The Untamed Wilds: Caravan Campaign

[Kwargrow]

Sannit nods at the caravan master, attempting to portray someone who is not personally affected by the man's words. "Must have been some disagreement. Seems unjust, though, that some should wield such power over life and death. Well, since you have no word of work, we will let you get back to yours." San-Bolo leave the caravan master and move over to the cooking area, looking to trade for some breakfast.

Although familiar with the bartering of the caravans, they do not haggle to continue with their 'simple wanderers' persona. They will engage whoever is there in conversation, appearing to be simply friendly, but looking for any more information or rumors they can. They will peruse the items for trade but not buy anything else. When they are satisfied they have done all they can with the spice caravan, San-Bolo will head back to Southroad Fair.

 

[MacConnell]

Day 53: Heading for the Blacksmith

Merin and Tor note that Sheldon and Indigo are coming toward them and slow to make it easier. Sheldon conveys that he acquired some of the kif so that they can analyze it later to see if they can determine how it is effecting the people.

San-Bolo, finding nothing desirable to trade with the Spice Caravan, make their way through with polite conversation. Oddly enough, despite Sannit being Ansylin, it is the Shimadow members of the caravan that are the more talkative. Perhaps it is the general nature of that tribe or perhaps it is because the owner Kinamon Kanela is Shimadow.

Pausing occasionally to look back toward the caravan, the forward members of the party eventually notice the remaining coming from the caravan as well. It so happens that the Herbalist's Shop is the farthest business north of town. As Sheldon, Indigo, Merin, and Tor pause to wait for the others, Maeli comes outside. She is followed by 2 other people. Maeli gives greeting and waves. The 2 with her are Rheini, an elder man and middle aged woman. They are all carrying mugs of drink and headed for the seating place out front of the shop.

The Rheini woman looks at the 4 standing in the road and begins to wave as well, but stops. Taking 2 steps forward she is suddenly recognizable. She looks at Indigo and says,
"Filha!?"

Indigo says, "Mãe!"

The woman is none other than Indigo's mother, the former herbalist from the Silk Caravan. She runs out and hugs Indigo then Sheldon. She also quickly hugs Merin and Tor. As re-acquaintances are occurring, the others arrive. Alba, which is Indigo's mother's name, hugs each in turn. Passaro, the elder man with Alba and Maeli, is almost unrecognizable without his face painted.

Pointing to Passaro, Alba, speaking in Ansylin, says, "Indigo, I would like you to meet your grandfather."

Then continues,
"Everyone come. Please, sit. I hope you are in no hurry. I have much to tell you."

 

[Kwargrow]

San-Bolo greet Alba as a member of their own family, laughing over the connection with the Rheini tribe that joined the town. "It's good to have a few nice surprises for a change," Sannit says, shaking Passaro's hand. Turning to Alba he adds, "We are eager to hear your story. There are a few questions we still have over what happened in Asylim."

As usual Bolo lets Sannit do the talking, but she does not hold back in her affections, even giving Indigo a hug over being reunited with her relations.

 

[MacConnell]

Posting for Tellerian Hawke, per text

Tor is so affected by the re-emergence of a living soul from the former caravan that he begins speaking too many thoughts at once, making inquiry about the fates of the others, especially his parents, until Merin jabs him in the ribs.

"Breathe. Pauses in between. One thing at a time you big ox. We will have our justice. I assure you."

Rather than become angry, Tor takes a breath, allowing Alba to begin her tale.

 

[MacConnell]

Day 53: Alba Begins Her Tale

Alba takes a deep breath and long drink from her tea and motions everyone to sit. Maeli offers tea to anyone interested.
"It is good to see that Saemund has made the journey up and found you as well. Though it may only be of importance to Indigo, let me quickly relate Passaro's story."

Passaro nods at the mention of his name and lifts his shirt to show an old huge scar across his abdomen.
"I thought Passaro to have died with my heartmate shortly after Indigo was born. This is how I ended up with the Silk Caravan. To get straight to the point, a warthog tore into both men, though the beast was slain. The clan thought them both dead and prepared them as such. As fate or fortune would have it, Passaro lived. He was able to join a different Rheini clan, the one you met and has now joined this community."

She pauses to drink from her mug again.
"The demise of the former Silk Caravan is not such a short story, but it is not exactly as the flying rumors convey. I waited another days after Saemund departed before entering the city to see what I could learn. I walked around and entered with the rice pickers the next evening. No one pays any attention to the rice pickers.

Once inside the city I made my way to the Wharf District because it is the only district in which laborers are allowed to move about freely, so it is there that our former colleagues would have gone. The Oyster Reef, everyone's destination of relaxation was in considerable disrepair, but I will get to that.

To make a rumor more believable some of it needs to be truth. There was a disagreement between the owner and the master, which resulted in the removal of the master not the disbanding of the entire caravan. It is well voiced that Magister Suausedaserp is young and impetuous with quite a temper. Disbanding the whole caravan is like stabbing one's own foot.

Anyway, by coincidence or misfortune, there was a huge brawl at the Oyster Reef in which several people were killed. There was probably too much drinking involved. As it so happens, Tor's and Sheldon's parents were all among the slain.

My belief is that, when Suausedaserp heard of the event, he used it to bolster his image of power by saying that he had remanded all the former caravan to the Wharf District and had the greatest offenders killed. People should really think things through before spreading such gossip. Good caravaners are not easy to come by. It takes a very different skill set than the common folk possess. I am sure that the remaining, members will join the new formed caravan or the other caravans.

If we think about it logistically, Saemund joined the Salt Caravan and then departed it when it reached here. I was too slow in departing or I could have joined the Spice Caravan. As it turns out, there is enough growth in this community that I have agreed to work with Maeli, especially since fortune has brought my father back to me here.

I hope I have not neglected anything important."

 

[Kwargrow]

Sannit listens politely before responding. "Thank you for the tale, Alba, and it is truly good to see you again. Southroad Fair is a good place, and I am delighted to see that the Rheini we met in the wilds have fit in well here. It will be a good arrangement for everyone."
The frustration shows on his face as he continues, "As for Asylim and Saucyserp," he turns to Sheldon and says quickly, "I know that's not how it's pronounced but I cannot help but mock the man. We still do not know what the disagreement was about or what started the brawl. It would be naïve to consider that the two events are not related. It is not a small thing for Tor and Sheldon's parents to lose their lives, yet, what can we do about it? In my impetuous youth I would have called for travelling to the city and demanding answers, but I think this community needs us here. If we are truly going to have justice over what happened we will need strong allies to help us, and I think that is what we can build here. What do the rest of you Seekers think? Should we go to Asylim now and bring down one man, or bide our time and bring justice to the very system that allowed him to act this way?"

Bolo listens with a calm demeanor, but inside she is in turmoil. She knows her mate well and Sannit is talking about more than just what happened with Silk Caravan. He wants to bring lasting change to this part of the world and possibly tear down the old order and their ways of violence and degradation. He will not settle for winning one battle. He wants to win a war.

Turtle comes lumbering up, having sensed Bolo's return from wherever she went. He smells new people around and he knows they will want to meet him.

 

[Sylvar B.]

Although happy to see another living soul from the caravan Saemund is reserved, allowing the others to have their moment. He stands to one side with a grin, enjoying the reunification. Saemund waits for the right moment to inquire with Maeli about making the necklace from the stones he is carrying. In response to Sannit, Saemund says...I've always been one to believe that Caravan issues should be left up to the Caravan. Bringing personal justice to one man is what I would like to do. I suppose its that sort of restlessness that caused me to leave the caravan in search of adventure. I admit the less prudent action is the one I am attracted to.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Tor is silent, but it doesn't take a mind reader to know his thoughts:

~Saucy-syrup will indeed pay for his part in the deaths of mine and Sheldon's parents, as will the agents who actually carried out the order. But we should not stop there; to do so would be to dwell only in vengeance. Justice needs be done. The guilds of Asylim are a plague, an out-dated form of shadow government, whose power and influence should be sundered. There's a lot of killing needs doing in the pursuit of such a goal, and more than a strong arm and sharp sword, patience is what is needed; patience, precision, deliberation, and sense of purpose.~

Tor thinks these thoughts, and then shares them in hushed whispers with the rest of the party, as soon as they are alone and in private.

 

[MacConnell]

Day 53: Responding to Alba

Sheldon, who is not prone to display emotion, squints his eyes, grits his teeth, and runs his left hand through his hair pulling it back from his face. He listens to Sannit's and Saemund's responses.
"Sauce Drip may have been better to suited to indeed stab his own foot. I am not keen on coincidence. Saucy may not have the actual power to remand the lives of others to slavery, but I think that he would like to. I have heard nothing good of that man. Since childhood, we had all been with the Silk Caravan, peaceably traveling back and forth year after year.

It is my thought that Saucy inherited the ownership recently as well as recently rising to a Magister position. We also know that an assassin was sent to interfere with Southroad Fair. I would love to go straight at this man and snap his neck with my own hands, but since I have paused for a few breaths, I can think farther ahead.

Being a Magister, Saucy has command of soldiers and, as demonstrated, assassins."

Sheldon lifts his shirt revealing the scar below his left ribs.
"I don't think I shall soon forget our first altercation against other people. If we go head on, we will fight trained soldiers and killers with years of experience. We are hearing rumors that there is a power struggle among the Magisters. I suggest we learn who opposes Saucy and if he is acting on whimsy or has some longer term plan."

Indigo touches Sheldon's arm. He stops speaking and looks at her. She conveys her thoughts in her calming alto voice.
"Having regained more family than I knew before, I can only imagine the loss the rest of you have suffered.

I doubt that Magister even knows a single person whose life he has ruined, and I doubt he cares. None of us bares a mark of citizenry. We could not even enter Asylim without attracting undue attention."

Sheldon moves, looking confused. Indigo gestures appeasingly.
"I know you do not know of this. You have never wanted to enter the city. I have known of this since about the time I could speak. Sannit would know of it but not considered it until now.

Citizens of Asylim bare marks of designation on their right forearm. We could brand ourselves, but I am not interested in that, as I know none of you are. We should discuss this matter thoroughly. This is likely to become a matter of war before we see justice served. We need to establish ourselves enough to become a force to be reckoned with. We need to know all the players involved on both sides, and the goal that Saucy, as Sannit has well labeled him, has in mind."

 

[MacConnell]

Day 53: The Herbalist Shop

Sheldon nods as Indigo finishes speaking.
"Rashness would be a mistake. We need our justice to prevail, for Tor and I most especially. Saucy may not be the top predator, here. Either way, the more prosperous we make Southroad Fair, the more it jabs at our enemy. We have business to conduct. I am clear headed, now. We should do our trading. We can discuss more tonight."

He looks at Saemund,
"Let us see to those stones with Maeli, we have more trade with her to do as well."