Well, other than your dying, which I would prefer to see avoided." She sounds just like one of the matriarch's in Aedrin's father's lands, only a little more genteel.</p><p></p><p>"As would I, as would I. I don't suppose, Twig, that you could inspire me a little bit before I do this?"</p><p></p><p>Twig plays an inspirational tune.</p><p></p><p>Meanwhile, people have now returned to shopping. A woman asks Grolnok how much for a bundle of turnips. He haggles, starting at 7 bits, and settling on 5 bits. The woman who actually owns the stall looks on, stunned. "One of those is yours--you did better than I would have normally."</p><p></p><p>He puts the other 4 in her cash box. "Nice to meet you. Bye!"</p><p></p><p>Aedrin narrowly manages to disarm the trap and opens the book. It's clearly a necromantic spell book.</p><p></p><p>Lady Saksia confirms that it is "not at my proficiency, but much more powerful than he ever will be," with a dismissive gesture at the bound mage.</p><p></p><p>Twig realizes that the mage is bleeding out, and he binds his wounds.</p><p></p><p>"Do you know why someone might wish to introduce kriff into your town?" asks Aedrin.</p><p></p><p>"I know why he's here, but I don't know why he, or anyone, would attempt to introduce kriff. That doesn't share his character, so it must share somebody else's. Perhaps the fellow with that book." She points the necromancer's traveling spell book.</p><p></p><p>"Indeed, perhaps seeking to destabilize the region."</p><p></p><p>"Well, we are the only well-established power here. You've probably noticed by now. The knight may become one, but we are here and we're rapidly becoming a trade center. By late afternoon, there will be more stalls and dozens of people who have come from other towns to buy. Which, of course, means selling from here would not just have been selling to us."</p><p></p><p>"No. It would sell to the whole region."</p><p></p><p>"You know, we discounted this one. One of my followers walked by, and none of the poultices and things that he had on the front table have any magic. So we presumed him a charlatan, and even though he is male, it is permitted for a male to be a charlatan after all, as long as they do not charge outrageous prices. But she was not aware of what was truly being done. It can make the people feel better."</p><p></p><p>Aedrin checks the other stall with the clay pots, to make sure that they don't have any with kriff. But those pots are all empty--it's a pot merchant.</p><p></p><p>The man running that stall nods his head to Aedrin. "Bit of excitement, there."</p><p></p><p>"Oh, just a little bit. Nothing more than a day's work."</p><p></p><p>"That's the outcast over there, it is." He points at the bound up mage.</p><p></p><p>"What was the outcast exiled for?"</p><p></p><p>"Stealing knowledge, stealing the book of one of the students at the Academy. They didn't even cut off his hand. They just threw him out. I don't know why he came back. He could gone where they didn't care."</p><p></p><p>As Aedrin returns, Lady Saksia asks, "How is it safe to destroy the things in that trunk? If, for example, we incinerated it, would I infect my entire town?"</p><p></p><p>"I can't tell you that, Lady."</p><p></p><p>"Then we will seal it. We will seal it, seal the chest in lead, and place it... I guess in the dungeons. I never have prisoners to put down there anyway. I'm not sure why my grandmother built the dungeons at all."</p><p></p><p>"May we take the prisoners?"</p><p></p><p>"Oh, by all means. In his case, it's particularly wise that you do, because since he returned, after being exiled, I would be forced to execute him, and I'd rather not. His mother was a good one."</p><p></p><p>"Well, we need to bring him back so he could stand trial for murder, and if he's convicted he'll hang by the neck until dead."</p><p></p><p>"Then it will be on the heads of your Empire, not on my conscience. He didn't actually kill anyone here." [Presumably, this means that the guards who were hit by the fireball survived?]</p><p></p><p>"Do you know why the old villages were abandoned? Were they destroyed? The locals seem to fear them."</p><p></p><p>"They were destroyed, and the new locals are refugees from disaster. They're very superstitious. I've had to be very careful not to trigger them against my people. They do not have much copper, but they have things to borrow, and that can be a value as well. One woman in particular would come here also who seems to have a certain authority. I do not know her name. She is one of the newcomers, and their villages are making some attempt to put a small military together. I do not know if they will succeed. They're too close to the mountain. They call themselves something ludicrous like Astromolfu."</p><p></p><p>"That's quite a mouthful. May be where we're heading next."</p><p></p><p>"Yes, they've been attacked twice. They have put together good defenses militarily. I do not know why they do not simply move. If they were willing to use the old villages, Ulfonwe is fortified. But I cannot say for certain they don't have a reason for their fear. Some of the old villages were destroyed by attacks, but most were destroyed after those odd creatures came with the incense. I believe they were using magic."</p><p></p><p>"Rat people?"</p><p></p><p>"Yes. It killed in hours. But then, when they approached us, we threw them back by force, and they disappeared back to the south. The gnolls did not care for them either. I was much younger at the time and could not follow them; my children were not yet in positions with authority. Anyway, if you wish to speak with the prisoner's father while you are here, I will have a pavilion and food brought. If you do not, and you are taking them from my hands, I will accompany the chest and make sure it is sealed away. I do not dare do something that could damage my own folk. I will see what research can yield on it."</p><p></p><p>"Do you wish to keep the spell books?"</p><p></p><p>"No, certainly not that." She points at the necromancy tome. "I do not recommend any caster keep that. Such arts are forbidden in my grandmother's nation."</p><p></p><p>They decide they are done here and bring the prisoners back to the knight.</p><p>[End Session 4]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="CPaladin, post: 8967426, member: 7030144"] Session 4 (January 15, 2023) 4 End Year (cont'd) [Father Bob's player missed this session. We also were joined by Twig, a gnome bard, whose player still hasn't made it, but where it was judged useful to have him along as an NPC.] They depart immediately for Pivonzowe. The journey, about half a day long, is uneventful. As they approach the town, they see that it is a true walled town, much more so than anything since they left civilization. There are boats in the small lake behind it, and two small airships floating from a squat voller tower in the town. They are human-made, but they are vollers nonetheless. There are also about a hundred or so fortified farms scattered--stone-block houses, slate or metal roofs, and firing loops in the walls. Near the walls, well inside the belt of the farm, there is some cleared area with colored banners flying. No heraldry is on the banners, just colors. Near each banner, there is a mobile stall set up for trading, with three or four armored men standing near one corner of that space as if they are guarding it. There are a few people wandering through shopping--mostly women of the town. Riverwood looks around at each of the stalls, seeing what they are selling. Some of the farmers wave at them as they start heading in, though others seem to recognize that they have a bard with them and then draw away. Riverwood notices that the two regular guards are male, but the person in charge is a woman, dressed as a knight. One of the stalls is selling vegetables, produce from a local farm. The next stall has a small woman--perhaps even a tallfellow halfling--with a collection of odd pots and jars in front of her, with no custom currently. There is also a stall with a man dressed in colorful robes attempting, seemingly futilely, to sell various things that look to be magical trinkets. He has a wagon behind it with a horse standing behind there. The people avoid him, walking a considerable distance around his stall--at least the women, and there aren't many men. Aedrin hangs back, looking around the market for the people they're looking for. He doesn't see the people they are looking for, but he notices the cloth of the wagon behind the magic trinket stall moving, despite the fact that there is not a bit of wind. He suspects that there are people inside, looking out, but he can't see them clearly. Through the partially open gate in the wall walks a woman. She is tall and slender, with gray hair that looks to have once been brown. She wears straight robes, with a loose metallic belt. The guards spring to attention, and the woman in the produce stall inclines to her as she walks past. Behind her, two more armored people have emerged. Aedrin gives a nod of respect in her direction and walks over to the knight with the standing guard. She gives him a slight nod in response--the sort of polite but vaguely condescending recognition that he has experienced among the more polite Drowan matriarchies in the past. "Dame Knight. I'm a representative of the knight who rules one of the neighboring villages." "And thank all the goddesses for his arrival." "He has dispatched us here, investigating what we believe is merchants seeking to sell contraband--at least, it is contraband in our realm. We have reason to believe they have kriff." He can tell from her face that she has no idea what that is. "I believe the people you may be seeking may be over there," and she gestures with her chin toward the colorful wagon. "However, I think Lady Saksia has personally decided to intervene. What is this... kriff?" "It is a vile drug. It provides a certain pleasure to the user, but it also is highly addictive, and it is destructive and kills over time. It is forbidden throughout our kingdom, and in most civilized lands." "I see." "We also suspect them of a murder, but that is of our jurisdiction, not yours, and so I thought I would mention the contraband first." "Thank you." She begins moving towards the stall that Lady Saksia is approaching. Aedrin quietly says, "We might want to head to the back of the wagon, in case someone bolts." Both Grolnok and Riverwood have faded away from the situation, not wanting to be involved. Riverwood is keeping a close watch from the edge of another stand, while Grolnok has moved all the way into the vegetable stand. The man in the colorful robe, seeing the respect the lady receives from all the others, inclines towards her. The lady makes a short cutting motion with her hand, and Grolnok and Riverwood can hear the word "forbidden." All of them see the curtain move again, and there are sparkles and a round piece of wood stick out through the curtain. Aedrin yells, "Wand!" and she looks up. The brightly dressed merchant dives for the ground. From the curtain, they hear "Death to the matriarchy!" A small red bead shoots from the wand at the lady, exploding into a fireball, but it doesn't engulf anyone except Lady Saksia and her two guards. Both of her guards fall to the ground, but she remains up, and while singed, does not look badly hurt. The guards with the knight draw their weapons, and she gestures for two of them to head to the front of the wagon while she leads the other two towards the back towards where the fireball came from. Riverwood dashes towards the curtain. From the ground behind the table where he threw himself, the brightly dressed man says in a rather demanding tone, "I told you not to use my wands!" The curtain twitches aside again, but this time two small darts of energy shoot out and strike Riverwood for a total of 7 damage. Aedrin can see in the wagon a man who used the wand, though it's unclear why he did not use the wand again--perhaps Riverwood is too close? But there is also another man in there wearing ring mail and clutching an axe or something similar. That man looks like he might be an ork or half-ork, matching the group they expect. Twig inspires Riverwood, and fires his bow into the curtains... missing the curtain altogether. Lady Saksia would have incinerated the entire wagon and stand with a fireball, but there are now people who have rushed in too close, so she needs to choose a different approach. She makes a long, slow gesture and an enormous hound with black fur, red eyes, and fire coming off it appears next to her. Aedrin moves forward, low to the ground, while readying a psychic dagger for when the person with the wand pops out again. The knight with her accompanying guards is running forward towards the wagon in the back, while the other guards rush the front of the stall. Grolnok, meanwhile, is standing in the produce stall, trying to blend in as a salesperson, while the actual farmer there looks at him oddly and slightly afraid. He has decided he wants no part of this mess. Riverwood charges into the wagon, throwing the curtain aside. There's a figure clutching a stick trying to stay as far away as he can, while an ork in ring mail surges forward to intercept her. She strikes him for 6 points of damage. Her opponent swings his axe at her, missing narrowly. The fellow with the stick shoots a long slender ray of fire at Aedrin, who dodges aside nimbly. The mage screams out, in a furious tone, yelling "Servant of the Matriarchy!" Twig stabs the ork for another 5 damage. "I'll toast your glizer!" says the man with the stick. "Gizzard! You'll toast his gizzard!" Shouts the brightly dressed man on the ground. The hound bites at the ork but misses. Lady Saksia casts haste on everyone on her side. The knight presses through to reach the spellcaster. The knight misses twice, then hits and knocks the mage unconscious. Aedrin stabs the ork repeatedly until he surrenders, throwing down his axe while shouting "Shahvard, you pie-hole, you abandoned us!" The additional guard at the front of the wagon calls out, "My Lady! There's no one here!" Aedrin shouts, "He may have turned invisible. Can anyone see through that?" Lady Saksia casts a quick spell, then says, "They're correct--there's no one here." She bows her head more respectfully to the group. "Welcome to Overlook. It is unfortunate that this is the way you were introduced to us." "I thought you were called Pivonzowe. Were we wrong?" "Yes, that's what the newcomers call us. But we have been Overlook for many, many, many years, and we do not choose to accept their change. We were founded by my grandmother nearly 200 years ago. Whom do I have the honor of addressing?" "I am called Aedrin." "A blessing on your mother. I'm glad that you and your cousin are not slaughtering each other in our town, or at least in our marketplace. And you, what is your name?" "Riverwood." "We have an understanding," Aedrin says. "Thank you, Riverwood, for your assistance. A blessing on your mother." While this is going on, Aedrin is stripping the magical equipment off of the spellcaster and tying his hands up and gagging him. "It's fair enough," says Riverwood. "We shall no longer have issues from him." They recover a wand of fire with 5 charges remaining. "My lady, we believe that these merchants were bringing kriff to try to get it into your settlement. Are you familiar with kriff?" "We are fairly cut off here, normally. It's a dangerous substance, I believe, capable of addicting the mind." "Exactly. A forbidden drug. Well, forbidden in our Empire, at least." "Certainly forbidden here, as well." "May we search their establishment to confirm that they have it with them?" "Oh, please do. You are from the new settlements." "We are. We are representatives of the Empire, sent down to assist in matters that need assistance." He can tell that she focused very carefully on his choice of words. "And you are his companion," she says with a nod to Riverwood. "Yes." "Search their belongings. They were expelled from this town. Well, he was." She gestures with her chin to the young man who Aedrin just bound. "Years ago. I had thought this simply a charlatan selling worthless poultices until one of my people sighted him peering out of the back and saw his friend. I knew that we must deal with that. We appreciate your intervention and assistance, although their merchant seems to have slipped the net." "Their merchant also referred to 'his' wand. That makes me wonder if he was, in fact, the leader of the group." "It would make sense. I did not expect that one to have the courage to ever return." "Is your town, in fact, a matriarchy?" "Yes. With a school of mages that trains some of the finest female wizards and sorcerers on the continent. It's the way my grandmother established it, and now I seek to link to the lives of my predecessors. I have selected my need to interact with the outside very carefully. We have attempted not to be too troublesome to the newcomers. When we first came here there were many villages that are now destroyed. And things have only been getting worse these last few years. I have sent out my vollers twice to bombard gnollish groups that were attacking the new colony, but I do not have the forces to police the entire area, nor the desire to involve myself with another culture." "If it is not overly prying, are you of the Seachen?" "My grandmother was. We are more enlightened. We permit service in our military, service in the clergy. The only thing that is forbidden to males is the learning of magic." Aedrin finds a chest full of noxious substances. Kriff, many poisons, all in little clay pots. They also find a fourth level spellbook. There is a fair number of very, very well preserved parts. Some have been mummified, some are very old, and another book which attempts to attack with electricity when they attempt to open it. It has runes of death and decay on it. "Lady Saksia, do you have any objection to my trying to open this spell book?" "No. Well, other than your dying, which I would prefer to see avoided." She sounds just like one of the matriarch's in Aedrin's father's lands, only a little more genteel. "As would I, as would I. I don't suppose, Twig, that you could inspire me a little bit before I do this?" Twig plays an inspirational tune. Meanwhile, people have now returned to shopping. A woman asks Grolnok how much for a bundle of turnips. He haggles, starting at 7 bits, and settling on 5 bits. The woman who actually owns the stall looks on, stunned. "One of those is yours--you did better than I would have normally." He puts the other 4 in her cash box. "Nice to meet you. Bye!" Aedrin narrowly manages to disarm the trap and opens the book. It's clearly a necromantic spell book. Lady Saksia confirms that it is "not at my proficiency, but much more powerful than he ever will be," with a dismissive gesture at the bound mage. Twig realizes that the mage is bleeding out, and he binds his wounds. "Do you know why someone might wish to introduce kriff into your town?" asks Aedrin. "I know why he's here, but I don't know why he, or anyone, would attempt to introduce kriff. That doesn't share his character, so it must share somebody else's. Perhaps the fellow with that book." She points the necromancer's traveling spell book. "Indeed, perhaps seeking to destabilize the region." "Well, we are the only well-established power here. You've probably noticed by now. The knight may become one, but we are here and we're rapidly becoming a trade center. By late afternoon, there will be more stalls and dozens of people who have come from other towns to buy. Which, of course, means selling from here would not just have been selling to us." "No. It would sell to the whole region." "You know, we discounted this one. One of my followers walked by, and none of the poultices and things that he had on the front table have any magic. So we presumed him a charlatan, and even though he is male, it is permitted for a male to be a charlatan after all, as long as they do not charge outrageous prices. But she was not aware of what was truly being done. It can make the people feel better." Aedrin checks the other stall with the clay pots, to make sure that they don't have any with kriff. But those pots are all empty--it's a pot merchant. The man running that stall nods his head to Aedrin. "Bit of excitement, there." "Oh, just a little bit. Nothing more than a day's work." "That's the outcast over there, it is." He points at the bound up mage. "What was the outcast exiled for?" "Stealing knowledge, stealing the book of one of the students at the Academy. They didn't even cut off his hand. They just threw him out. I don't know why he came back. He could gone where they didn't care." As Aedrin returns, Lady Saksia asks, "How is it safe to destroy the things in that trunk? If, for example, we incinerated it, would I infect my entire town?" "I can't tell you that, Lady." "Then we will seal it. We will seal it, seal the chest in lead, and place it... I guess in the dungeons. I never have prisoners to put down there anyway. I'm not sure why my grandmother built the dungeons at all." "May we take the prisoners?" "Oh, by all means. In his case, it's particularly wise that you do, because since he returned, after being exiled, I would be forced to execute him, and I'd rather not. His mother was a good one." "Well, we need to bring him back so he could stand trial for murder, and if he's convicted he'll hang by the neck until dead." "Then it will be on the heads of your Empire, not on my conscience. He didn't actually kill anyone here." [Presumably, this means that the guards who were hit by the fireball survived?] "Do you know why the old villages were abandoned? Were they destroyed? The locals seem to fear them." "They were destroyed, and the new locals are refugees from disaster. They're very superstitious. I've had to be very careful not to trigger them against my people. They do not have much copper, but they have things to borrow, and that can be a value as well. One woman in particular would come here also who seems to have a certain authority. I do not know her name. She is one of the newcomers, and their villages are making some attempt to put a small military together. I do not know if they will succeed. They're too close to the mountain. They call themselves something ludicrous like Astromolfu." "That's quite a mouthful. May be where we're heading next." "Yes, they've been attacked twice. They have put together good defenses militarily. I do not know why they do not simply move. If they were willing to use the old villages, Ulfonwe is fortified. But I cannot say for certain they don't have a reason for their fear. Some of the old villages were destroyed by attacks, but most were destroyed after those odd creatures came with the incense. I believe they were using magic." "Rat people?" "Yes. It killed in hours. But then, when they approached us, we threw them back by force, and they disappeared back to the south. The gnolls did not care for them either. I was much younger at the time and could not follow them; my children were not yet in positions with authority. Anyway, if you wish to speak with the prisoner's father while you are here, I will have a pavilion and food brought. If you do not, and you are taking them from my hands, I will accompany the chest and make sure it is sealed away. I do not dare do something that could damage my own folk. I will see what research can yield on it." "Do you wish to keep the spell books?" "No, certainly not that." She points at the necromancy tome. "I do not recommend any caster keep that. Such arts are forbidden in my grandmother's nation." They decide they are done here and bring the prisoners back to the knight. [End Session 4] [/QUOTE]
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Aphonion Tales: Agents of Canberry (edited transcripts, posts Thursdays, updated 3/17/23)
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