You currently carry 10 gold pieces, each worth three times what an average peasant makes in a year.
---
When you were a child you used to think the water wheel was a huge place, second only in size to Consolation Castle and the ruins of Ivory Keep. In your travels to the capitol and back you have seen many larger buildings, but Horace's Water Wheel still fascinates you. The wheel itself is rotated by the river and connects to some strange giant steel and copper device that hums. Horace told you once that the river feeds the wheel, which feeds his lights.
You send Tidus ahead to announce your arrival, and several minutes later Horace's men escort your party inside and lead you to the old elf's laboratory.
He greets you from his workbench with a smile.
"Billion Krvni? I thought the king cut you down years ago? How good it is to see you alive!"You blink. Was he losing his senses? The elf was old, old enough to have known at least a dozen Billion Krvnis. It was a common name in your house.
"Sir, you are mistaken. I am Billion Krvni, but I am the son of Henry Krvni, and the nephew of the man of whom you speak, who was indeed slain years ago before by birth at the hands of the man who is now our king."The elf bursts out laughing.
"Hehehehe! I had ja going, didn't I? Thought old Horace was losing his wits. eh? I still got plenty of good thinking years left! Its good to see ya boy, so what can these old bones do for you?"
Sighing in relief, you ponder his offer.
"I don't know. I have been charged with traveling to Last Inn, where I shall lead twenty or so men against several dozen lesser foes. Is there anything you could do to help me in the upcoming battle?" You phrase you situation in vauge terms, as you have no clue as to Horace's relationship with the guild.
Horace falls silent and ponderous.
"Leading men into battle already? You humans sure do grow up fast... I'm not sure I should aid you though... if your brother wins the lordship, and finds that I had taken your side in the contest, he could have me punished. I'd rather remain neutral for now... unless you care to grease my palms.""...What do you want old elf?"He smirks and places a hand over your shoulder.
"A wife. I prefer human women to my own kind. The one I had when you were little died while you were away at the Capitol. Perhaps you could convince your sister to set me up with one of her students, or that mercenary to spare a female merchant or slave from the caravan from the Frost Dwarves Justice...""Y...you k-know about the caravan?" Horace's smile becomes dangerous.
"I know alot of things boy, but don't worry, I have not ratted you out to the Bean Counters. I am an old friend of your bloodline and would never do something like that; If your foe wasn't your brother, I would have helped you for nothing, no questions asked."Taking a deep breath, you consider his words.
"Well what you do ask for is no small thing Horace. I would need to know exactly what help I would get in return for such a favor before I could consider it."The old elf curls his fingers and ponders your words for a second.
"There are two things I could think of doing that would help you on your travels. I could power up one of my golems and send it along with your men; It would likely make it all the way to the Frost Dwarves before losing charge, and you could then sell it to them for a pretty penny. I could also write some prophecy for you, and since I'm not some cheap two-bit fortune teller, I can choose to make the prophecy glorious and worthy of a lord.""You can't do both?"Horace shakes his head.
"No. I'm old, even for an elf. The same case of Mana-Pox that killed my wife left my magic reserves crippled. I can't cast more than one serious spell every few days... And you can't afford to wait for me to regain my vigor for a second casting if you want to catch those merchants."You promise to consider his offer and bring him word in the morning, chat with him about your childhood for an hour or so, and then depart to check out the Air Market.
---
It is a business day, so the air market is bustling full of activity. You have no intrest in purchasing food, clothing, or mundane weapons, so you head to the corner of the market where the merchants from the east set up shop with exotic oddities from the swamps, deserts, and city-states beyond.
The cart of a strange orc quickly catches your eye. He is a midget by Orc standards at 5 feet tall, his growth likely stunted by poor breeding or savage beatings in his youth. You approach him and catch his eye.
"What are you selling?"The orc looks you up and down before grinning. "You look of high birth. Do you know your letters?"
"Yes. I was taught to read by a Nun. My Aunt Faye in fact. Are you selling books?""Am I ever my pink-skinned friend! I have spent the last four years translating the three sacred spell-tomes of the orc into the human letters of the kingdom." The small orc spreads three heavy books, bound between copper plates, onto his cart. "It isn't discussed much, but your race is actualy savage and emotional enough to use the magic of mine. If you wish to explore the supernatural, the spells in these books would be a unique place to start."
You examine the books, and read the titles which are engraved upon their copper covers. From left to right they are entitled 'The Rites of the Bezerker', 'The Rites of the Transmuter', and 'The Rites of the Shaman'.
"How much do these books cost, Orc?""Five gold a book."
"Would you be willing to do two books for nine gold?" You haggle.
The merchant pauses for a few seconds to consider, before conceding "Sure."
You nod, and consider making a purchase when you are approached by Allbright and Tidus. Allbright speaks first.
"Sir Billion, I have urgent news. I found an ivory dagger in the market with a faint magical aura. I am fairly certain it used to belong to Bert the Bloody, Our Lord of Death, or one of his top lieutenants. The seller has no clue what he's got, and is willing to part with it for only seven gold M'lord. You should make haste and buy it.""Oh, oh, but Sir Billion!" Tidus chimes in
"I found something as well! Some shady looking guy in a stall by the that arms merchant managed to get his hands on a perfect copy of the Royal Seal! He's letting it go for Five Gold! Think of how much trouble we can cause my nasty cousins with a toy like that!"Determine what you want to buy at the Air Market. Remember, you need some money to put up everybody at the inn, and following the advice of a party member will make them more loyal and willing to do crazy stuff for you down the road....
After completing your shopping at the Air Market, you and your men arrive at the Large Inn and request rooms, before seeking out Vandal Pine.
Vandal is found at a long table with his party; there is enough room for you and your men to join them. Taking a seat you examine Vandal's group. Two other warriors, a male and a female, wear the colors of House Pine and the garb of bear calverymen. You had known that the northern houses have no qualms about sending their women to fight alongside their men, but aside from your mother's constant training you have never seen this in practice before.
Two short figures with pale blue-white skin sit on either side of Vandal. You assume they must be frost dwarves, and mages by the look of their robes. You have never met a frost dwarf before, and move to introduce yourself.
"Greetings my stout friends!" You declare, deciding to use the conventions and manners of the common dwarves you met in the Capitol.
"I am Billion of House Krvni. Who might you be?"The dwarves nod politely. "They do not speak the common tongue of the Kingdom." Vandal chips in. "They can read and write it however, so we communicate on paper."
"Are they casters?"Vandal nods. "Indeed they are. Frost dwarves only ever send Shadow Mages south. Their skin is very sensitive to the sun, so they need to be able to cast an aura of twilight spell to defend themselves against it. They are here to see that we actualy do the job assigned to us, and don't just round up a bunch of poor villagers and turn them in as the rouge merchants. They have no qualms about getting involved in the battle, but we can't afford to get them both killed."
That sends a shiver up your spine.
"I was talking to Horace, the local wizard, and he offered me aid in exchange of help finding a wife. He suggested perhaps sending a female prisoner his way after the fight. Do you think the snowmen would object to that?"The bear cavalryman looks you over and thinks. "I bet they might. The Frost Dwarves are a rather cruel people and they rightly hate the white witches and those who consort with them with a passion. They would likely be opposed to any prisoner escaping whatever torturous death is being prepared for them up north. That said, I doubt it would be terribly hard to slip two or three men with a prisoner away from them by night. I wouldn't mind myself"
You nod in consideration. The rest of Vandal's men appear to be infantry. There are 15 of them; five women and ten men. A few of them look like seasoned mercenaries, but most appear youths of low birth and little training, between Tidus' age and your own. You spend the rest of the evening introducing yourself to your troops, and then retire to your room.
---
You awake and rise carefully from bed, so as not to disturb the serving girl sleeping to your left, and the infantrywoman sleeping to your right. You eat a quick breakfast in the common room of the Inn, and meet up with Vandal, Allbright, and Tidus to plan the day. Vandal still insists that the party set off by noon, which you figure leaves you time to either visit two more places in town, or head to the castle to grab some more gold for your journey.
Chose what you purchased yesterday, and what you do before marching today!
Attractions and Locations in Riverport (Updated):Large Inn: The Large Inn is the place in town that caters to groups bigger than a standard family, such as soldiers and merchants. Vandal Pine and his men should be around if you wish to meet with them before departing
Smaller Inns: Riverport is a large town with many Inns, Taverns, and Brothels. Places like these are good for eating, enjoying oneself, meeting adventures, and finding private rooms in which to have conversation with party members.
Sea Market: One of Riverport's two main markets. Boats deliver wood and animal products from the Northlands, and Alchemical goods from the Feylands.
Air Market: One of Riverport's two main markets. Trade caravans bring crops and plant fiber clothes from the Riverlands and Stone and Metal products from the Rocklands. Rare oddities from the city states beyond the swamps and deserts will sometimes crop up here.
Temple: A Temple to the King's Pantheon stands in Riverport. It is a good place to pay your respects to the commonly accepted gods, and the priests sell holy water and charms, which may be useful if the merchants you are after have truly been in league with the White Witches.
Keep of the Fell Gods: This small shrine is shared by members of the two heresies most common in your father's lands: The Church of Ivory and the Seamaiden's Honor-guard. The followers of both faiths are close enough to watch each other's backs when inquisitors come from the South.
Horace's Waterwheel: Horace, an elf old enough to remember the Crown Wars, is the last independent wizard on your father's lands. His tower, known as the Waterwheel, is a marvelous place lit by strange glass bulbs full of lightning that he somehow harvests from the Blood River. Horace has offered your choice of a prophecy or a golem in exchange for the promise of a wife...
Merchant's Guild Office: The base of opperations for the Merchant's guild in the Northern Crosslands. The Guild's system of riders and birds tends to be faster than the Kings messengers, so they often get news from the capitol three or four days faster than everybody else in town.
Consolation Castle Finishing School: A boarding academy where women of high-birth go to learn traditional manners. Most of the students there are from the Northern Houses where manners are in short supply. Your older sister Kaylen was just made the youngest ever head teacher last year. Horace suggests speaking to your sister about letting him marry one of her students. This might be wise if you don't want to risk pissing off the Frost Dwarves by stealing a prisoner later on...
---
Quests and Petitions
You have already begun research on the following quests.
M: Chiatto, an elven savage bids you to rescue his daughters. Your advisers suspect they are being held in the town of Bear Inn, and that the quest could be a trap set by Lord Cornish, an enemy of your father.
N: Vandal Pine, a mercenary bids you to help him bring some rouge merchants to justice for trading with evil witches and orcs. The influence of the merchant guild could complicate things... (The quest we are planning to take)
The Following are influential people in your fathers court. You are on decent terms with all of them, and it has been years since you have had a substantial talk with any of em.
A: Lady Ursula Holard Krvni is your mother and your father's wife and de-facto captain of the household guard. She is a seasoned rider of both bears and horses, and you hear she still destroys soldiers half her age in spars. She may be trying to spark a war between the Northlands and the Crosslands.
B: Bishop Macon Krvni is the supreme leader of the heretical Church of Ivory, which worships your ancestor Burt 'The Bloody' Krvni as the god of death. The Church of Ivory has been smothered in all the kingdom except in the Krvni lands. Most members of your house worship the classic Pantheon, but will pay their respects to Burt from time to time as well, often in secret. Bishop Macon may be trying to bring his heretical faith out into the open...
C: Samantha Glade is a Priestess of April the Fertility Goddess. Most lords keep a priest of the Pantheon in their court. many lords favor followers of April, as her order is all female, but not celibate.
D: Thomas Doe is the bastard son of Lord Thomas Thrift, the liege lord who your house is in the service of. Thomas the Younger, as he is called, sits on your fathers council to see that his fathers will is obeyed.
E: Simian Gladiolus is your fathers treasurer. Like most treasurers in the Crosslands Simian is a member of the merchants guild: Outside his work in the court he holds a monopoly on the import of exotic spices and drugs to your father's lands.
F: Albus Abbas is your fathers aged wiseman. In his youth he was an assassin and spellweaver for hire, so his areas of expertise are magic, alchemy, poison, and medicine. He is however well read and likely knows more than you in almost any subject imaginable.
I seem to be having a bit of trouble with Imgur at the moment, so here is a link to the map for now:
https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/15EYmyiBQgBXYysEmRhepycaAG2-7mw69Df4AQQ4SLAc/edit?usp=sharingNotable Locations:
Consolation Castle: Home of House Krvni. Consolation Castle was originally built as a small fort by the Krvni's foes to besiege Ivory Castle during the Second Crown War. When the war ended the ennemy withdrew, and Ivory Castle had fallen. The Krvni decided to claim the fort as a consolation prize, and built it into a proper castle where they still live today.
Riverport: The largest town under Krvni control and a fairly significant commercial seaport. Riverport is overlooked and protected by Consolation Castle. It is the Southern most town under Krvni control, and thus is also a major stop along the Crossland Main Road.
Krvnitown: The oldest and second-largest town under Krvni control. Krvnitown is home to what remains to the Church of Ivory and is a rather secretive place home to scary rumors and unfriendly locals who tend to 'disappear' most visitors. Members of the Krvni household are the exception however, the descendents of Burt the Bloody are always welcome in Krvnitown.
Ivory Ruins: The ancestral home of the Krvni bloodline stood for over 3000 years. By the time it fell at the end of the Second Crown War nearly all the internal walls were covered in engraved ivory blocks, enough to make back the entire cost of the war three times over when the king looted and sold it all. Although little stands above ground, the labyrinthine substructure still exists although it is perilous and confusing to navigate. Adventurers explore it anyway, in hopes of finding an undiscovered room with it's ivory still intact.
Three Inns: Three Inns is a small rest stop known for it's hospitality, and for being the northernmost town in the Crosslands. Travlers heading to or from the Northlands by land have to pass through, and scholars and adventures seeking to visit the Ivory Ruins prefer to stay here rather than creepy and murderous Krvnitown. There is a small market here, but most traders prefer the seaport and proximity to the castle guards that Riverport provides.
Last Inn: Last Inn is the first stop on the perilous road through swamp and desert that leads to the independent city states on the other side of the continent. East of Last Inn and the Mountains are only savages in the swamp and bandits in the desert. The town is small, but traders visit it anyway for rare plants and animals that the locals find in the swamps.
-To the East is the Trecherous Swamp Road, which takes at least four months to travel and has no inns along the way
-To the North are the Northlands, home to House Holard and it's vassals. You descend from the Holards on your mothers side
-To the South are the rest of the Crosslands, under lord Thrift and his Vassals. Your lands are considered part of the Crosslands, and your house is vassal to House Thrift. The Crosslands connect to all the other terrestrial regions of the kingdom
Manpower Count
Infantry: 24
Calvary: 6
Magi: 2
Monsters: 0
Notable Party Members
Sir Billion Krvni: The Player Character. A human knight of 16 and a quarter years. Billion has a full head of untamed black hair but a clean shaven face. He is skilled with the Short Sword, Long Sword, Bastard Sword, Lance, and Battleaxe. He prefers heavy armor and a shield and to fight from horseback. His armor is plain steel plate. His shield bears the Krvni Symbol: A brown wagonwheel on a green background.
Vandal Pine: A mercenary Bear Calvaryman of high birth and 41 years. He is in charge of a mercenary group of two other bear riders, two casters, and 15 infantrymen. He prefers to fight from bearback wearing thick leather armor and wielding a greataxe.
Sergeant Deacon Allbright Blood: A Church of Ivory Heretic of 24 years. He is in charge of the squadron of infantry you recruited from your father's castle. It is said that the Deacons know all the darkest secrets of their secretitive faith, which they keep to themselves so that their lords and friends can honestly claim to know nothing of heresy. The Church of Ivory worships your ancestor as the god of death, and respects all living members of House Krvni as beings of divine heritage. He prefers to fight from horseback with a spear, and it is said that his horse is some kind of monster. Billion remembers from his childhood that Allbright is a good hand with a mace as well.
Tidus Greatstone: A Half Dwarf Squire of 13 years. The Royal House of Greatstone has been on bad terms with House Krvni since the end of the Second Crown War, so it would seem strange that Sir Billion would have a royal as a squire. Tidus however is only a distant cousin to the king, 73rd or 98th in line to the throne depending on who you ask, but Tidus is delusional enough to fancy himself a rival to the crowned prince. In hopes of getting himself noticed, he agreed to squire for Sir Billion at the last tournament. Billion made it to the Semifinal tilt, and in the process became fast friends with Tidus, who agreed to return home with him and be Billion's squire full time. The Greatstones interbreed with some of the noble houses of the Southern Dwarves, and Tidus is the half dwarf sons of two half dwarves. Tidus has better than human endurance for his age, and prefers to fight with warhammers, greataxes, and heavy armor.
Author
Topic: (TSG) You Are Knight: The Quest to be Heir (Read 2622 times)