NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Seravin" data-source="post: 931869" data-attributes="member: 6783">Just a short update, but I'm working on the next one.  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />__________________________________________Back at the KeepThe five friends stood straight and tall in Parlfray Keep. Before them, in his family’s ancestral seat sat the lord of Parlfray Keep, Count Sandior Parlfray.  The white haired, seventy year old aristocrat did not look happy.  Next to the aging count stood another man dressed in the black robes of a priest of Latina.  The priest was younger than the Count, perhaps only fifty years or so.  The priest seemed faintly amused by the proceedings though he kept his features admirably blank.A dozen more serious, stern-faced guards filled the hall behind the party.  No one was willing to bet whether or not the guards had orders to kill them.  Off to the side stood the dark haired Lyntern, somehow managing to look both sorrowful and somber at the same time.The heir to the County of Haranshire, Lyntern Parlfray, had been caught leading his fully packed horse out of the stables and to the front gate.  The captain of the guards happened to have been doing a surprise inspection just as Lyntern approached the front gate.  The captain’s keen eyes quickly noted Lyntern’s camping and hunting gear and he had stopped the young lord with a few words.  It might have ended there (or not, given the follies of youth), but Lyntern’s father had chosen that moment to make his rounds of the keep at the same time.  Though old, the Count’s eyes were fully as keen as his guard-captain’s.  The eighteen-year-old Lyntern found himself grounded right there and threatened with confinement to his quarters if he so much as came near the gates again.Fortunately for everyone involved, Lafayer, Priest of Latina had been visiting the keep at the time.  The elderly cleric held a position that he quite liked, that of a wandering priest.  It was Lafayer’s duty to wander between the various villages that were too small to have a temple of Latina.  It was his duty and pleasure to be both friend and confessor to all of those in Haranshire who could not make it to the church in Milbourne.  Though young enough to the Count’s son, Lafayer and the Count counted each other as friends.Lafayer had calmed to the Count to the point of not taking action against Lyntern’s tempters.  And when it had become apparent that a small group of pilgrims from Corlean were overdue, it was Lafayer who had convinced the Count to use the ‘adventurers’ in finding them.  Whatever else their faults they were certainly capable.  Thus it was that on their journey back to check on Lyntern, the five companions stopped at Kupier’s farm as usual and discovered that Kestral’s and Ashimar’s plans had been discovered.  Further the Count wished to talk to them about a band of missing pilgrims.  Apparently the party had passed the messenger somewhere on the road.Now the five companions were in the Count’s grand hall.  Satisfied that he had their attention, Count Parlfray began speaking.  “Lyntern is the sole heir to the Parlfray title and estates.”  Despite his age and his anger, the old Count spoke with cold clarity.  “Through him our family line will continue to watch over the lands of Haranshire as given to us by Imperial right.”  The Count looked at his son.  “Someday soon I hope that he will be married to some suitable girl and produce his own heirs.”  A sardonic smile crossed the old man’s face.  “Hopefully he’ll be able to achieve that faster than I did.”  Thunderclouds appeared in the Count’s eyes and his smile disappeared.  “That will not happen however if he is going on some foolish, madcap gallivanting!”  He roared.  “What were you thinking?  He could have been killed or kidnapped by those bandits of yours.”Kestral took a small breath and stepped forward.  “It was good for him.”  She started, using the same clear tones the old man had used.  “He’s not going to learn much by staying cooped up in this keep.”  The blond haired, blue-eyed young woman spoke with confidence and without a trace of fear as she faced the aging noble.  “Experience is the best teacher, and Lyntern will gain the respect of the people faster if he actually has some.”It was a good argument, delivered with true sincerity.  Unfortunately the Count wasn’t in a mood to listen to such arguments.  Perhaps it was because Kestral was a woman who hadn’t quite seen her second decade.  Perhaps it was because he was being stubborn.  “I don’t care what you happen to believe, young lady.  It’s dangerous out there and it’s no place for my sole heir to be wandering about by himself.”Kestral readied herself for another verbal salvo, but Kellron touched her hand lightly and she stepped back.  Kellron bowed to the Count as due his rank and took up the argument.  “Kestral is right, my lord.”  Pressed the young, dark-haired warrior.  “I’m sure Lyntern has been provided the best of everything, but it’s no substitute for actual learning.  The rights of leadership include the duty to protect.”  It was an old maxim, built into the very founding of the Shtaran Empire.  Kellron continued speaking.  “I had no knowledge of my friends conspiracy with Lyntern, but I stand by their intent that it was a good thing.  Warriors are not made in keeps.  They’re made in the defense of the keep.”The old Count’s mouth quirked a bit, as if suppressing a small smile, and he gave a small ‘harumph’ as he settled himself back into his throne.  “Be that as it may, it was a damn foolish thing to do.”  Though still gruff, the Count’s tone was less accusing.  Perhaps it was his natural charisma or maybe his archaic mannerisms, but the young champion of Sarath had made his point.For his part Kellron only nodded in agreement with the Count’s assessment and let the noble continue to speak.“Fortunately for all of you we have need of your services.”  The Count looked at each of them in turn.  “Every year a band of pilgrims make their way from Corlean through Haranshire and on to The Silver Forest.  I don’t pretend to understand all the religious significance and it doesn’t matter.  Three days ago the advance rider from Corlean arrived to inform us the pilgrims had started.  They should have been here two days ago.”  The Count’s eyes narrowed and his frown was for an entirely different reason.  “It’s only a two day ride from Corlean to my keep, across a very nearly empty moor.  I’ve sent a few of my guards to check up but they haven’t come back.  Instead of sending more of my men I’m therefore sending you out to the moors to find out what happened to the Pilgrims and my guards.”  The Count smiled grimly.  “In return for your act of charity I’ll pay each of you five gold lions for each day on the road.”  It was a princely sum, but the Count was obviously brooking no argument and just as obviously he wanted answers.Ashimar spoke up next, stepping forward and bowing low before the Count.  “You should let Lyntern come with us Sir.”  The young street-rogue spoke plainly but with all the respect he could muster.  It took no seer to predict the Count’s reaction.“What!”  The Count didn’t shout, but only because of the disbelief in his voice.  “You want me to send my only heir out traipsing around the very moors that have claimed an entire caravan as well as my own guards?”Kellron nodded.  “It’s a good idea my lord.”Kestral threw out her opinion also.  “It would be good for him my lord.  Whatever happened to the pilgrims is probably long gone by now.  We’re just going to find out what happened.”The count was clearly unwilling to let his only son go with the adventurers, but they pressed hard.  In the end, with both Kestral’s quick wit and Kellron’s perseverance, the five companions convinced the old Count to let Lyntern go with them.  In return they had to swear an oath to put Lyntern’s safety before their own.  All five willingly made the oath in front of the old priest Lafayer.</blockquote>

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