Greenfield
Adventurer
There is a break in the stories between Britannia and this one.
The characters were sent on a mission for the gods: To get the gates to the Land of the Dead re-opened, we were given the task of spreading the word of the afterlife in the only land that doesn't have one: China.
We traveled across Asia, and in the process, lost the Barbarian/wizard Seburn. Because the gates to the Land of the Dead are closed, though, he was able to climb back into his body and keep going.
So as we begin this tale, Seburn is living on borrowed time, literally.
*******
The wheels of the heavily laden wagons were a chorus of creaking complaints as the caravan entered the walled city of Shandu. Carralon made a show of grumbling as he paid the entry fees, but was really quite pleased. Although they’d been plagued by troubles, they’d weathered them well, and in fact had made remarkable time on their long journey.
Penn pulled his hood tighter, to shield against both the early winter cold, and against prying eyes. The last thing he needed was someone else accusing him of being a demon. They were near the end of their long road. The caravan master had said that he planned to sell about half of his goods here, then travel by river barge to the port of Tsanjin. He’d ply his trade about the country for a few months, then sail for home. But whether he left tonight or next spring, his need for caravan guards was nearly at an end.
Sylus scowled slightly as he entered the city. It wasn’t that there was anything wrong, he just didn’t like cities. Of course, they’d been traveling past villages and farm steads for weeks, but for him cities were just too many people and not enough green. The only song birds you heard there were in cages. The very thought made him ill. One thing caught his eye though. There were long, fluttering pennants beside the gate, pennants depicting an animal he’d heard of, but never seen before. It was a great cat, gold and black, and the depiction ran a chill down his spine. “I’ve seen that before.”, he said quietly. “I dreamed about a cat like that. It was huge, magnificent.” The vision so entranced him that his scowl faded, and his horse shuffled to a halt.
“Move along, don’t block the way. You can gawk later!”, barked one of the gate guards.
Sylus touched his heels to the horse’s flanks and they began to move again, but still Sylus craned his neck to look back at the banners. There was something compelling about them…
“Better watch where you’re going.”, Imagina chided him. “If you’re not careful, you might run into something you like.”
“If you want to look at tigers, go to the grand temple in the main plaza.”, Carralon laughed. “This is the City of the Tiger. It’s their emblem and their patron. In the mean time, we’re off to the inn. You’ll like it. It’s called the Teak Tiger, in fact. You can meet with us there, when you’re done sightseeing.”
“The temple is in the main plaza?”, Seburn asked. “I was told that that’s where the Palace is.”
“Aye, and the Imperial Guard as well.”, Carralon added. “The three faces of Chin are the church, the Emperor, and the army. Everything in the entire land revolves around one or more of those three.”
“Why do you care about the army?”, Marcus asked his fiery-headed friend.
Seburn drew forth a folded and sealed packet of papers. “We sold the Mongol weapons we took from the field back in Nengoa, but we get paid here.”, he reminded the others. “And since they don’t like our gold, the more of theirs we have, the better.” Then he smiled, and added, “The more gold of any kind we have, the better.”
And so the companions se their sights on the towering spires at the civic center, and tsk-ed their horses into a soft canter.
***
The crowd was quite deep in the central plaza, despite the nearness of sunset. A group of men stood on three raised dias, addressing those gathered.
“Yau Chun!”, the man in elaborate armor called, reading from a long list. “Yee Chang! Quo Leung!” The list was long, and the recitation continued. And with each name called, a young man would step forward. In some cases, if the man called was too young, an older man would hold him back and step forward in his place.
“What’s going on?”, Penn asked in a whisper.
“We are going to war, and each house must send their eldest to join the army. If the eldest is too young, or is a girl, then the father goes to service.”
“And if there is no suitable man in the family?”, Penn asked, again in a quiet voice.
“Then a duty is paid, enough to hire someone to fulfill their obligation.”, the helpful man replied. “But don’t worry, outlander. They’ll call for mercenaries soon enough. You’ll get your chance.”
Penn nodded, then drifted back to his companions to share what he’d learned.
“I guess we’ll have to wait until they’re through.”, Seburn said, impatience grating on him. He wanted his gold so he could go get a cold bath and a colder drink.
“We aren’t broke.”, Penn reminded him. “We have all that coin we found in the Ogre’s fortress. We can get paid tomorrow.” Then he saw the look of determination on his friend’s face and sighed. The hardy Scott loved his gold, and loved it most when it was in his hands.
Sylus attention was elsewhere though. The speaker had taken the center platform. To his right stood a tall man with pale skin, in robes of richly embroidered silk. His clothing and the entourage behind him marked him as a man of great importance. But to the speaker’s left stood another party of men. Their robes were simple and clean, saffron and jet in color, and beside their leader lounged a tiger. The creature really was as large and as magnificent as depicted on the city’s standards. It seemed at ease, neither collared nor caged, and it rubbed its head against the leader with obvious affection. The hunter was entranced by the very sight of the creature.
Finally the long list was finished, and the soldier called for mercenaries or other volunteers. Many people turned to stare at Seburn and Penn, the obviously armed and armored outlanders. A way was made clear for them, and the soldier gestured, beckoning them forward. They advanced, as that seemed to be expected of them.
Penn bowed, as he had seen so many others do, and waited to be addressed.
“You have the look of warriors about you. Are you seeking employ?”, the soldier asked.
“We are already employed.”, Penn explained. “While it would be an honor to serve under your command, our current master has not yet released us from his service.”
“Then why are you not with him now?”, asked the soldier curiously, though there was a hint of accusation in his tone.
“Our caravan has just arrived this day, and our master has granted us the freedom of the city while he conducts his business. However, when he leaves in a few days, we shall accompany him once more.”
The soldier nodded, satisfied. While the smooth tongued outlander’s frightful appearance might inspire the men, he might also intimidate them, so it was probably best if such a being were not to march with them.
“Do you have other business here then?”, he asked, preparing to turn away.
“Yes, sir.”, Seburn declared, offering the sealed document. “We fought Mongol raiders before we reached Nengoa, and took trophy’s from the field. The captain of the guard there bought the weapons from us, for the army, and gave us this. We were to be paid here.”
The man unbound the folded packet, examined the seal on it, then broke the seal and began to read. “Hmm. An impressive array. How many did you lose in the fray?”
“There were six of us on duty when the raid began.”, Seburn said with a hint of pride. “Each of us accounted for four of their number, and none of us fell.”
The soldier raised an eyebrow in doubt at the boast, but then tallied the arms and armors listed, and nodded. Such men would help their cause greatly. He began to stroke his narrow beard thoughtfully.
“They came at us in waves, allowing us brief respite to regroup.”, Penn added to explain their apparently miraculous success. “I believe they were scouts who saw the caravan and got greedy. They thought they could take the whole prize for themselves.” He didn’t want to mention the use of magic, as they had been warned that the Emperor was seeking arcanists and alchemists in his quest for immortality.
“Hmm. You were lucky.”, the soldier concluded. “I’ve never heard of Mongols traveling in such small groups.” He gave the documents another good look and, satisfied, folded them under his arm.
“I am Captain Yee. Seek me out tomorrow, at the training field, and I’ll see that you’re paid. I’d give you your gold now, but the paymaster’s office is closed.” He waited for the outlander’s to nod agreement, then turned smartly and marched away to join the new recruits.
***
The crowd was thinning, though some of the curious stayed to watch the demon and the red haired savage talk to the Captain. Sylus, while waiting for his friends, found himself drawn towards the temple priests, and the great cat. They had stepped down from the dias and were discussing the coming war amongst themselves. One of them saw Sylus in his plain robes and noted his almost glassy-eyed stare.
“Welcome, traveler.”, he began formally. “Do you seek the guidance of the temple?”
“I’m not sure.”, Sylus admitted, tearing his eyes away from the great cat. The man he faced was of wiry build, his head shaven, and only slightly taller than the Half-Elf himself. Yet he had a peace about him. “Centered” was the word that came to Sylus mind, as if he knew himself completely and was content with it all.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to stare.”, Sylus said, in an effort to start over. “I’ve never seen a cat like that one before, yet I’ve been dreaming about one for a week now. Each night he’d visit my dreams. He was smaller than that one, and his colors were white instead of gold, but he was the same.”
The monk was startled, a look that was startling in itself, for he had seemed beyond such things. He excused himself, gesturing for Sylus to wait there as he hurried to talk to his companions. There was much discussion, and a few looks of shock before the leader came to address Sylus directly.
“You say the spirit of the tiger visited you in your dreams. How can this be? You are an outlander, and of the forest fey. Your people neither sleep nor dream.”
“My father was of the forest fey.”, Sylus explained, adopting their local term for Elves. “My mother was not. I sleep and I dream. As for me being an outlander, well, yeah I guess I am. But I had the dreams anyway.”
There was more hurried discussion before a decision was made. “Do you seek the tiger, as he has sought you?”
“Yes.”, Sylus said firmly. “I ran with the wolf for a time, but that didn’t last. Now I know why.”
And so Sylus was ushered into the temple of the Tiger.
***
The characters were sent on a mission for the gods: To get the gates to the Land of the Dead re-opened, we were given the task of spreading the word of the afterlife in the only land that doesn't have one: China.
We traveled across Asia, and in the process, lost the Barbarian/wizard Seburn. Because the gates to the Land of the Dead are closed, though, he was able to climb back into his body and keep going.
So as we begin this tale, Seburn is living on borrowed time, literally.
*******
The wheels of the heavily laden wagons were a chorus of creaking complaints as the caravan entered the walled city of Shandu. Carralon made a show of grumbling as he paid the entry fees, but was really quite pleased. Although they’d been plagued by troubles, they’d weathered them well, and in fact had made remarkable time on their long journey.
Penn pulled his hood tighter, to shield against both the early winter cold, and against prying eyes. The last thing he needed was someone else accusing him of being a demon. They were near the end of their long road. The caravan master had said that he planned to sell about half of his goods here, then travel by river barge to the port of Tsanjin. He’d ply his trade about the country for a few months, then sail for home. But whether he left tonight or next spring, his need for caravan guards was nearly at an end.
Sylus scowled slightly as he entered the city. It wasn’t that there was anything wrong, he just didn’t like cities. Of course, they’d been traveling past villages and farm steads for weeks, but for him cities were just too many people and not enough green. The only song birds you heard there were in cages. The very thought made him ill. One thing caught his eye though. There were long, fluttering pennants beside the gate, pennants depicting an animal he’d heard of, but never seen before. It was a great cat, gold and black, and the depiction ran a chill down his spine. “I’ve seen that before.”, he said quietly. “I dreamed about a cat like that. It was huge, magnificent.” The vision so entranced him that his scowl faded, and his horse shuffled to a halt.
“Move along, don’t block the way. You can gawk later!”, barked one of the gate guards.
Sylus touched his heels to the horse’s flanks and they began to move again, but still Sylus craned his neck to look back at the banners. There was something compelling about them…
“Better watch where you’re going.”, Imagina chided him. “If you’re not careful, you might run into something you like.”
“If you want to look at tigers, go to the grand temple in the main plaza.”, Carralon laughed. “This is the City of the Tiger. It’s their emblem and their patron. In the mean time, we’re off to the inn. You’ll like it. It’s called the Teak Tiger, in fact. You can meet with us there, when you’re done sightseeing.”
“The temple is in the main plaza?”, Seburn asked. “I was told that that’s where the Palace is.”
“Aye, and the Imperial Guard as well.”, Carralon added. “The three faces of Chin are the church, the Emperor, and the army. Everything in the entire land revolves around one or more of those three.”
“Why do you care about the army?”, Marcus asked his fiery-headed friend.
Seburn drew forth a folded and sealed packet of papers. “We sold the Mongol weapons we took from the field back in Nengoa, but we get paid here.”, he reminded the others. “And since they don’t like our gold, the more of theirs we have, the better.” Then he smiled, and added, “The more gold of any kind we have, the better.”
And so the companions se their sights on the towering spires at the civic center, and tsk-ed their horses into a soft canter.
***
The crowd was quite deep in the central plaza, despite the nearness of sunset. A group of men stood on three raised dias, addressing those gathered.
“Yau Chun!”, the man in elaborate armor called, reading from a long list. “Yee Chang! Quo Leung!” The list was long, and the recitation continued. And with each name called, a young man would step forward. In some cases, if the man called was too young, an older man would hold him back and step forward in his place.
“What’s going on?”, Penn asked in a whisper.
“We are going to war, and each house must send their eldest to join the army. If the eldest is too young, or is a girl, then the father goes to service.”
“And if there is no suitable man in the family?”, Penn asked, again in a quiet voice.
“Then a duty is paid, enough to hire someone to fulfill their obligation.”, the helpful man replied. “But don’t worry, outlander. They’ll call for mercenaries soon enough. You’ll get your chance.”
Penn nodded, then drifted back to his companions to share what he’d learned.
“I guess we’ll have to wait until they’re through.”, Seburn said, impatience grating on him. He wanted his gold so he could go get a cold bath and a colder drink.
“We aren’t broke.”, Penn reminded him. “We have all that coin we found in the Ogre’s fortress. We can get paid tomorrow.” Then he saw the look of determination on his friend’s face and sighed. The hardy Scott loved his gold, and loved it most when it was in his hands.
Sylus attention was elsewhere though. The speaker had taken the center platform. To his right stood a tall man with pale skin, in robes of richly embroidered silk. His clothing and the entourage behind him marked him as a man of great importance. But to the speaker’s left stood another party of men. Their robes were simple and clean, saffron and jet in color, and beside their leader lounged a tiger. The creature really was as large and as magnificent as depicted on the city’s standards. It seemed at ease, neither collared nor caged, and it rubbed its head against the leader with obvious affection. The hunter was entranced by the very sight of the creature.
Finally the long list was finished, and the soldier called for mercenaries or other volunteers. Many people turned to stare at Seburn and Penn, the obviously armed and armored outlanders. A way was made clear for them, and the soldier gestured, beckoning them forward. They advanced, as that seemed to be expected of them.
Penn bowed, as he had seen so many others do, and waited to be addressed.
“You have the look of warriors about you. Are you seeking employ?”, the soldier asked.
“We are already employed.”, Penn explained. “While it would be an honor to serve under your command, our current master has not yet released us from his service.”
“Then why are you not with him now?”, asked the soldier curiously, though there was a hint of accusation in his tone.
“Our caravan has just arrived this day, and our master has granted us the freedom of the city while he conducts his business. However, when he leaves in a few days, we shall accompany him once more.”
The soldier nodded, satisfied. While the smooth tongued outlander’s frightful appearance might inspire the men, he might also intimidate them, so it was probably best if such a being were not to march with them.
“Do you have other business here then?”, he asked, preparing to turn away.
“Yes, sir.”, Seburn declared, offering the sealed document. “We fought Mongol raiders before we reached Nengoa, and took trophy’s from the field. The captain of the guard there bought the weapons from us, for the army, and gave us this. We were to be paid here.”
The man unbound the folded packet, examined the seal on it, then broke the seal and began to read. “Hmm. An impressive array. How many did you lose in the fray?”
“There were six of us on duty when the raid began.”, Seburn said with a hint of pride. “Each of us accounted for four of their number, and none of us fell.”
The soldier raised an eyebrow in doubt at the boast, but then tallied the arms and armors listed, and nodded. Such men would help their cause greatly. He began to stroke his narrow beard thoughtfully.
“They came at us in waves, allowing us brief respite to regroup.”, Penn added to explain their apparently miraculous success. “I believe they were scouts who saw the caravan and got greedy. They thought they could take the whole prize for themselves.” He didn’t want to mention the use of magic, as they had been warned that the Emperor was seeking arcanists and alchemists in his quest for immortality.
“Hmm. You were lucky.”, the soldier concluded. “I’ve never heard of Mongols traveling in such small groups.” He gave the documents another good look and, satisfied, folded them under his arm.
“I am Captain Yee. Seek me out tomorrow, at the training field, and I’ll see that you’re paid. I’d give you your gold now, but the paymaster’s office is closed.” He waited for the outlander’s to nod agreement, then turned smartly and marched away to join the new recruits.
***
The crowd was thinning, though some of the curious stayed to watch the demon and the red haired savage talk to the Captain. Sylus, while waiting for his friends, found himself drawn towards the temple priests, and the great cat. They had stepped down from the dias and were discussing the coming war amongst themselves. One of them saw Sylus in his plain robes and noted his almost glassy-eyed stare.
“Welcome, traveler.”, he began formally. “Do you seek the guidance of the temple?”
“I’m not sure.”, Sylus admitted, tearing his eyes away from the great cat. The man he faced was of wiry build, his head shaven, and only slightly taller than the Half-Elf himself. Yet he had a peace about him. “Centered” was the word that came to Sylus mind, as if he knew himself completely and was content with it all.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to stare.”, Sylus said, in an effort to start over. “I’ve never seen a cat like that one before, yet I’ve been dreaming about one for a week now. Each night he’d visit my dreams. He was smaller than that one, and his colors were white instead of gold, but he was the same.”
The monk was startled, a look that was startling in itself, for he had seemed beyond such things. He excused himself, gesturing for Sylus to wait there as he hurried to talk to his companions. There was much discussion, and a few looks of shock before the leader came to address Sylus directly.
“You say the spirit of the tiger visited you in your dreams. How can this be? You are an outlander, and of the forest fey. Your people neither sleep nor dream.”
“My father was of the forest fey.”, Sylus explained, adopting their local term for Elves. “My mother was not. I sleep and I dream. As for me being an outlander, well, yeah I guess I am. But I had the dreams anyway.”
There was more hurried discussion before a decision was made. “Do you seek the tiger, as he has sought you?”
“Yes.”, Sylus said firmly. “I ran with the wolf for a time, but that didn’t last. Now I know why.”
And so Sylus was ushered into the temple of the Tiger.
***