Lone Wolf I: Shadows on the Dorn

[Andrew D. Gable]

The three Kai get on their horses and set out through the Sommlending forests. They ride for an hour along a path through the wood maintained and kept clear by the Kai Monastery until they reach the main highway leading from Toran to Holmgard at the crossroads village of Scarsby. They take some refreshment in the town, and then continue their ride south, to Alema Bridge and the crossing of the River Unoram, and then ride for another hour or so along the highway, eventually passing into the crowded streets of Holmgard. The residents of the king's city clear a path through the middle of the street for the warrior-monks, bowing their heads in respect for those favored by the sun-god.

*****

Hoagar throws his final pieces of equipment onto his horse's back and rides off, leaving Fort Clanor behind him, riding north-east along the banks of the River Eledil, entering Holmgard about an hour and a half later. The people milling about at the markets and such look up and are taken aback by the sight of a dwarf, something most of them have only heard tales about. Hoagar eventually makes it to the castle, entering the courtyard.

Keeping an watchful eye on the citadel, should anything suspicious happen or any unusual people arrive, she started to pass the day with carving, puzzling over her treasure map and softly singing a few pirate's songs. Her backpack rested next to her, the flap thrown back to allow easy access to her brass telescope, just in case anything warranted a closer look ...

After a few hours, Jesabela takes note of a few people entering the citadel on horseback - a dwarf of all things, followed about a half-hour later by three riders in green cloaks - Kai Lords!

Played around with some distances here. I think it should probably take you more than "a few hours" to get to Holmgard, but oh well. And color me the embarassed Lone Wolf GM, but I forget what greel is.

 

[Paido]

On the roof across the street, Jesabela looks up in astonishment. "A dwarf?" escapes her. "On a horse? What comes next, a tame Gourgaz?"

She takes the message scroll out of her backpack and glances it over.

... A mission for which we have recruited others ...

"I see they have begun to arrive already ..."

For a moment, she considers leaving her comfortable place on the roof. But a dwarf doesn't qualify as "others", not even when he's on a horse. Let's have a look at the others first. Hope they hurry up a bit! Then she leans back again and takes up her piece of wood. By now it has begun to resemble ... well, a piece of wood, actually. But at least it was another piece of wood. Somewhat like a duck, really - or maybe a bunny? Jesabela tilts her head for a better look, then she starts to carve again.

* * *​

When the three Kai Lords arrive at the gate, half an hour later, Jesabela raises an eyebrow. Great, three law-upholding warrior-monks. Just what I need ... Hey, wait, they look like a bunch of kids! She takes a quick look through her telescope. That's even nastier than a trap. Never thought the king of Sommerlund could be so devious ... Softly chuckling, she stows away her telescope, her dagger and the wooden ... thing, then she makes her way to an edge of the roof. A long drainpipe leads down to the street, and unhurriedly she climbs it down.

Carefreely she saunters over to the large iron gate of the King's Citadel and waves the message scroll airily under the guards' noses. "His majesty's expecting me." Then she waits for them to open the gate, impatiently tapping her foot.

 

[Relenoir]

Greel: A popular game at the Kai monastery where young trainees toss an axe back and forth on opposing teams with the goal of throwing it into the opposite team's target. It is only marginally approved of by their mentors, due to the dangerous nature of the game, but so far nobody has been seriously injured.
As the three young Kai Lords make their way to the capital, Moon's Brand reflects on the events that led her here.
After chastising herself for not thinking of an eloquent response to being chosen for this mission, like Dark Hawk did, she managed to catch up with him in the hall. They agree to meet near the stables for a bit of swordplay if they are able to before Silver Wind shows up, then go to their separate dorms. An adventure, finally! she thinks to herself as she arrives in her room. This is the day she had been waiting for since she was a child. She quickly, but flawlessly, makes her bed up, takes care to clean up her area for a perfect score on inspection, then picks up her backpack and slings it over her shoulder. She has kept it ready, knowing sooner or later this day would come, and left it stocked with fresh meals. She fills her waterskin, then goes in search of her father.
She finds him where she expected. He is on the range, teaching archery to neophytes as he had once done for her. "Master Deer Stalker, I just wanted to let you know I've been chosen for my first mission and won't be around for a bit, so I won't be able to help oil and polish the bows for a while," she says. Not that he wouldn't find out anyway, in case he doesn't already know, but this is her way of saying goodbye for now. With a warm wishing of good luck, she turns, adjusts her Kai cloak under the weight of the pack, and heads to the courtyard to meet Dark Hawk for some sparring. After several minutes, and a second request for a game of greel, she and Dark Hawk end their sparring session and she begins to redistribute some of her belongings to the saddlebags on the horse she'll be riding. She is making the finishing touches touches on securing the horse feed when Dark Hawk returns, followed a moment later by Silver Wind. After fond greetings all around, they saddled up and hit the road.
"Strange, getting the royal treatment like this, agreed? I'm certainly not used to it!" she calls to her comrades as they ride down the streets of Holmgard. "At least they help make it obvious which way we're supposed to be going. I've never been to the castle before, and the last time I was in Holmgard I was only about five." She remembers the day fondly; it had been summer, and her mother and her had strolled through the various street markets. One merchant recognized her, despite not being in uniform, and offerred her several pieces of fruit. After several kind refusals, she finally gave in, and they ate the larnuma fruit together. As they went to leave, a scar-faced man had tried to rob them of their horse at knifepoint. Coiled Serpent had taken the man's knife, clubbed him over the head with the blunt end, and left him unconscious in the street for the town guard, who she then called over. Moon's Brand had been amazed with the way her mother had dispensed with the ruffian. That day, she had thought her parents were invincible. If only she'd been right. . .
A single tear made its way down her left cheek. "Stupid road-dust. Always makes my eyes water! Looks like we're almost there, here's the citadel guard station."

 

[Krug]

Hoagar feels uncomfortable with the staring, but even more so on the horse. "How humans adapt to these creatures, I do not ken," he says. He proceeds to make his way to the royal court. He sees the Kai Lords enter the room. I thought they were a myth, he thought to himself. Anyway, for all their mental skills, nothing beats a bullet in the face, he thought.

As he arrived at the court, he turned to a servitor. "I'm here to see the King," he said, smiling.

 

[Relenoir]

"Hmm, a dwarf. How interesting. I'm going to go talk with him," Moon's Brand says to her companions. She walks over to where the dwarf is standing by the servitor. She pulls back her hood, nods and says hello to him. *now speaking in Drodarin* "I imagine you've come quite far to get here," she begins. "Are you from Bor, or perhaps Boden? I hope my accent is good, I was taught to speak your language by humans, not dwarves. By Ishir's grace, I pray I have managed to greet you without accidently insulting you with mis-pronounciations," she finishes, putting on her most winsome smile.

 

[Krug]

"Yes I be from Bor," says the dwarf. "And you speak quite well. I gather you and your companions have also been summoned by the King." The dwarf shifted his feet. He was not used to speaking with womanfolk.

 

[Andrew D. Gable]

The guard nods. "Aye, we were told the King was expecting guests." Looking around at the pirate and the dwarf, he continues, "But we weren't told they'd be such a motley bunch." He grins and opens the gate. "This way."

Inside, the five are met by an aged attendant, who leads them through the tapestry-adorned stone halls. He leads them eventually to a set of double doors, before which he pauses and then opens. They open onto a stone balcony overlooking the hall below. At the end of the pillared gallery sits a throne on a dais, and on the throne sits King Ulnar of Sommerlund.

The attendant leads them down the stairs to the floor. He waits his turn as other nobles address the King, then he bows and announces them. "Your Majesty, I present to you Hoagar of the border forts, Jesabela of Cloeasia, and the three Kai Lords, Dark Hawk, Silver Wind, and Moon's Brand." He turns to look back. "And I present to you our sovereign, King Ulnar IV."

 

[Krug]

Hoagar bows before the King. "At your service are the muskets of Bor, or at least one of them. I understand you need stuff to be blow.. I mean, a task to be done."

 

[Eternalknight]

Bowing low, Silver Wind mutters "Your Majesty, it is a honour to be called into your service." He hides his excitement well, for this is the culmination of one of his life goals. Since he joined the ranks of the Kai, he had dreamed of serving his country with skill and honour, and to be asked to do it by the King...!

 

[Paido]

Struggling a bit to keep her eyes from the courtiers - Ah, such easy marks! - Jesabela bows with a flourish before King Ulnar. "Your Majesty, I was told that you wish to hire me? My wits are at your service ... for a price." The last words are accompanied by a mischievous smile.