(This is the second season after Ancient Discovery. Not knowing what may happen therein or how long it may take, and figuring in there may be need for recovery time)
Roberto of Flambeau is away on personal business deep beneath the sea. In the meantime, he has set his two proteges to task assembling an investigative exploratory patrol into the local wilderness.
Edith "Dora" of Flambeau, herself a Pledge trying to join the covenant, has been assigned the pro tempore title of Junior Marshal. Vibria, who is also a Marshal (or was she of a different higher office now?), is taking care of other important duties (or is she?). But she has a lot on her plate and is fine with letting Edith organize a local expedition.
The situation at hand involves owlbears. In the last year, evidence of presence has been discovered at least a dozen times, and there have been two confirmed sightings of at least two if not three different individual creatures. It was thought they were wiped out, so Roberto feels it is worth investigating.
Vibra has a dream. She is a hermit &/or firedrake, things blur. She is raising her drakeilngs/children in the wild, and they are constantly getting picked on and beat up by these bully owlbears/big kids. Then Vibria meets two strangers that offer to help her confront the lead bully. They lead her to the brute, yet stay to steps behind her. Vibria sees the bully and charges in to give him what for, and the bully starts beating Vibria savagely.
And the strangers throw rocks at her.
Carmen assigns her apprentice Lucien to assist Edith. Roberto has been mentoring them both for a few years now.
Edith thinks to hersellf. (I know he is testing me. He keeps telling me "oh, I'm not that clever. I just make plans up spontaneously as I go". I see right through his rouse)
Edith has a list of instructions that reads more like a llist of suggestions.
Invite the other pledges to join you. Woad, Marcellus, Give them an opportunity to become familiar with the lay of the land.
Investigate the ruins of Featherbotom's cabin. Itwas cleared out by the Quaesitors and the Bjornaer. But something may have been left behind and someone has been tinkering.
Dont be shy about reaching out to Vocis, Vibria, or any of the other members
If Mateu is around he will love to come. he has Minor companion status, but might be selected as one of the members of the Lance, I guess. Or he might tag along as an "observer".
Edith has a list of instructions that reads more like a list of suggestions.
Invite the other pledges to join you. Woad, Marcellus, Give them an opportunity to become familiar with the lay of the land.
She thinks to herself. (there is that Criamon magus too. Ikelos. Ikeelus? Akilla. Heheheh)
Investigate the ruins of Featherbotom's cabin. It was cleared out by the Quaesitors and the Bjornaer. But something may have been left behind and someone has been tinkering. Don't be shy about reaching out to Vocis, Vibria, or any of the other members for further information.
(Shy? Since when have I ever been? Oh, he is taunting me!
Still, this cabin thing is an interesting lead.)
Pick out a Lance from the guard. Five man squad.
(Isn't that a little overboard? You got a herd of wizards in the forest just outside their towers.
Five of them. How am I supposed to pick? I don't know who these guys are. I'll justtake the boys, that ghost guy that made the report, and that crusader guy that Berto hired.)
If you encounter any fire drakes, do not engage, Repeat. Do Not Engage. Avoid conversation if possible.
(Gimme a break! The drakes in those mountains are tame compared to the ones back in Gladshiem. Whatever.
How am I supposed to go searching for one beast while avoiding the other beast that preys upon that first beast?)
Requisition the Rod of Transportation. The new one. Use it in an emergency only as to minimize Warping.
(Rod of Transportation, eh? Wonder how that is designed. I wanna see the write up of that Text.)
Good luck and God bless! You got this one, junior officer Dora. Make me proud!
Edith rolls her eyes, muttering profanity. (Where is Lucian anyway? He's supposed to be helping be with this. I'll have him gather some guards and I'll talk to the other magi. Or other way around. I need to get better at dealing with soldiers.)
Vibria wakes up with a gasp and sits bolt upright, catching herself when she realizes her fingers were making the gestures for a spontaneous Rego Terram spell. She immediately springs out of bed, throwing on a dressing gown on her way to the children's room. She barely slows when she reaches their door. Their nanny is startled awake and jumps to her feet, but Vibria barely acknowledges her presence, intent on checking on her children to make sure they're all right. The children stir, but don't wake, and Vibria breathes a sigh of relief.
"What's wrong, maga?" The nanny has a worried, almost scared, look on her face when she sees Vibria's expression in the torchlight.
"Nothing. Just a bad dream, I hope." She leans down and kisses Artur and Maria gently before bidding the nanny goodnight and making her way to her husband's bed. She's had a bit of a jolt and just wants to lay with Jaksic and hold each other the rest of the night.
Vocis, on the other hand, has a dream about chess. He is the bishop, Vibria is the knight. Both dressed in black. They lure the white rook to a cave where it gets devoured by the red knight. It makes no sense, but Vocis feels a sense of satisfaction for use of a clever ploy.
Ikelos, Marcellus, and the Woad each receive the following message...
I, Dora of Flambeau, pledge to the Covenant of Andorra, upon the authority of Roberto of Flambeau, Marshal of the Covenant of Andorra, have been instructed as one of my tasks, to patrol the wilderness surrounding the keep at Arans and investigate the resurgence of the owlbear population. I have been advised that I may invite the other petitioners to join me, and to inform them that this would be considered a demonstration of goodwill and earnest intention. Those who are interested in participating are instructed to gather at dawn three days hence at the gatehouse courtyard. Preparations will be made for our safe escort and logistic requirements.
~ Edith Andorra Rudolphius of Flambeau, Deputy Marshal and Junior Warden
That is quite likely the Woad. He is eager to learn about the locale and to prove himself useful. I'm not saying he is itching for a fight, but he isn't not itching.
He arrives just before dawn, clad in chainmail and carrying his longspear over one shoulder. His stone face is turned east, his head is tilted a few degrees back, his eyes scan the horizon for the first sign of the rising sun.
Zipping back and forth a bit, that day when Edith sent that message to the magi, she also goes about requisitioning the soldiers and equipment. She tells Oscar, the expedition sergeant Gimme ghost guy and two others. I am gonna bring the boys, so we are set at five. How do I go about obtaining the "Rod of Transportation"?
Oscar assigns Roger, himself, and Mateu.
Dawn of the appointed day, and just about everyone is gathered in the courtyard. Edith then approaches from the Mercere quarter (she resides on the islands and uses the portal, she is as unfamiliar with the area as you are).
In her company there is a pair of sturdy towheaded youths, dressed in northern fashion, equipped with round shields and longswords.
Salve sodales. I am Edith of Flambeau. This is my son Modi and my nephew Magdi.
If any one stares she stares back. She is used to it.
The stated intent of this expedition is to investigate a resurgence in the owlbear population. I have marked out on this map the locations of three areas of interest. First we will look at the closest one, the light woods on the edge of Xagyg valley, where Marcellus and Ikelos found tracks. Then we head away from the valley,up along the Valira d'Orient, then all the way in along Riu de Cresp, to where it ends. Or begins? Some woodsmen up that way say the spotted one. Then deep into the hills. This place called Vallpeguera. Up over around then down that rock (who wrote these directions?), somewhere around there is the hovel of the late Lord Featherbottom. We will investigate thos ruins.
Afterthat, we circle around and work our way back.
The Woad speaks Latin, until he learns the local language
Very well, we will need some trackers and local guides. The Woad would like to learn from those people.
We’re investigating you say, but we are expecting trouble right? A number of questions arise for the Woad:
Can one communicate with them or are they just animals?
How big are they?
How tough?
Do they use weapons?
Any known weaknesses?
Ikelos arrives at the appointed time. Dressed in his brown robes with an orange cloth draped over one should like a sash. A tattoo of a ring of feathers wraps around his neck. He smiles and nods to all there. He gives Marcellus a gentle shake. Time to get up and find the owlbears!!
Marcellus, who was snoring lightly until Ikelos shakes him, groans and slowly rolls to a sitting position. He looks blearily at the assembled people. "Whoassat?"
He rubs he face, trying to wake up. He doesn't seem to have understood a thing of what Edith and The Woad have said.
You all see Mateu approaching at a good pace. He is in high spirits! He dresses in combat gear and the cross of his order displayed in the black surcoat he wears. it is a little frayed at the edges, and the black is more an off-grey in some areas, as you would expect form a garment worn in campaign. The military gear is in top notch condition. He is dressed in a mail haubergeon with coif, but without the leggings and other complements that would turn it into a full chain mail suit. He also carries a sword and dagger in his belt, and a medium shield is strapped over his shoulder. A waterskin and satchel cross his chest to rest in his other hip.
Good morning of our Lord Jesus to you all! ready to hunt some abominations? he smiles at his own good spirits and tries to settle ddown where you are, but in oless than 210 seconds he is already pacing the area and playing with the crossguard of his sword, making the top part of the blade exit and enter the scabbard repeatedly. he is clearly itching to start the adventure.
NOTE: I equipped Mateu for a day adventure. if we are suppose dto be away for a longer time he will have a nearby horse with the necessary supplies and equipment.
NOTE 2: it is funny to read all these locations that we will go to. I did a similar bike route in the area a while ago.
Marcellus, who was snoring lightly until Ikelos shakes him, groans and slowly rolls to a sitting position. He looks blearily at the assembled people. "Whoassat?"
He rubs he face, trying to wake up. He doesn't seem to have understood a thing of what Edith and The Woad have said.
Ikelos squats down near the waking Marcellus.
We get to see the country and hopefully capture an owlbear or two. I think they want to go soon friend Marcellus.
Marcellus nods, "Yes, yes, I remember. More signs of owlbears. Need to find out why. Message from a maga. Expedition." His sighs quickly turns into a yawn. "I do not know whay we need to leave while we should still be in bed. From what I have been told, the beasts only come out at night. We will have trouble finding them at this time of day."
He rolls out of the cart and gathers a bag that he hangs over his shoulder, before taking the cloak he was using as a blanket and putting it on. "Ready. Let us go, then, my friend.
With that, he starts walking towards the gate, without much energy. He doesn"t seem top notice that the others more martially inclined magi are still talking over their plans amongst themselves and with the grogs. Or perhaps he just figures that they will catch up with him soon enough.
Very astute point. They will be sleeping. Should we look in the trees or a cave? Being asleep would be best to capture one. Not that we would be asleep of course...I wonder?
"I think I remember from last autumn Roger saying they never even knew any had escaped. He said they lay eggs, but big as they are, I would theorize that they probably make dens like bears instead of nests in the trees. Well, of perhaps nests on or under the ground. A cross of the two? Dests? Nens?" He yawns again.
"So we should look either for caves, or perhaps in the forest they dig amongst the roots of a large tree. So we find more tracks, and try following them this time." Another yawn.
