D SUMMON VAST RESERVES OF WILLPOWER TO THE PURPOSE OF EATING ANNOYING FLIES NO MATTER HOW ECTOPLASMIC, THEN SETTLE IN FOR A LONG DISCUSSION WITH OUR RECRUITS ON THE SUBJECT OF MORAL PHILOSOPHY, THE RIGHTS OF GOATS, AND THE REALISTIC PROBABILITY THAT THAT OTHER GUY/CHICKEN DIED OF NORMAL CHICKEN STUPIDITY INVOLVING FIRE AND ALCOHOL (AND BUTTER FOR SOME REASON). THEN SEGUE INTO THE TOPIC OF KNIGHTLY HUMILITY AND CONVINCE WHICHEVER RECRUIT SEEMS MOST CHIVALROUS TO TAKE OVER LEADERSHIP OF THE GROUP, FREEING OURSELVES FROM THE BURDEN OF MAKING DECISIONS WHILE WE GRAPPLE INTERNALLY WITH THE QUESTION OF OUR DECAYING SANITY.
BOLSTERED BY A BURNING RAGE, YOU EVENTUALLY MANAGE TO EAT ANNOYING (BUT, CURIOUSLY ENOUGH, NOT ENCOURAGING) FLIES REGARDLESS OF THEIR CORPOREALITY. YOU SPEND THE REST OF THE DAY EXPOUNDING ON MORAL PHILOSOPHY, THE RIGHTS OF GOATS, THE LEGAL DEFINITION OF CHICKENSLAUGHTER AND/OR DEATH BY MISADVENTURE (WHICH INITIALLY DRAWS SOME SKEPTICISM), AND KNIGHTLY HUMILITY. THE DEEP INSIGHTS IMPARTED BY YOUR LONG LECTURES HAVE ENHANCED YOUR RECRUITS' ABILITIES. IT IS NOW PERMISSIBLE TO PROMOTE THEM TO CHICKEN MILITIA WHO WILL NATURALLY EXPECT A MORE SUBSTANTIAL SALARY FOR THEIR SERVICE.
AS PART OF AN OBJECT LESSON IN HUMILITY (AND NOT, FOR EXAMPLE, A DELIBERATE ATTEMPT TO CEDE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PARTY'S WAGES/MISADVENTURES), YOU PASS THE MANTLE OF LEADER ON TO RECRUIT DOODLE-CROW. DOODLE-CROW DIRECTS YOUR PARTY TO THE NEARBY TOWN OF BREADLAMB FOR PROVISIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS, AND YOU ARRIVE THAT EVENING. AFTER SEVERAL ROUNDS OF HAGGLING, DOODLE-CROW ANNOUNCES THAT THE PARTY WILL BE STAYING IN THE CURRENTLY EMPTY STABLE AT A LOCAL INN FOR THE NIGHT. TIRED AFTER A LONG NIGHT OF STRUGGLING TO EAT THE ECTOPLASMIC FLIES, YOU QUICKLY FALL ASLEEP IN THE COMFY HAY.
THE NEXT DAY, AFTER A LIGHT MEAL OF FLAVORLESS GRAY GRUEL, YOU MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE MARKETPLACE. DOODLE-CROW IS DISMAYED TO FIND EVEN THE LOWER END WOODEN HORSES OUTSIDE HIS LIMITED FINANCIAL REACH. THE REST OF THE DAY IS SPENT SPLIT UP IN A SEARCH FOR JOBS. TOGETHER, YOU MANAGE TO FIND THE FOLLOWING BY THE TIME THE PARTY MEETS UP AT A BUG-AND-BREAD-TOAST:
- BRING AN ORDER OF BOTANICAL BOOKS TO A MONASTERY NEAR THE VILLAGE OF INKSWORTH
- ESCORT A MESSENGER TO EPHOR'S REST WITHOUT GETTING STOPPED
- PROVIDE PROTECTION FOR A CARAVAN HEADING FOR THE DISTANT TOWN OF CLAYLESS
- DISCREETLY REPORT ON TROOP MOVEMENTS UP TO HALF A DAY AWAY FROM BREADLAMB
- PARTICIPATE IN A MINOR TOURNAMENT HELD IN THE CASTLE OF THE EARL OF SILTMAGE
- JOIN THE LOCAL BURGHER'S MILITIA
- HELP WITH THE HARVESTS IN NEARBY FIELDS
DOODLE-CROW ASKS FOR YOUR ADVICE ON WHICH JOB WOULD BE GOOD FOR BUILDING KNIGHTLY EXPERIENCE.