Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Seravin" data-source="post: 1748239" data-attributes="member: 6783">Kestral in Corlean Part 3The Imperial Heralds originally started out as the Emperor’s messengers, carrying his voice and his will to the people of the Empire.  Over time, as their collective worthiness was proved, their role and duties expanded with the growing needs of the Empire.  In the thirty-second year of the reign of the Emperor Jaz’aldrin, the Imperial Heralds are now responsible for overseeing six major tasks.First and foremost they are still the Voice of the Emperor, responsible for making sure that the ruler’s edicts are brought to every corner of the Empire; a staggering number of scribes, couriers, and orators are engaged in just this task alone.Just as importantly, the Imperial Heralds now carry the Will of the Emperor to those of foreign nations.  An Imperial Herald bearing the crest of the Emperor not only speaks with the voice of the Emperor, but may make binding decisions in the name of the Emperor.  Unsurprisingly the Emperor’s crest is given to only a few Heralds, trusted or not.The Imperial Heralds are also the Memory of the Empire.  All Heralds, regardless of their eventual tasks, will serve a term as pages, runners, and announcers at all noble-attended events, and at many merchant-house events also (amongst the merchant-houses it is a mark of prestige and favor to have a Herald attend).  The Herald attends as the Empire’s representative and is frequently called upon by the host to answer basic questions concerning their guests (I believe she is the daughter of the Countess Dyvers, milord.  I do not believe she is wedded, though current rumors suggest she has a beau.”).  Some of these Imperial Heralds have found themselves becoming impromptu bodyguards at such events and to date have performed excellently.In an effort to make sure that every citizen was literate, could perform basic sums, and the like, a few Imperial Heralds were assigned to be teachers in the more remote communities until more appropriate teachers could be found.  Now those Heralds who have the desire to teach can apply to be stationed at any one of the several villages which voluntarily pay more taxes to support an Imperial trained instructor.  These Heralds also frequently find themselves advising the local mayor on matters of law.  It’s no surprise that these villages tend to do better despite the increased taxes.With the first four duties it is unremarkable that many Imperial Heralds often come across information that would be useful to the Empire of Shtara.  Those Heralds that show an aptitude for such find that they are assigned tasks that allow them to be the Emperor’s Eyes more often then they are his Voice.  These Heralds ferret out rumors of treason, plots of assassination, and even conspiracies to fix prices; all in an effort to keep the Empire stable.Most recently assigned are those Heralds who have found that they no longer wish or are able to travel and have no desire or inclination to teach; but their desire to serve is still just as strong as before.  Their minds sharp and their knowledge broad, more and more Imperial Heralds now settle in the cities, assigned as adjuncts to the City Watch.  While the Watch proper is tasked with preventing crimes and catching those perpetrators they can, the Watch-Heralds busy themselves with the unsolved crimes.  Sadly, mortality in these positions is high, as there are many people who do not take kindly to Imperial meddling.Watch-Herald Ladea stopped shuffling the papers in front of her, leaned back in her creaking wooden chair, closed her bright black eyes, and allowed herself a long sigh.  She didn’t hate the paperwork, but it could be tedious.  When she had first arrived two years ago, she had taken it upon herself to review the daily reports of the watch shifts.  Most often nothing would come of it; but occasionally, like last month, a gem of knowledge would show itself and Watch-Herald Ladea would find herself on the streets with a squad in tow.A knock on the door caused the dark-haired Watch-Herald to crack open an eye and glare at the door balefully.  With a quirk of the lips she straightened herself up in her chair and called out.  “Enter.”  Unconsciously her hands straightened the dark blue cuffs of her uniform while she waited for the door to open.It was Watchman Rovan, assigned who was assigned as her aide and adjunct.  The brown haired and brown eyed young man stuck his head through the opening, as if using the door as a shield for the rest of his body.  “There’s a young woman to see you, Watch-Herald.”“Who is it?”“She called herself Kestral Thendry.  I think she’s been here before.”Ladea’s mouth quirked with amusement again.  “She has Rovan; about two month ago.  She’s the one who brought us information on the  bandits in the Thornwood south of here.  I was wondering if we would see her again.”  Rovan nodded and Ladea continued on.  “Try and remember her next time.  I expect we’ll be seeing her again.  Show her in.”*Ladea saw Rovan take the gentle order to heart and she set about turning her papers facedown so as to be unreadable to her approaching guest.  Less than a minute later Kestral Thendry was shown into her office.  Pleasantries were exchanged and Kestral was invited to sit.“So, what brings you back to my office, Kerress Thendry?”Kestral smiled as she met the Watch-Herald’s eyes, she had already saw that the papers were overturned when she walked into the office and thus not worth looking at.  “I wanted to update you on what we discovered since I was last here.”“I am all ears.”Kestral reported the events of the last two months as briefly and succinctly as possible, from the fight with the orcs in the caves below, the overland journey to Khundrukar with the orphaned orc women and children, to a (very) brief description of the meeting with the svirfneblin and the words Carmararen imparted.“And that’s what we know so far.  After we’ve rested up and Jallarzi’s re-armed herself at the Library we plan on going back and exploring the tunnels to see if we can find this City of the Glass Pool.”Ladea had absorbed it all.  The Heralds taught themselves the tricks of retaining and recalling information.  Later she would write down Kestral’s story, but for now she could devote her attention to the young woman.  “Do you trust this Carmararen?”Kestral nodded vigorously.  “I do.  Whatever these diregund are, she and her entire clan hate with a passion.  Just the name makes them hiss like cats.  She’s cautious though and doesn’t really trust us, so she’s made these tests to see how we perform.  So far so good.”Ladea sat back in her chair.  “Well, I thank you for the update.  This certainly explains some of the information that funneled in from Blasingdale last month with the orcs and all.  The Herald there provided a very detailed report on the current strength of the orcs thanks to the efforts of some mercenaries as he described them.  I believe that must have been you and your friends?”“Probably.  We told the Herald there everything we knew at the time before we went in with the women and after we came out.”“I doubt the baron will thank you over the new additions to the orcs, but I suspect it was the right thing to do.  I can’t imagine the problems there would be in trying to take them through Corlean and over the High Pass.  Thank you for saving me the problem.”Ladea paused in thought for a moment, trying to find the best phrase for what she wanted to ask.  “So what now?”Kestral looked down for a moment.  “Well…I did have a favor to ask.”  She started.Ladea snorted but didn’t say anything else.Kestral smiled at Ladea’s amusement; it seemed as if she had found a kindred spirit.  “I was hoping I could get a recommendation from you to get me membership into the Imperial Scouts.”The room became very silent.  Kestral found that she could hear the sound of footsteps coming closer from down the hall.  The steps were almost up to the door before Ladea finally found her voice.“The Imperial Scouts?“Yes ma’am.”“The Imperial Scouts that are the first into any skirmish?  The Scouts that live for days at a time in the wild and can shoot a gnat off of an orc’s hide?  Those Imperial Scouts?”Kestral nodded brightly.  “Yes ma’am.  It would help me quite a bit.”“Kestral, it may surprise you that Colonel Megara spoke very highly of you the last time your name came up.  Her assessment that you are a bright young woman with not much to do pretty much matched my own opinion.  That said, could you please explain why being an Imperial Scout would be helpful?  Beyond the obvious of course.”Slowly, Kestral found herself explaining in detail her desire for a set of elven-made forest-cloak and boots, and the subsequent discovery that the Galasuthalion clan would only sell them to ‘worthy’ Imperial Scouts.Somewhere during the story Watch-Herald Ladea had picked up her pen and was idling tapping it against the desk.  Amusement warred with fascination across her face.  Kestral’s honest admittance to manipulating the rules given to her like a game would have been galling in anyone less likeable.  In Kestral’s case it was a trait to be admired.  Ladea almost found herself frightened, except she liked Kestral too.“I…see.  I suppose it’s better then you finding a way to lighten someone’s purse.’Kestral froze and her faced flushed a nearly perfect shade of crimson.  “I…”Ladea raised her hand to forestall the younger woman.  “A prank.  I understand, and believe it or not, Colonel Megara understands.  Call it a sign that I understand you or call it a warning; or both if you prefer.”  She pondered a moment and then reached for a blank sheet of paper (turning it over just to be sure).  “I’m going to write you that recommendation on the condition that you promise to make regular reports to me.  I want you to visit me by the first morning following your arrival in Corlean.Kestral nodded; it was a surprisingly simple task and something she intended to do in the first place.Ladea started writing.  “I’m doing this because you started reporting to me of your own will without being asked, and I appreciate that.  Further, I trust you and people I trust seem to trust you.  I am well aware that you’re capable of abusing that trust, so do me a favor and don’t.  This is going to say that you’ve been brevetted by me as a probationary Herald-in-Training in order to continue investigation into various crimes against the Empire.  I’m asking an acquaintance of mine in the Scouts to admit you, and reassign you to duty back to me.  Do I remember aright that you know Kupier in Milbourne?  Good.  Will he vouch for you?”“I think so.”I think I can get my friend to admit you based on my request and Kupier’s recommendation.  “We’ll be bending the rules quite a bit, but this should be enough to get you a temporary rank.  Make no mistake though, if you go through with this, you will be taking an oath to the service of the Emperor.  If you can’t do this in good conscious then don’t do it at all.  If Kupier won't recommend you as competent or fit for duty, Stannin won't have any problems in booting you out and returning your cloak and boots to the elves.”Kestral met Watch-Herald Ladea’s eyes again, amusement gone.  “I understand.”  She said with all seriousness.  “Thank you.”By the end of her first full day in Corlean, Kestral swore her oath to the Emperor and was admitted to the ranks of the Imperial Scouts.  She was immediately re-assigned to assisting Watch-Herald Ladea of Corlean, but instructed to report everything she learned of the creatures and terrain below Milbourne to her commander, Scout-Captain Stannin.The next morning, Kestral made arrangements to purchase and pick up her desired Galasuthalion-made cloak and boots.The next six days would prove just as busy.---* This wasn’t mentioned in the account of their previous trip to Corlean.  It was minor and didn’t make it to my notes at the time; but Kestral’s player wanted to keep somebody in the government informed of the bandits and took the time to file a report as it were.</blockquote>

Verification