Summer - 63 Days Until the Season Changes:Freedom. For the first time in your life there is nobody around to hold you accountable for your actions. Before your parents or the Kracken watched your every move and judged and punished as they saw fit. Now the only person currently in town that you feel you owe anything is your son, and he knows too little of human society and social grace and loves you too deeply to disapprove of anything you do.
You spread your wings and try some more hunting, but find this to be difficult. When you were drunk it was your sister-in-laws who tracked the deer and wounded it with a crossbow bolt. On your own you know nothing of the woods and little of the animals that live there. Eventually, through trial and error, you start to pick up on where small game such as hare can be found, although you'd need a ranged weapon or proper trap to take down such a small and swift target.
Although your own hunting excursions never end well, Koro continues to bring in seafood on a semi regular basis. Mostly shellfish, but occasionally something bigger. More often than not the two of you eat his catch raw, like you used to do when you lived with the Kracken.
On the days you do eat warm meals, you get them from the Embassy, where your lessons in the culinary arts continue. You learn slowly, as the dwarves are more interested in gossiping and having you do grunt work than they are in actual teaching, but you still manage to pick up a trick or two from them, and some of your experiments in the kitchen at home begin to resemble something that may be edible.
You also spend some time touring town and reacquainting yourself with Crab Port. You find the memorial to the Kracken attack all those years ago. Both your name and your father's, along with several others you don't know, are carved into a rock on the beach where it happened. You can see the remains of a boat in the shallow nearby, and assume that somebody torched it to give one or more of the victims a proper old religion burial.
In your absence the changes in town seem to be entirely changes of scale. Some new docks have been put in, and the market place is larger and more vibrant, but over all there is little now that wasn't there in some form when you were a child. The one exception to this is the Guild Halls, a large building where several guilds from the Empire's Heartland share space and try to get established in the north. The three guilds currently occupying the space are the carpenters, the magicians, and the importers. From what you understand the magicians guild traffics in some spell magic, but mainly exists as a front for a large thieves guild.
You attempt to make some friends and do find that you have a bit of luck. Your social skills are a bit lacking after years of neglect, but you do manage to get close to a few people. You can tell most of them want something out of you or your husband however.
-Maylyn is the daughter of a subsistence farmer who lives a few days outside of town. A pack of Wargs have taken to extorting her family for livestock, booze, and occasionally other privileges. She was sent to town to fetch Alred or the local guard, but she missed the former and the later wanted payment. She is afraid to return home without help to face her father or their oppressors, so you let her sleep in your house from time to time.
-Jung is a jeweler from the south with a fiery wit and brutally blunt personality. About the only thing he doesn't speak openly about is his poorly concealed infatuation towards you. He helps advise you on who to stay clear of in town, and appraises your wedding gifts, most of which are jewelry.
-Vicar Petal, an elven wanderer and missionary, has also taken an interest in you, but his is more of a spiritual nature. Almost every day you end up talking with him about your ordeal, and you do find a degree of comfort in the wisdom of Aileaf, the exotic goddess he is peddling. He also shows off some of his divine granted magic. Unlike the shaman of the North his spells tend to inspire warmth, healing, and happiness. It is he who fixes up your leg when the pain fails to go away completely.
Koro also manages to make some friends with some encouragement from you. With a bit of prompting he falls in with a group of Dwarven Boys from the embassy. They are all a bit older than him, and sometimes play a bit rough, but you hold onto hope that perhaps the dwarven values of hard work and justice will rub off on your son if he spends enough time with them.
It is not all good news on the Koro front however. Aside from the dwarves he has also fallen under the influence of teenage woman with ties to the brothel and magicians guild. He often brings lock-picks home with him after meeting with her, and has become intent on breaking into the basement. You stop and scold him when you can, and thank the gods Travon had chosen a good lock, but fear that it is only a matter of time before this woman gets him into real trouble.
Worried, you begin to search for a proper job or apprenticeship for your son. By asking around friends and family you manage to drag up a few interesting offers.
-Your friend Jung the Jeweler has offered to take Koro on as an apprentice. This would keep him in town, but you are not sure how indebted you want to be to a man who clearly desires you.
-The Wildbloods would be willing to let him work on the fishing boat. When you bring this offer up to Koro, he protests. Like his father, Koro rather dislikes boats.
-There is a sacred village several days from town where young children can be trained in the arts of hunting, animal husbandry, combat, and the laws of the old religion. Children with high potential are made into Bezerkers or Shaman. Sacred Villages are free for children, but parents are encouraged to make donations from time to time.
-Maylyn mentions that subsistence farmers in the area sometimes hire children for the fall harvest.
Koro seems ambivalent to all talk of employment and magical tutoring that doesn't involve boats. When you ask him directly he gives you lots of non-answers. At his age you recall that you and Lenny wanted little more than to be children, so you don't begrudge his attitude, but you know the stakes for Koro are high and you will see your son become an adjusted member of society if it kills you.
With Jung's help you manage to sort through your wedding gifts. Most of it is either jewelry or clearly meant for Alred, but you do manage to find a few interesting pickups.
Cantrips for the Good Wife is the book that introduces the bare basics of wizardry and teaches a few simple spells, most of which are designed for use in the kitchen, bedroom, or other areas of domestic duty. You don't know your letter particularly well, and some of the stuff in there is too embarrassing to have Koro read for you, but you could find a use for it.
Trilby, the merchant who currently owns the brothel, sent some effects from your family. Most of the items are purely sentimental in their value, but a pair of weapons catches your interest and fires up old memories. Enforcer was your father's old shortsword that he used to settle disputes in the brothel. The blade was enchanted so as to never cut female flesh, and a quick test on your finger proves that this is still the case. Stopper was the spear your father used in the war against the dwarves. He always claimed he picked the weapon up off a dead dwarven wizard, and that it sometimes displayed magical properties, but you had never seen any proof.
Last but not least you note Killman had somehow acquired for you a Hag's Cauldron, a large enchanted pot that would in an hour turn any living creature sealed inside into tasty stew. The hags that first introduced the device originally used it to cook sentient children, but the women of the north use them more ethically to cook animals. The lid is enchanted to become heavy when somebody tries to push it from the inside of the cauldron, but is magically light at all other times and has a handle and straps on the inside so that it can function as a rather effective shield.
Three weeks have passed. In theory Alred should have just arrived at his destination. In a bit more than three weeks he should send back a party member with your wedding band and news of Alred's next destination.
What do you do next?Character Status:All About You...Leona Wildblood
Minor Unidentified Leg Injury, General Bruising and Soreness
Perks:
Depths Adaptation: You can breath water if you need to, and can withstand the cold and pressure of the darkest abyss.
Dark Vision: You can see in the dark
Krakens Grip: You have unsightly yet powerful barbed suckers on your arms and legs. These are usually covered by your clothing, but when they are not you gain a substantial bonus to grappling and climbing most surfaces.
Known Skills:
Physical
Striking: 2/10
Grappling: 4/10
Climbing: 4/10
Swimming: 8/10
Social
Seduction: 3/10
Bartering: 1/10
Socialization: 2/10
Deception: 3/10
Trade
Animal Husbandry: 2/10
Fishing: 2/10
Hunting: 1/10
Cooking: 1/10
Lore
Monster Lore: 5/10
Hero Lore: 2/10
Imperial Lore: 2/10
Inventory:
On Person
Long Sleeved Shirt
Long Pants
Undergarments
Gold Bear-Shaped Pendant
Bag of 40 Copper
Stored at Home
Vial of Purple Gunk
Assorted Jewelry Appraised to be worth about 320 Silver
Cantrips for the Good Wife
Enforcer, the Enchanted Shortsword of Mercy to Women
Stopper, the enigmatic and possibly magical spear
Hag's Cauldron
Wedding Gown
Formal Gown
Additional Casual Clothing
Cooking Equipment
Cleaning Equipment
Travon's Powder/Weapon Equipment Storage
Blood Relatives:
Koro Wildblood - Your 7 year old son. Koro is a half Kraken with pale, moist, rubbery skin and tentacles extending from his face like a strange beard. Koro has a hard time speaking due to his beaked mouth, but you can understand him perfectly. The Kraken also made sure that he knew his letters, so he can communicate with the literate through writing.
Loki Crood - Your uncle, and the only living blood relative you still have in town. He is currently imprisoned at the local jail for gambling, pick-pocketing, and adultery. He wrote you a nice letter congratulating you on your freedom and wedding, and invited you to visit him in jail some time.
Your Husband and His Party:
Alred 'The Fierce' Wildblood: Your husband. He is an adventurer best known for saving the life of Lord Deigo and Slaying the Kracken of Crab Port. Under normal circumstances he is a match for 3-4 men, and can easily kill at least thrice that amount when in a rage. He can be found at the house, the stables, the docks, or the tavern when not out on an adventure.
Sir Bronson Wentworth: A former knight of Lord Deigo assigned to serve your husband after the later saved the former's life from bandits. Sir Wentworth is loud and boisterous, but fiercely loyal to your husband. In battle he is at least as effective as an non-raging Alred, if not more so. Even while not out adventuring he can usually be found with Alred, but when he isn't he is likely at the tavern or the whorehouse.
Killman: A mysterious and highly unladylike sorceress who can trace her ancestry to the White Witches of Old. She is quiet and can come off as uncaring, but has a soft spot for children, including your halfbreed son. Killman fights with crippling hexes and powerful Ice Magic. She also, from time to time, uses some of the powder weapons Travon makes. She can be found at the house or the tavern between adventures, but if she isn't there you have no clue where else to look.
Travon Snips: A middle aged man who was expelled from the gadgeteer guild for reasons he would rather not get into with you. Travon has a sick obsession with watching people get torn apart by his inventions, and dosn't even bother trying to hide it. In battle he fights using strange and deadly weapons that spew sulfur, fire, and fragments of metal. When not adventuring Travon spends his time making deadly things in the lab at the house or swapping tips with guild members that can be found at the docks from time to time.
Clancy Frostmound: A wandering minstrel and poet who has fallen in with your husband's group. Clancy is the youngest son of a fairly powerful local family, and sometimes can't help but to allow his arrogance and sense of entitlement to slip through his typically charming personality. Clancy helps the group set up camp, hunts for food, and raises funds on the road through his performances. He can defend himself with a bow or short sword if he absolutely must. When not doing his thing as a wandering minstrel, Clancy spends much of his time at the Frostmound family home or at the stables tending to the group's horses.
Others:
Grendel Frostmound: The local captain of the guard. Said to be corrupt and an enemy of your family, but has offered you help if you need it.
Monna Wildblood: An ancient and long retired bezerker and your husband's great-grandmother.
Olav Wildblood the Elder: Alred's ageing Uncle. He seems friendly enough, but there is some heavy tension between him and the rest of the family.
Autumn Wildblood: Alred's widowed older sister. She is raising a young bastard daughter and has a son abroad.
Quilt Wildblood: The wife of one of Alred's older brothers.
Victoria Wildblood: The wife of one of Alred's older brothers.
Olav Wildblood the Younger: One of Alred's younger twin brothers. Forced into a rather uncomfortable marriage situation by religious tradition.
Rollo Alred: One of Alred's younger twin brothers. Forced into a rather uncomfortable marriage situation by religious tradition.
Pelii Wildblood: A woman from the tropics who somehow made her way to the northlands as a slave. She was rescued to marry the Wildblood Twins. She has one son. She is having a hard time adapting to the north, and the family tells you it is a struggle to keep her alive each winter.
Linda Wildblood: The daughter of a local fisherman who was born missing half a leg. Her deformity made it rather hard to find a husband, so she settled on entering an unusual marriage with the equaly desperate Wildblood Twins. She has a son and a daughter.
Winter Wildblood: Alred's youngest sister. With the appointed wedding date approaching and no leads on finding her twin brothers a third wife, she volunteered to fill the role. She has a son and a daughter.
Helga Towercap: The head chef at the embassy, and quite the aficionado of local gossip.
Snarlf Leatherspike: An obese assistant chef at the embassy. Snarlf has a young daughter who gets along well enough with Koro.
Tilla Lordcaps: The wife of the dwarven ambassador. More than willing to share her views on the town's situation.
Maylyn Cold: The daughter of a subsistence farmer plagued by a nasty pack of Wargs. She has quickly become a good friend of yours and spends some of her nights under your roof.
Jung Wang: A local jeweler who has become a friend of yours. He is good company and more than willing to help you, but clearly is interested in more than your friendship.
Vicar Petal: An Elf on a mission to see the world and win converts for his goddess Aileaf. He is willing to listen to your horrible memories and worst fears, and you find his wisdom and healing magic to be of use to you.
Notable Events:
-You have found four potential sources of employment or training for you son: The Wildblood Fishing Boat, The Jeweler Jung, The Sacred Village, and Fieldwork come late summer/fall.
Locations in Town to Explore:
Your House: A simple building with a master bedroom, a child's bedroom, a kitchen, a living/dining room, a storage closet, and an empty room Alred has given you permission to use however you see fit. Travon keeps his lab in the basement, as no other building in town would have it.
Frostmound Home: The home of one of the more respected families in town. You know the patriarch is the captain of the town guard and the father of one of your husband's party members.
Wildblood Home: The home of your In-Laws. From what you understand most of the 8 Wildblood Brothers fish on their father's boat or serve in the town guard. Although you don't know any of the family other than Alred particularly well, they have made it clear that you are welcome to visit whenever you wish.
Governor's Mansion: The seat of imperial power in town. No self respecting southern noble wants to live in the cold northernlands, so the post of Governor of Crab Port is used by the imperial high houses to keep black sheep children and other creeps out of the way. The current occupant of the governor's mansion is said to be a reasonable man with a poorly concealed preference for sodomy.
Dwarven Embassy: The empire, only 30 years removed from a brutal centuries long war with the short bastards, enjoys an uneasy peace with dwarfkind. At the end of the war Crab Port was the only town close enough to dwarven lands and with a willing enough populous to host the embassy. Although blood hatred is still status quo in most of the empire, the hardy people of the northlands have found they have much in common with their former foes. The Ambassador and his family are highly influential members of the community.
The Tavern: Although a bit rough around the edges, the local tavern is a good place to meet people and catch up on local gossip.
The Brothel: A standard den of vice thinly veiled as a boarding house for sailors. Your parents, who both died during your captivity, used to run this place and you grew up in the apartment above it.
The Stables: Where the party keeps their horses when in town. Alred and Bronson both love to ride in their free time and are close friends with the stablemaster, so they can both be found there fairly often.
The Docks: Fishing is the town's major industry and most families own a fishing boat. In recent years, due in part to the presence of the embassy, the docks have become a part of the dwarven trade routes and all sorts of cool goods and people have begun to filter through them by sea.
The Guild Halls: A large building near the docks where several imperial guilds are working to establish a presence in the North. The Carpenters, Magicians, and Importers currently occupy the building.
The Wrath Ruins: The remains of a stone shrine where ancient men worshiped the wrath spirits. Some local families, including the Wildbloods, keep the old religion. Your wedding and most of the following festivities took place here.
The Beach: The Ocean is frigid and the beach itself is rocky, but children still show up to collect shells and play in the surf during the short summer... or they would if they were not frightened by Coro's appearance.
The Distillery: A cave with three stills that produce rather low quality spirits. Run by your husband and brothers-in-law.
There are plenty more interesting locations in and around town, but your memory of your childhood isn't very strong, so you will have to explore or ask around to find them.
Author
Topic: TSG: The Hero's Wife (Read 27406 times)