The Emerald Spire lay in the Spire Glen, somewhere in the western Echo Wood. This area was claimed by no king and each settlement made its own laws – or didn’t, as the case may be. Of the three centers of habitation in the area Fort Riverwatch and Fort Inevitable were claimed as bases by knightly orders; the Knights of Iomedae and the Hellknights, respectively. These two stations guarded the Crusader Road, the main south to north route of men and materiel to the ongoing war against the demons of the Worldwound far to the north. It was also the main north to south route of coffins and cripples, for the same reason. Preying on this route and its travellers were – allegedly – many of the inhabitants of the third settlement, Thornkeep, about four or five miles into the Echo Wood. Reputed as a lawless and dangerous town, it lay fairly close to the Spire Glen within the Echo Wood. Having passed by the busy muster at Fort Riverwatch earlier in the day, the three aspirants decided to take the road to Thornkeep and as they walked down the Dagger Road that led through the Echo Wood they were caught in a downpour that lasted the rest of the daylight hours. Churning the road to mud, the going was slow and miserable but shortly before sundown they came in sight of Brokenhelm Hill, upon which the castle of Thornkeep sat. Around the bramble-wrapped hill huddled the town of Thornkeep. They made their way along the road, past a few buildings and into a town green – a large open area with muddy patches and some bedraggled grass around which many stores and merchants were situated, although those all seemed to be closing for the evening. The town’s green wasn’t unoccupied either. Among the posts and troughs for horses slumped a man in stocks, who catching their eye, beckoned them over. He immediately asked them to free him as, he explained those who were due to free him had all fled indoors at the start of the afternoon’s deluge. Cyrus was cautious, keen not to step into a new town’s problems before he knew what was going on, but the cleric of Old Deadeye saw no sign of duplicity on the man’s handsome face. Still, it didn’t hurt to find out more. The man’s name was Edders and he was in stocks for starting a brawl, although truth be told he didn’t start it… his girlfriend did. He was practically a bystander. Anyway, he was due to be let out a while ago, but since he hadn’t been he was going to be late for his shift at the Greenforest Inn (he pointed to a nicely built fieldstone and timber building on the other side of the green). Cyrus, Verne and Baam still weren’t about to meddle like that, so they said they’d let someone at the Greenforest know. Edders seemed satisfied as it was a bit much to expect strangers to come to one’s aid in a town like Thornkeep.
They made their way to the Greenforest Inn, Verne making a meal of the entry into the Inn and summoning the Innkeeper who bustled over to them. It seemed like a nice enough establishment and if the crowd inside was a bit rough around a couple of its edges, at least everyone there looked like they were there to drink and chat. The Innkeeper introduced himself as Shandar, proprietor, and when he heard of Edders’ plight cursed the barman but sent his other barman, Vess, out to get him. Meanwhile, they talked about accomodation – he had a three cot room upstairs which was all theirs for a gold piece a night, hot dinner and cooked breakfast thrown in. To the deal, not their room.
They agreed and took up a spot by a roaring wide fireplace, the better to dry their sodden clothes. They settled in besides a pair of amiable old duffers who – after sizing up the party of travellers as neither too threatening nor too enticing a target – turned out to be rather fabulous gossips. Bodlin and Rasgar held forth on a range of subjects, from the peculiarities of the town (everyone pays protection money to some power or another and you just have to get used to it, there are a community of goblins within the town’s walls and you just have to get used to that too) to the fate of various adventuring parties (it usually doesn’t end well and they’d have done it better, if only they were younger), to the possibility of a resurgence of the great Goblin Empire of Zog should several magical items of the era be reunited (which they agreed was an undesirable yet deeply unlikely prospect).
Cyrus ordered up a glass of apple cider and received a truly excellent local cider while the others ordered ales and were sufficiently pleased. Edders put in an appearance after he had dried off and brought them another round of drinks while the Shandar wasn’t looking.
I just finished up my new character Quotzl, not to be confused with Kwaatzuul the Kinless. Sure, both are half-orcs. Sure, both are fighters. But the new Quotzl is the unlikely spawn of a fancy human lord and one confused Orc “lady.” He’s not as gigantic as Mr. the Kinless, and he uses a shield. A shield he can throw like Captain America! What? He’s also a spoiled, chaotic good worshipper of Caiden Cailean with a penchant for gambling and calligraphy. What?
UPDATE- to further differentiate between my new half-Orc and my last one, Quotzl will be renamed Tarkus.
For further reference, please consult the following link: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarkus#/image/File:Emerson,_Lake_%26_Palmer_-_Tarkus_(1971)_front_cover.jpg