eris404
Explorer
But morning comes as it is wont to do, and with the rising sun, our little band of friends also rise and shine. Othic makes them a good breakfast of fresh eggs and some hard sausages he has fried in an iron skillet on the hearth. The hired hands have already eaten and are long into their chores by the time students sit down to eat at the rough country table. Serai eats daintily and uses one of her lace handkerchiefs as a napkin. Jade seems to neither enjoy nor dislike the simple food, but thanks the farmer for his kindness. George and Worthen have two helpings each as well as a loaf of hot bread and George eats whatever is left on Dante’s plate for good measure. Dante has never had a healthy appetite and he can barely choke down more than a few bites. George’s enthusiasm for food puzzles and fascinates him.
“So, about these dreams,” George asks with his mouth full.
“Well, as I said, I can’t tell you much about that,” Othic says after drawing on his pipe. He blows out fragrant puffs of smoke, then continues, “I can tell you there’s been some bad things afoot. People in town are angry and tense. And then those children went missing.”
George lays his fork aside, no longer interested in food. He shares a glance with Dante, who picks up the thread of questioning.
“Children are missing?” he prods. “What happened?”
“About a week ago, three local kids went into the woods and never came back. The townsfolk organized searches for days and we even searched up here. Two boys and a girl, not older than eight years.”
“They stopped searching?” Dante presses.
“Not so much. They hired some folks who style themselves as ‘adventurers’ to go find them. They think they might be in that old copper mine.”
“Some people from the town think that the water is poisoned. Do you think that could be true?”
Othic scratches his stubbly chin in thought, then answers, “Could be. I do get my water from a well, but the town gets most of its water from a stream that runs down from the mountain.”
“You mean, near Copperdeath’s mine.” Worthen says.
Othic nods thoughtfully.
“You remember Copperdeath, don’t you,” Dante asks gently.
“That I do, though I wish I didn’t. Those were bad times, boys. Have you ever been in a mine? It’s cold and damp and dark. Sometimes you could feel the weight of the mountain pressing in on you until you felt like you were suffocating. You worked in filth, covered in sweat, with little to eat or drink. You were made to work until your body gave out. I saw people, friends and family, collapse beside me and we just left them there to die of cold or exhaustion or sickness. But the worst was that He made you feel happy to do it. He made you feel like it was a privilege.”
No one can speak for a long time. Serai catches Dante’s eye and shakes her head: no more questions. The students quietly thank him for his trouble and help wash up from breakfast. Othic seems more cheerful now, as if he has shaken off his earlier troubled mood. He talks about his horses, his farm, even his late wife, with fondness. He looks forward to winter and a well-earned rest.
Our students are impatient to continue on into Bellholdtown, so they decide not to linger too long after breakfast. Dante thinks of one last question to ask old Othic: does the town have a priest, an elder, someone who might know more?
“Sure thing!” Othic exclaims. “That would be Utresh, our wise woman. She has a cottage on the edge of town. You come back and see me on your way home.”
The students wave goodbye from the wagon until Othic is out of sight. Back on the road to Bellhold, Serai asks, “You weren’t thinking of trying to find those kids, are you?”
“Of course!” Dante replies.
“Good!” is her response. George grins, delighted. Jade rides ahead so that no one can see the smile playing on his lips.
Bellholdtown is smaller than Ambergate, but today is market day and all the townsfolk are out, making it seem much larger and busier than it actually is. Our travelers soak in the sights. The townsfolk argue and haggle over their goods, but no one smiles or laughs. Over there is our friend Cobble again. He has found a crate on which to stand and a small, murmuring crowd has gathered about him.
“The dragon arrises! From the Abyss, He and his minions will rise and swallow this damned town! He will damn us all straight to the mines! Our dreams are Hell! Alioth has forsaken us! Do not pray to the false and fickle god! Bow down to the master!”
“What is that all about?” Serai exclaims.
“So, about these dreams,” George asks with his mouth full.
“Well, as I said, I can’t tell you much about that,” Othic says after drawing on his pipe. He blows out fragrant puffs of smoke, then continues, “I can tell you there’s been some bad things afoot. People in town are angry and tense. And then those children went missing.”
George lays his fork aside, no longer interested in food. He shares a glance with Dante, who picks up the thread of questioning.
“Children are missing?” he prods. “What happened?”
“About a week ago, three local kids went into the woods and never came back. The townsfolk organized searches for days and we even searched up here. Two boys and a girl, not older than eight years.”
“They stopped searching?” Dante presses.
“Not so much. They hired some folks who style themselves as ‘adventurers’ to go find them. They think they might be in that old copper mine.”
“Some people from the town think that the water is poisoned. Do you think that could be true?”
Othic scratches his stubbly chin in thought, then answers, “Could be. I do get my water from a well, but the town gets most of its water from a stream that runs down from the mountain.”
“You mean, near Copperdeath’s mine.” Worthen says.
Othic nods thoughtfully.
“You remember Copperdeath, don’t you,” Dante asks gently.
“That I do, though I wish I didn’t. Those were bad times, boys. Have you ever been in a mine? It’s cold and damp and dark. Sometimes you could feel the weight of the mountain pressing in on you until you felt like you were suffocating. You worked in filth, covered in sweat, with little to eat or drink. You were made to work until your body gave out. I saw people, friends and family, collapse beside me and we just left them there to die of cold or exhaustion or sickness. But the worst was that He made you feel happy to do it. He made you feel like it was a privilege.”
No one can speak for a long time. Serai catches Dante’s eye and shakes her head: no more questions. The students quietly thank him for his trouble and help wash up from breakfast. Othic seems more cheerful now, as if he has shaken off his earlier troubled mood. He talks about his horses, his farm, even his late wife, with fondness. He looks forward to winter and a well-earned rest.
Our students are impatient to continue on into Bellholdtown, so they decide not to linger too long after breakfast. Dante thinks of one last question to ask old Othic: does the town have a priest, an elder, someone who might know more?
“Sure thing!” Othic exclaims. “That would be Utresh, our wise woman. She has a cottage on the edge of town. You come back and see me on your way home.”
The students wave goodbye from the wagon until Othic is out of sight. Back on the road to Bellhold, Serai asks, “You weren’t thinking of trying to find those kids, are you?”
“Of course!” Dante replies.
“Good!” is her response. George grins, delighted. Jade rides ahead so that no one can see the smile playing on his lips.
Bellholdtown is smaller than Ambergate, but today is market day and all the townsfolk are out, making it seem much larger and busier than it actually is. Our travelers soak in the sights. The townsfolk argue and haggle over their goods, but no one smiles or laughs. Over there is our friend Cobble again. He has found a crate on which to stand and a small, murmuring crowd has gathered about him.
“The dragon arrises! From the Abyss, He and his minions will rise and swallow this damned town! He will damn us all straight to the mines! Our dreams are Hell! Alioth has forsaken us! Do not pray to the false and fickle god! Bow down to the master!”
“What is that all about?” Serai exclaims.
