OOC Thread
Tribute season is always a little grim for those on the fringe of Evenfall’s society. The guards have less sympathy for the unimportant, and being unimportant means they can ill afford to lose what little they have. It’s not uncommon to see someone resist the collection and wind up on the wrong side of a locked door for their troubles.
This is not to say that the town is full of malcontents, or that Norsten and the guardsmen are evil or even uncaring. The tribute keeps everyone safe from Rhixallithen’s fury, and alive and poor is better than dead. The problems tend to arise when the line between them becomes blurred.
Sure enough, this collection season is just like most, and each of you have witnessed a moment or two of such desperation as Norsten’s crew worked through the town to raise the required funds. It has been several days since Norsten returned from his ‘gathering’ mission to the outlying settlements, and the tribute is nearing completion.
[sblock=Bheazir] Something has been odd about Bheazir’s grandfather for the past few days, ever since the younger half-elf returned from an afternoon-long discussion with Akhara. Bheazir hasn’t been able to discover the cause for this change in behavior, but it seems as if his grandfather is trying to hide something from him.
Finally, as the collection period ends, Bheazir finally realizes what else has been bothering him. The guards haven’t been by the cottage to take anything for the tribute.[/sblock]
[sblock=Akhara] Tribute season is actually a pleasant time for Akhara usually. Bertran and the other guards are usually in a better mood, and the jail often provides Akhara with some form of company, even if those being held are not friendly. Something seems different this season however, and Akhara has been on edge for a few days. He has noticed a greater level of cruelty in some of the guards when they bring people in to the jail, and he has heard Mason discussing the tribute with a sharp-edged enthusiasm that he hasn’t heard in the past. Something has changed, although Akhara can’t put his finger on it.
Akhara has also been able to talk to several of the other ‘guests’, at least until Mason convinced them to go back to their lives and forget their losses. With some it took more effort than usual. One such struggle was with an aging human who insisted to Mason that the necklace that had been taken from his daughter was her only reminder of her mother, dead these past four years. In his depression, he described the necklace in detail to Akhara, a silver chain with delicate star pendant.[/sblock]
[sblock=Corbin] Tribute season is a necessary evil to Corbin. He knows the hardship that it presents to many, but he has also seen the horrors of Rhixallithen’s displeasure. The tempers seem to be more flammable this year than in the past, however. He knows that his employer, Otram the jeweler, has been in a black mood for days, ever since Norsten came and demanded more than he had ever taken before. Corbin also knows that those who make their living off the river have been hit unusually hard.
To make matters worse, On his most recent visit to the ruined remains of the Halfling community he had been raised in, Corbin saw obvious signs of disturbance amid the rubble. Something, or more likely someone, has been digging through the decade-old village, as if looking for something. Corbin was unable to find the culprit, or to find any better indication as to its identity. [/sblock]
[sblock=Jaden] Jaden’s family has enough that they can withstand the belt-tightening of tribute season, but the young Halfling is not completely oblivious to the impact it has on others in the town. It is impossible to walk the streets of Evenfall without noticing the sorrow and resentment on many faces. He has also noticed, much to his frustration, that those emotions are even more apparent whenever Skravress is in the area. Something is going on with that dragonborn, and the recent 'disturbance' hasn't changed things in the least. [/sblock]
[sblock=Galdr] The guards were especially hard on Galdr this year when they came for his portion of the tribute. They sneered at his anger, and they laughed at his threats. Then two of them held him as the third, a wiry human named Benn, went through the house and took several items of some value, including an old tome that had belonged to Galdr’s grandfather. It was ornate, but was written in a language the tiefling couldn’t read. The guards seemed more interested in the obvious value of the cover than they were in its contents, however, and the left, saying, This should cover the rest of your share, this year. I guess you get to keep your home until next time.
OOC: I hope you don’t feel too railroaded with this, but don’t forget that using magic in town, the only way you could likely resist, would get you banished and that would likely preclude you from participating in the campaign, at least for now.[/sblock]
Tribute season is always a little grim for those on the fringe of Evenfall’s society. The guards have less sympathy for the unimportant, and being unimportant means they can ill afford to lose what little they have. It’s not uncommon to see someone resist the collection and wind up on the wrong side of a locked door for their troubles.
This is not to say that the town is full of malcontents, or that Norsten and the guardsmen are evil or even uncaring. The tribute keeps everyone safe from Rhixallithen’s fury, and alive and poor is better than dead. The problems tend to arise when the line between them becomes blurred.
Sure enough, this collection season is just like most, and each of you have witnessed a moment or two of such desperation as Norsten’s crew worked through the town to raise the required funds. It has been several days since Norsten returned from his ‘gathering’ mission to the outlying settlements, and the tribute is nearing completion.
[sblock=Bheazir] Something has been odd about Bheazir’s grandfather for the past few days, ever since the younger half-elf returned from an afternoon-long discussion with Akhara. Bheazir hasn’t been able to discover the cause for this change in behavior, but it seems as if his grandfather is trying to hide something from him.
Finally, as the collection period ends, Bheazir finally realizes what else has been bothering him. The guards haven’t been by the cottage to take anything for the tribute.[/sblock]
[sblock=Akhara] Tribute season is actually a pleasant time for Akhara usually. Bertran and the other guards are usually in a better mood, and the jail often provides Akhara with some form of company, even if those being held are not friendly. Something seems different this season however, and Akhara has been on edge for a few days. He has noticed a greater level of cruelty in some of the guards when they bring people in to the jail, and he has heard Mason discussing the tribute with a sharp-edged enthusiasm that he hasn’t heard in the past. Something has changed, although Akhara can’t put his finger on it.
Akhara has also been able to talk to several of the other ‘guests’, at least until Mason convinced them to go back to their lives and forget their losses. With some it took more effort than usual. One such struggle was with an aging human who insisted to Mason that the necklace that had been taken from his daughter was her only reminder of her mother, dead these past four years. In his depression, he described the necklace in detail to Akhara, a silver chain with delicate star pendant.[/sblock]
[sblock=Corbin] Tribute season is a necessary evil to Corbin. He knows the hardship that it presents to many, but he has also seen the horrors of Rhixallithen’s displeasure. The tempers seem to be more flammable this year than in the past, however. He knows that his employer, Otram the jeweler, has been in a black mood for days, ever since Norsten came and demanded more than he had ever taken before. Corbin also knows that those who make their living off the river have been hit unusually hard.
To make matters worse, On his most recent visit to the ruined remains of the Halfling community he had been raised in, Corbin saw obvious signs of disturbance amid the rubble. Something, or more likely someone, has been digging through the decade-old village, as if looking for something. Corbin was unable to find the culprit, or to find any better indication as to its identity. [/sblock]
[sblock=Jaden] Jaden’s family has enough that they can withstand the belt-tightening of tribute season, but the young Halfling is not completely oblivious to the impact it has on others in the town. It is impossible to walk the streets of Evenfall without noticing the sorrow and resentment on many faces. He has also noticed, much to his frustration, that those emotions are even more apparent whenever Skravress is in the area. Something is going on with that dragonborn, and the recent 'disturbance' hasn't changed things in the least. [/sblock]
[sblock=Galdr] The guards were especially hard on Galdr this year when they came for his portion of the tribute. They sneered at his anger, and they laughed at his threats. Then two of them held him as the third, a wiry human named Benn, went through the house and took several items of some value, including an old tome that had belonged to Galdr’s grandfather. It was ornate, but was written in a language the tiefling couldn’t read. The guards seemed more interested in the obvious value of the cover than they were in its contents, however, and the left, saying, This should cover the rest of your share, this year. I guess you get to keep your home until next time.
OOC: I hope you don’t feel too railroaded with this, but don’t forget that using magic in town, the only way you could likely resist, would get you banished and that would likely preclude you from participating in the campaign, at least for now.[/sblock]
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