In this series of posts, I'll be doing some solo play to test out my home rules for my Feudal Wilderlands setting. Those rules cover character generation, the social structure of the setting and random encounter generation. The format will be an initial solo play post, followed by posts exploring how the adventure developed. As in all campaigns, the party has to come together before the adventure truly begins. The dates use the canonical Wilderlands setting calendar of months, although day names come from classical Greek lunar calendars. Maps refer to Rob Conley's Wilderlands Maps.
Midsummer's Eve, 2nd Waning - Rayner's Tankard, Zothay
Map 2 Hex 3611
Walker approached the table in the tavern carrying two flagons.
Bictirc looked at him and remarked "If you're buying the first round you must have a job. And you need some muscle."
Sitting down and passing his friend one of the ales, Daniel Walker smiled and said "You're right on both. The Guildmaster gave me a commission. We're to go up to the Waste, find an old tomb and bring back anything written in Viridian, or at least make a copy of it."
"Which explains why you want me. The Wastes are bloody dangerous away from the road. Hell, the ROAD is dangerous, I still wake up with the sweats remembering what happened to Dankmar in the mud flats and we were within bow shot of the road then."
"I know, I know. And we agreed that if we ever made it big, we'd haul his statue out of the mud and get him turned back into a human. The deal is traveling money and we get to keep anything else we find. Bonus for each item we bring back written in Viridian. And that's just anything written in a script like this." and he traced some characters out on a scrap of parchment. ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐-๐๐๐
"What's it say? I'm not a scholar."
"Just the name of some old god." Walker shrugged. "Like I said, they don't care what we bring back, as long it was written in this script. I figure we spend tomorrow putting some supplies together and leave the next morning."
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Vineyard Bounty, New Moon - Zothay
Fog rolled off the Arthiop Flats and in from Damkina Bay, making the morning chill and dreary. Wagons queued up at the Bellystone Gate, waiting for the guards to open them for the day. Bictirc and Walker held their horses as they talked with one of the cart drivers.
"No, no, it's true the Ocher Spear threw what the orcs call a bridge across the Murmuring Stream, just up from where it flows into the Mageven. It cuts a full day off the ride to the Old South Road. But it will cost you a fair amount. Two gold crowns a leg, man and beast is what I heard. O'course the bridge is too rickety for a cart or wagon so I haven't used it me self." the driver passed the rumor on to them.
Walker and Bictirc mounted their horses when the gate opened and departed with the morning wagons and the farmers returning from a night of bucolic debauchery in Zothay.
"A day is a day,' remarked Bictirc, "but twenty four gold is twenty four gold. Does that fall under 'traveling money'?"
Walker frowned, "I don't know and do you think the orcs will be happy to see us after our last little excursion?"
"None of them survived that excursion, nor did we leave anything behind that would identify us as having dispatched that group of pig faces. It's your call, as you're the one with the commission. I'm just the hired muscle."
"I'd rather camp out with the trade wagons, than lose twenty four gold." Walker decided.
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Vineyard Bounty, 3rd Rising - The Godly Willow, Mageven village at Bellystone Ford on the Old South Road
Map 2 Hex 3308
Improbably tall and incredibly thin, with hair like spun gold, the gray elven maiden gathered everyone's eye as she entered the common room in a rich, but travel worn cloak. The innkeeper bustled up and bowed as she waited for her eyes to adjust to the dim interior from the afternoon sun. Walker couldn't overhear their conversation, but the innkeeper shrugged and pointed to their table. He kicked Bictirc under the table and they both rose as the elf approached.
"Fey Lady", he greeted her as they gave her a half bow.
"You are the 'expert treasure seekers' the teamsters say are looking for companions?" she asked without a preamble.
"Uh," Bictirc stammered, "we are, but this is just a job, not a quest for a noble lady."
"Perfect", she smiled and seated herself, gesturing for them to sit back down with her. "I am Ithranel of Colsith, I have experience with sword, bow and spell. My grandfather suggested that I should experience the world, even though my mother thinks of me as a child as I'm still in my second yรจn. What is this 'job'?"
"Simple exploration of an old tomb." Walker said. "Even split on treasures, other than items written in Auld Viridian. Those belong to our clients. How are you at copying letters and such? If there are any on the walls or other structures, we'll want to bring back a copy, an accurate copy."
Ithranel frowned, "I have heard of the tongue, but I have not seen nor heard it spoken. I am an accurate scribe of letter, mark and inflection. To be otherwise, would be to risk my life when transcribing spells."
Shifting uneasily, Bictirc interjected, "Fey Lady, we are simple adventurers and we do not want to have to share more of the riches than we have to. How big is your escort, it may be that the reward will not be worth the additional shares?"
"Ithranel looked puzzled, "Escort? I am traveling alone. Why would I have an escort?"
Walker and Bictirc exchanged glances and shrugs. "Fey Lady, to us your race is noble and pure. In our experience with human nobles, they never go anywhere without a train of guards and servants. Your choice puzzles us."
"No one else in Colisth felt like traveling for a yรจn to learn of the world. The elders have already done so, and my peers don't feel the urge at this time."
Walker nodded, "Very well Fey Lady Ithranel, welcome to our company. If you would, you used a word we don't understand. What is this yรจn you refer to?"
"A yรจn? It's a period of time, I'm not certain what the human term would be, but it's more than a hundred summers."
At this point the door opened again, this time revealing a man in well made servant's clothes. When his eye adjusted he headed straight for the table and bowed to Ithranel. "Fey Lady, I am Abram Boteler, chamberlain of Castrum Venterlapis. Count Atius Brucetus heard of your arrival and requests your presence at supper."
Ithranel looked at her companions in surprise. Walker responded for her, "The Fey Lady Ithranel of Colisth will be pleased to attend. I assume her companions are also invited/"
Boteler looked over the pair of humans and pursed his lips. "Her servants will of course be accommodated at the lower tables."
Ithranel stood up, and picked up her pack, "Well then let us see what the Count wishes to speak of."
Boteler lead them up the hill to the great keep through the gatehouse, across both moats and through the outer and inner walls to the towering donjon in the center. There he passed Walker and Bictirc off to a lesser servant with instructions to find them a bed and seat them at the lower tables.
During the meal they could see Ithranel in a gown, instead of her traveling clothes, at the high table talking with the Count and Countess. Later they were given straw pallets on the floor of the hall with the servants.
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Vinyard's Bounty, 4th Rising. Castrum Venterlapis
When they went into the inner courtyard in the morning, they were met by a tough looking man with grizzled auburn hair leading a beautiful chestnut horse with a finely made saddle and bridle.
"You're the tomb robbers Fey Lady Ithranel met up with?" he asked.
Walker shrugged, "Rude, but that's us. Nice horse."
"Yeah the Count's gift to her. One of his gifts. He's also giving her an escort, me and a couple of the lads. I'm Ivo, Get your bags and meet us outside the gatehouse. As you know where we're going you'll lead."
"Wait a minute, " Bictirc interjected, "We didn't agree to this, I don't know you or why I would agree to a six way split instead of a three way."
Ivo laughed, "Take it up with the Count, he says you're doing this and he's the man with the big castle with a nice dungeon for you to wait in. Besides he has an open hand with those who serve him well. Tell you what, when it comes to splitting anything we find, we'll do it in the order we joined the company. You two, the Fey Lady, then me and the lads."
Walker caught Bictirc eye, "Less reward, but less risk too. Besides, when we get back to Zothay...."
After thinking for a moment, Bictirc nodded and said, "Let's get the horses."
Looking forward to it!
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