Prologue: The Barony of Harkenwold

Roll: 17
Skill: +7
Total: 24

After parting with her friends, Kathryn returns to her room to clean her armor thoroughly. She then puts it back on and heads out of the Keep, towards Robert's house, her white hair loose on her back and Durandal hanging at her waist.

Robert's house is much as Kathryn remembers it. In fact, the party marched past it into town earlier. It's a single-story renovated farmhouse surrounded by fields that Robert rents to the villagers for growing hemp, wheat, and hops along with a small apple orchard across the road that he's kept up because of his love of apple pie.

She finds the man himself sitting out on his porch in a rocking chair, enjoying a cup of what looks like ale from the local Cliffside Brewery given the bottle with their mark sitting on the small table next to him. He has a few more wrinkles than Kat remembers and his hair and beard are snow white from age, but his eye remains as sharp as ever almost instantly recognizing her as she walks up.

Robert Harnalo:

He studies her armor very carefully and looks at the sword in its scabbard at her hip. He says, "So, you really did run off to join the Legion. Made you a General already have they?"

Happy to see her old mentor after all these years, Kathryn smiles at him and says, "I haven't had the chance to cross paths with the Legion yet. A lot of other things happened since I left though. I'm not even sure where I should start."

"How about at the beginning then?" He offers her the other chair and says, "Would you like some ale? It's some new stuff the Morales brothers brewed up recently. It's very smooth."

Kat gladly steps onto the porch, removes her sword from her belt and places it against the wall while she sits down in the chair. "Oh, Juan is the one who invented it, right? I'd really like to try some."

"Yes. He really outdid himself this time." He gets up and goes inside to get her a cup and then pours her some when he returns before handing it over. "I know you jumped onto a wagon heading to Fallcrest. What happened after that?"

"Maybe I should tell you about what happened right before that..." Kathryn begins to tell Robert about how she came to find the armor she is now wearing, and what she's been doing for the past three years. She's very expressive when telling her story and although she does her best to be succinct, it takes quite some time before she finishes it. She talks about she became a Fey Knight, the dangers she faced while traveling in the Vale and her new quest to free Lady Eninahes of the White Well from an ancient curse cast by Corellon. Oh, and to defeat Shadowmire before he can conquer the Vale. "...and that's why we're here now. Stockmer is preparing a feast to celebrate our victory over the goblins."

Robert is swirling the ale in his cup while he thinks over Kat's story finally saying, "That's quite the story and not the one I was expecting from your armor. You need to expand your kit, you know?"

Kat cocks her head to the side. "My kit?" she repeats.

"If you are going to be leading troops from the front you'll need a spear just like I taught you. You've always been better with a sword, I know, but it doesn't have the reach you'll need when formation fighting," he says.

"Hmm." She places a finger on her lips in and considers her mentor's advise. "You're right, I should find a spear to fight with. Maybe I could buy one in Fallcrest... wait, what did you mean by my armor? Do you know anything about it?"

"You could say that, yes. The Legion use to make that kind of armor for high officers back when Nerath still stood. The General of a Legion would have something like that, as would the Emperor's personal retinue, The Crowns. Only the most loyal and powerful were awarded such armor; yours is the third complete set I've seen in my life." He sips ale from his cup.

Kat blinks at the old man, unable to say anything for a while. She brings a hand to her chest, right where the mysterious emblem was engraved, and says, "So that's why the Court of Stars thought I was the heir to the Nerath Empire..."

Robert barks a laugh at that. "They think that do they?" He laughs some more before finally saying, "They love a good story more than they love the truth. You'd best remember that. They'll start with your friends before they ever come at you directly. Never lose control of the story."

"I'll remember that. And don't worry, I asked Eninahes to tell them I wasn't the heir to the Empire. Not sure I'd want it anyway. We'll be plenty busy already just dealing with Shadowmire..."

Robert grunts in agreement. "Is that why you came to see me? Want me to get these peasants up to snuff so they have a chance to survive this war?"

"What? No! Don't be silly, Robert. You know that I came to see you because I missed you. Although now that you mention it..." She ponders the idea he himself suggested. "Would you want to help us train new recruits?"

He looks at her and blinks incredulously. He shakes his head and smiles saying, "I've missed you Kat. You're a gal after my own heart. But of course I'll help. Despite my best efforts these peasants are my neighbors and friends. No way will I let some dragon have its way with them without having a say about it. Count me in."

"You will? Thank you so much!" She lunges forward to hug him, but only for a little while. She doesn't want to hurt him with her armor like she did with her mother earlier today after all. Once she's back in her seat, she gives him a wide smile and says, "I'm sure you'll be a great help. And since you're now part of the Alliance, you'll join us for the feast, right?"

Robert endures the hug as he usually does but looks uncomfortable at the invite and immediately begins waffling. "I don't know. I have a longstanding reservation at the Silver Nail you know and it is mutton chops tonight. You know how much I love mutton."

She pleads to him while making puppy eyes. "Pleeeeaaaaaase?"

He manages to hold out for another ten seconds but his opposition quickly crumbles. "Ugh, fine. Just put those peepers away. Is there a dress code for this shindig with the lord of the castle?"

She smiles triumphantly and proudly says, "I have no idea!"

He grunts a laugh and says, "Hang on, I'll get my coat."

"I'll put the mugs away then." She helps him clean the porch and off they go to the Keep.

Hunter, John, and Noble leave the Keep and make their way down the path on the hill and finally on into the village. Nonnie lives on the northern shore of Mill's Pond in the house she inherited from her parents many years ago. It's a homey-looking cottage painted a cheery yellow-orange, with a meticulously maintained front yard and Nonnie's beloved purple crocus flowers in full bloom just under the windows.

John opens the gate and enters, heading towards the front door. Hunter looks at the flowers. Pretty, he thinks. Maybe he should pick one and bring it in? But someone's probably thought of that one already. Instead he follows John through the gate.

John leads the way to the door and knocks three times before politely waiting for an answer. Fifteen seconds later he is about to knock again when the door opens, and it is a very tired looking Meredith Howard. She's been burning both ends for a while now as attested to by the dark bags under her eyes and the general paleness of her palette. Nevertheless, she's still a beautiful woman, if more than a bit frazzled right now.

Meredith Howard:

"John, Hunter, what a surprise!" When she sees Noble, she says, "Is that your animal companion? What is it?" She hugs John and then moves to do the same to Hunter.

Hunter gladly takes the hug. When he pulls back, he says, "This is Noble! He's a canine called a hyena, and they're not from around here, but just treat him like a dog."

"He's housebroken, right?" asks Meredith.

"Umm... I think so? He does what I tell him," Hunter offers. "And he likes people. Don't worry, I've been teaching him how to behave. Oh, and he played around with the elves in the East Woods. He hasn't bit anyone."

"Wasn't worried about biting until now," she says, somehow looking more tired. "But I trust you. Come on everyone, in, in. I'm making some soup for Nonnie." You guys can smell it as you enter, Meredith's homemade chicken soup. Nonnie's living room is furnished with tasteful chairs of various sizes to accommodate guests of various species, while paintings of her family members hang from the walls, including one with her parents, painted when Nonnie was a girl of 8. Her brown curly hair is done up in pigtails while her parents stand behind her, each with a hand on one of her shoulders.

"Mom, would it be alright if we went and visited for a little bit before dinner?" asks John.

"I don't know if she's awake or not. Let me stick my head in first." Meredith leads you down the east hallway, stopping at the first north door. She cracks it open and sticks her head in. She says loudly, "Nonnie dear, you have some visitors. John and Hunter are here and they brought a fury friend."

Nonnie's voice cracks a bit as she wheezes, "John and Hunter!? I should like to see them!" She coughs from the effort.

Meredith pulls back and opens the door for you, letting the three of you go in. The southern window is open to allow in fresh air and light, but there's a smells to the room despite Meredith's best efforts to keep her friend clean. Nonnie is propped up with a few pillows, but it's clear she was dozing only a few moments before. Her hair is still curly but it's long since gone to gray and her old and wrinkled face looks sunken and thin. Nevertheless, she smiles at the three of you, lighting up the room like she always did back during her performances at the inn. She coughs again and manages to wheeze out, "Water."

There's a small kettle of water next to her bed. It should be easy to pour water into her mouth with that. Hunter picks up the kettle and pours water for her. "Hey Nonnie, it's good to see you again." He smiles.

"It's good to see anyone at the rate I'm going," she grunts a laugh at her own joke, before coughing again.

Hunter laughs too. "I'll take your word for it. I was here a few days ago, but I got caught up in some jobs for the Rangers. How's life?"

"Not much of it left, I'm afraid. Been getting a steady stream of visitors so at least I'm not bored," she says.

Hunter sits down in a chair. "I've got a couple hours before I have to go back to the keep. Wanna hear what I've been up to? It's been a few years since I've been in Harken, and I've already had a lot to do since I got back."

"That sounds good. What happened after you returned to Fallcrest?" she wheezes.

Hunter tells Nonnie about how he joined the militia and used his skills to help them keep the law. Even went on a manhunt or two and joined his dad on a couple skirmishes. Dad's never been one to rest on his laurels. The guard higher-ups wouldn't allow him to advance very far, however, so after feeling underappreciated (rightly so), he joined up with a group of mercs out for monster blood. He jumps into his time with the Golden River Trading Company, the job Ludmilla put them on (leaving out the little mess-up he made if only because John is there to hear all of this), the journey back to Harken, the Toadwallow cave-in, the East Woods ordeals, and finally the Battle of the Two Creeks. All throughout, he mentions the new friends he's made, the dynamic the merc group had going before they split (doesn't say how it happened), how things are with his family and meeting his twin brothers, and recruiting Noble. all while skirting sensitive topics.

Nonnie closes her eyes and listens to Hunter speak, smiling or laughing at times, or asking questions about the battle. Finally she says, "You've certainly been busy, since you left and came home. It's a good life you've managed to build, even it maybe it didn't always go the way you wanted it to. But that's the advantage of being the storyteller, eh?"

He smiles weakly and says, "Maybe, but I'm not finished building it, though."

"No, you aren't. Hells, I'm not done yet either!" she laughs and coughs. "Tis a work we leave undone in the end, hopefully to be carried on by others."

Hunter ponders that for a moment and decides to change the subject. "Hey Nonnie. How well do you know Ludmilla?"

"She'd come for a visit from time to time and play a tune with me," answers the old hafling, "Her Yarting complimented my fiddle just fine and she's a performer at heart like all her people. Why?"

Hunter asks, "Uh... Did she ever talk about... anyone special? Like a boyfriend?"

"Not plainly but she hinted at a lost love in her songs. Whoever he was, her heart went with him," she says.

Hunter says nothing for a bit, thinking. "Okay. Thanks, Nonnie." He grins and asks, "Hey, y'know, since you won't be around for long, do you wanna see something really cool?"

"With an introduction like that you'd better knock my socks off Hunter or you are getting that kettle up side your head." She laughs again, wheezing through it.

He laughs with her, and then, after glancing toward the door to make sure they're private, in a deliberate and respectful manner, he retrieves something from his things and holds it up for her to see clearly: the radiant bloom of Lakal's Tears.

Her eyes go wide when the legendary flower is revealed and she says, "By the gods, a real Lakal's Tear. Now there's a sight I didn't expect to see. Did you fetch it for someone or did someone get it for you?"

"I got it myself, for...someone." His smile lessens.

"And what, you don't want to give it to them anymore? What happened?" she asks.

Hunter doesn't answer right away, in fact wheels are turning in his head. "John, could you go see if your mom needs any help in the kitchen?"

John looks curious but he shrugs and says, "Yeah, sure. Back in a jiff." He opens the door, steps out, and shuts it behind him.

Nonnie's eyebrow raises at that but she waits for Hunter to start speaking.

Hunter winces as he's about to retell the events. "I... Ugh, honestly, I'd rather not talk about what happened. But the thing is, I thought I did want to. But I was wrong, only, it took me messing up in the worst way possible before I even realized that."

"But you survived didn't you? If there was nothing there you wouldn't have made it. The world of the dead is a greedy one, always pulling at the worlds of life," she says, coughing again. She wheezes as she says, "Water."

Hunter gets her some water. "Well...I guess. But, I screwed up after I noticed someone else, and I went and got the flower after what happened. If that adds anything for you."

"And did you think of them as you walked your way out of there?" asks the old woman.

Hunter bites the inside of his cheek. "Yeah..."

Nonnie frowns at the young man and says, "You are lucky you survived at all for how indecisive you've been. Maybe you should think very hard about what you want from a relationship in the first place and figure out what you are prepared to do about it. Life is full of enough regrets without us making more for ourselves, yes?"

Hunter looks away, looking morose. He breathes in ponderously, and nods. "Yeah. But, what should I want from a relationship? I mean I know it's not all about shacking up with someone cute..." Even though that's what gets me going in the first place.

"That's certainly part of it!" Nonnie laughs and wheezes and coughs. "But a relationship is a partnership, made with your favorite person in the world, because the idea of them not being there while you follow your heart is anathema to you. But a true partnership goes both ways, you both help each other to be the best version of yourselves by not only supporting but also challenging each other to grow."

Hunter nods. "'Challenging each other to grow?'" he repeats.

"Yes. We can always be a better version of ourselves. More kind, more honest, more brave. It takes practice but you can learn with the right support and motivation. And love is a powerful motivator."

"Hmm... Okay. I see. Thanks, Nonnie."

"Ah, thanks for visiting an old woman," says Nonnie, "You made my day. Come see me again tomorrow. I don't know if I'll make it but I'd like to talk to you again before I go."

Confused, Hunter turns his head to one side. Is there a reason she wants to? But he just nods and says, "Of course." He stands up. "Oh, one more thing: out of all the songs you've played at Meredith's Place, which was your favorite?"

"Lannigans. Always loved me a good jig." She tries to move her feet beneath the heavy covers but can't manage it. "Ah, shite, being old is for the dogs."

Hunter murmurs a Turathi incantation that sounds like the hushed whispers that Thaumaturgy is known to cause. Then, the sound of Nonnie's instrument playing the melody of "Lannigans" can be heard coming from the kettle of water.

"Oh!" says Nonnie in absolute delight. She begins weakly clapping her hands together in time to the cheery melody, improving it with just that little thing. That's when there's a knock at the door. "Come in!" says a happy Nonnie.

John opens the door and enters the room, holding it open so his mom can navigate in holding a bed table tray with a bowl of soup and a hunk of bread on it. Meredith says, "Oh, isn't that clever. A spell then?"

She moves to set the tray over Nonnie's legs. The old halfling waits for her friend to help her sit up, after which Meredith piles a few more pillows behind Nonnie to help keep her up and comfortable. She then moves the tray closer. Addressing both John and Hunter, Meredith says, "That's enough of a visit for now. We'll be needing some privacy for a while."

"Got it. Talk to you later?"

Meredith nods and says, "I'd like that. Mrs. Dorner will take over for me at nine if you want to walk me home. We can have some tea and catch up."

"Uh..." Hunter hesitates. Screw it, I've got legs, don't I? I'll book it. "Yeah, I'll see you then."

Meredith smiles, brightening up her pale face a little bit.  "See you then."

John hugs her and says, "I'll come visit some more tomorrow. I should be back in town now."

She says, "That's great news. I'm looking forward to it."

Hunter waves and leaves the room. He and Noble wait for John, and they walk out into the village back toward the keep.

Carlos decides to go looking for Gorduin. After asking around about an old male elf with a squirrel, Carlos finally track him down in the library where he is reading a book at the large table there. Munchers is sprawled out on the table happily receiving a tummy rub from the cantankerous hermit. Gorduin looks up and nods in greeting when Carlos enters.

"Oi." - Carlos greets - "Givin' His Majesty the rub?"

"Among other things," he says, patting the book. "What brings you to the library Carlos? I'd have thought you'd be passing the time with your friends before the feast."

"I am." - Carlos shrugs - "Turns out i'm all parched after all that fightin'. You wouldn't wanna help me down a cask or two, would ya?"

Gorduin can't believe it at first but he manages to say, "Um...sure. Let me just put this book back where I found it." He pulls a bit of string out of his pocket and lays it in the book to act as a bookmark and then closes it. Standing up, he walks the book back over to the shelf and slides it back in. "Okay, I'm ready to go." He holds out his arm for Munchers to jump on so the little king can take his place on the old elf's shoulder which the squirrel does. Munchers chitters at Gorduin, which causes him to say, "Munchers would like to know where we are going."

"Well, if ya wanna drink, it's the Silver Nail. Unless His Majesty got a preference - me, i can drink anywhere."

"No, that sounds fine. Lead the way," says Gorduin.

Carlos leads his friends out of the keep, through the courtyard, down the hill, and to The Nail. The lamps have already been lit inside the pub, causing cheery light to be projected onto the slowly growing shadow of the building. When you guys enter, you find the place with a scattering of customers, mostly locals by the look of them with a few dwarven merchants and their guards.

A pretty brown-haired human waitress in her early twenties finishes putting drinks down for the merchants before walking over and saying, "Hello, welcome to The Silver Nail, I'm Polly. Can I get you a table or would you prefer to sit at the bar?"

When Carlos looks at him Gorduin says, "I'm fine with either one, pick whatever you want."

Carlos replies merrily - "Table sounds good, lassy. Will ya get us a bottle of Orujo to go with it?"

"Aye, right this way," she says with a smile. Polly leads the way to a table close to the bar and waits for you both to take your seats. She says, "I'll be right back. We do allow animals inside but they have to remain on or near you at all times."

Gorduin nods, "I understand. Don't worry, he won't be any trouble."

Polly smiles again and says, "I'm sure. Back in a jiff." She heads over to the bar to place your order, bringing over the bottle of spirits and two cups in no time at all. "Let me know if you want to order anything to eat, Orujo really does go better with food."

Carlos looks over at Gorduin - "I'm kinda sucker fer peanuts. You?"

"Works for me," says the old elf, "And Munchers too, I suspect." Munchers does perk up at the mention of peanuts.

"I'll bring you guys a double order then," says Polly, walking back into the kitchen and reappearing shortly after with a large bowl of roasted peanuts. She sets them down and says, "Let me know if you need anything else. Have fun." She walks away to check on the other customers.

"Go ahead and do the honors Carlos," says Gorduin, pulling the cups apart and setting them down so that Carlos can pour. Meanwhile, Munchers walks over to the peanut bowl and sniffs at them, taking one of the nuts in his paws and eating it. The little glutton is soon eating them as fast as he can stuff them into his mouth.

Carlos pours the brandy, knocking his mug with Gorduin's before downing the booze - "That was a tough one back there. Whether it's twigs or swords, ya got a mean swing, ya know."

Gorduin downs his as well. "That's mighty kind of you to say, since I've seen what you can do with that hammer of yours. I don't think I've even heard of such a thing, much less expected to see it."

Carlos chuckles - "Hah, came up with it on the fly! Well, on the spider, really. Figured since i had the potion an' all, might as well make it count."

"You certainly did," he says, "I had to do it the hard way and let me tell you, worst dance partner I've ever had."

Carlos laughs - "Yeah, wha'was the deal with those guys anyway? Boss-man over there ready ta raise white flag an' they figure they still wan' a piece? Then Molzorec just up an' cuts down their Shaman, i'll bet ya the plot thickens right there."

"I think the shaman were Daggerburg goblins and if I had to guess, the two sides didn't get along even before we started attacking them," Gorduin says with a shrug. "One of the few advantages we have over them, honestly."

Carlos lets out a rough sigh - "Me, i jes' don't get'em. I mean, i like a good fight much as the next hammerin' Dwarf - axes are for losers - but those guys... it's like bloody currency. An' that Molzorec, bringin' his kids ta war... part o' me feels bad fer his loss, the other part wants ta flip'em off. I know sumtimes ya can't help but have people ya care about fightin' next to ya but ya usually do that for some better cause than it jes' bein' yer day job, and ya do yer damnedest that it don't become a habit." Carlos thinks about it a bit more - "Ugh... maybe i do get'em. I jes' don' like it."

"I don't see what difference it makes. They were the enemy and they tried to kill us just as much as we tried to kill them," says Gorduin with a shrug.

"Aye. S'all it comes down to when s'all said an' done." - Carlos downs another mug, then looks at Gorduin as he's mulling something over - "Ya mind i ask ya somethin'?"

"If you have to qualify it I probably will but go ahead," he says, pouring himself another drink.

Carlos shakes his mug slightly at Gorduin - ""Lady that glared at ya when ya Missed the Thing, same lady ya held ya breath for when she went ta strom that guard tower. She the one gave you the black eye, wan't she?"

"Nothing I didn't earn," he sips his drink.

"Old wound?"

"I made a series of choices to free myself from the Eldership and the consequences are on me," he says, looking down at his cup. "This consequence wasn't my intent but what does that matter in the end? It's still my fault."

Carlos raises eyebrow as though finding it odd - "Couldn't ya just said ya din't wanna be Elder?"

"I did. Repeatedly. But no one listened to me or asked me what I wanted. Anything I did that was contrary to the destiny laid out before me was ignored, or glossed over. I could do anything and they didn't care. I took whatever I wanted. I said whatever I wanted. I did whatever I wanted. It didn't matter how cruel or stupid it was, they laughed it off because I was going to be the next great Elder. I'd shape up as soon as I put childish things aside, they'd say. Or some variation of that nonsense," says Gorduin, his face becoming flushed and his breath faster.

"And when that one thing they were clingin' on to din't pan out they were all shocked an' surprised, eh?"

He downs his booze. "Yes. It was uncanny. Like I had been speaking an entirely different language up to that point and then magically they could understand me. And boy did they regret it. It was mostly worth the humiliation of it all." He burps and chuckles in glee.

"Ha!" - Carlos chuckles in earnest and downs another - "What about now, though? Think they'll call ya back if ya don' keep'em on their toes?"

"I, hmm," he says, taking a moment to think about it. "I'm not sure. I don't really know what the future will bring. I don't regret helping Yorenan or sticking it to Neremyn. But I've been wondering that myself."

Carlos chuckles - "Well o' course ya don't regret helping Yorenan and stickin' it ta that dick, neither do i even if we hadn't won! But i heard regret when ya talked about the lady that socked ya just a minute ago, din't i?"

Gorduin grips his cup in both hands while staring down at the drink. After a couple of moments he silently nods.

"Well..." - he downs another swig - "I ain't gon' pry fer details, but... ain't that a thing that might be mendable?"

"I don't see how. Any apology I offer won't be sincere or enough to make up for what I did to her and her mother. Unless you have an idea?" He looks at Carlos with a small glimmer of hope.

Carlos thinks about it - "Well... i dunno what happened with ya family, but... if ya daughter still cares enough to look at ya with that kinda glare and give ya a black eye, ya can be sure ya still mean somethin' ta her. Yeah, might be some dark red fire between ya two, but it's a lot better than ashes. If she'd been indifferent to yer antics it'd be one thing, but ya definitely ain't there."

"That makes sense. But what do I do about it?" asks the old man earnestly.

Well, i gotta go an' ask the dumb question. Have ya tried apologizin' ta her yet?"

Gorduin shakes his head and says, "And say what? I'm not sorry I tanked my political career and forced you and your mother to become social pariahs. That's not much of an apology Carlos."

"C'mon, now. The first part might be true, but are ya really not sorry at all for the damage it did ta the people ya love?"

"I'd do it again if given the choice."

"All the same? Ya wouldn't have tried ta do it so they wouldn't hav' gotten hurt?"

Gorduin blinks twice before saying, "I don't see how that's possible if I take the same actions."

"Yeah, but if it were. Would ya do it?"

The old elf doesn't hesitate. "No."

"Why z'at?"

"Because it wasn't possible with the choices I made," he says, as if that were obvious.

Carlos sighs - "Ya really stuck on ya did what ya did and couldn't hav' done it any other way so the's no point thinking about it even tho ya regret the consequences that ya wouldn't avoid anyway because ya did what ya did." - Carlos waves his mug at him - "But ya ARE still tryin' ta connect with ya lil' girl, or ya wouldn't hav' gotten that shiner. Heck, ya coulda just left this tribe behind and started fresh somewhere else, where peopl'd appreciate ya for who ya are an' not who ya suppos'ta be, but here ya are bein' the resident pariah yerself, lettin' everyon' think ya crazy. The hell did the folks back then do ta ya anyway, point an arrow at ya head an' say Become Elder or Else? How was THIS the only way?"

Gorduin's eyes go wide in surprise and for just a moment, Carlos sees the horror and fear there behind them, before the elf hides it under anger. The old elf scowls at Carlos saying, "What the Hells do you know, you-Ouch!" he says, as Munchers leaps up and bites him on the nose. Gorduin pulls his hand away and looks at it, saying, "You drew blood!"

In response, Munchers chitters at Gorduin, causing him to shut up. The squirrel king then looks over at Carlos and nods.

"Pah, the Hells do i know, ya think ya so cryptic but ya so easy ta read even the Squirrel calls yer bullshit!" - Munchers flattens his ears at Carlos at the insult but the dwarf presses on, changing his voice to do a piss poor and rather wimpy impersonation of Gorduin - "O, it's so hopeless so i don' even hav'ta think about how badly i cocked it up! - ya feed yerself that crap so hard ya even kept up the act so ya can fool yerself inta thinking this is how ya like it! An' i tell ya somethin' more, if stumpy ol' Dwarf here who's known ya fer all of a day can tell, ya can bet i ain't the only one! I'll bet ya anythin' that shiner ya got was less about how hopeless it is than it was about ya not even tryin!"

He groans as realization sets in. He slumps down into his chair before leaning forward onto the table, looking beat. Blood is still beading on the end of his nose when he says, "What do I do, Carlos? Where do I even start?"

Carlos slumps himself, allowing himself to cool off - "Well, i ain't no sharper than me hammer so i say ya start at the start. Go to ya daughter, tell her ya sorry. Tell her ya hope she can forgive ya and that ya'll try ta be better for her. Ya know, the basics. And then ya stick to it, that day and the day after, till she sees ya mean it. It ain't no magic arrow, but it's solid. It's how people make amends when they're serious about it, they start from the ground up and build it as they go."

"I'll do what I can." He's silent for a moment, before saying, "After the party. Even I know that much."

"Ya do that. And ya stick to it, even f'it look bleak. S'gonna be ok, man; even if it might not look like it." - then he grabs the bottle and pours them another one - "Now c'mon, booze ain't gonna drink itself. Can see the bottom o' my mug already."

Gorduin picks himself up, lets out a deep breath, and then pushes his cup over for Carlos to top off. "Can't have that."

After walking up the road from the village and back to the keep, Hunter and John find themselves once again in the courtyard. It's really coming together in terms of the party, with tables set up and various stations being set up to facilitate everything, like a makeshift bar for distributing drinks or a table being set aside for finger foods. That kind of thing. Hunter doesn't see Ludmilla amongst the castle staff, elves, and assorted looky-loos so he'll have to go looking for her.

Hunter runs his hand through Noble's fur and tells him he can go play some more. And not to eat anything he sees just laying out. He turns to John and says, "Looks like we don't have long until the feast starts. I'm gonna go check on Ludmilla."

"Sounds good," says John, "I'm gonna see if Alma needs any help with anything. See you later at the party then."

Hunter gives John a nod. Hunter then flags one of the servants heading out of the hall and asks them if they've seen Ranger Ludmilla. He says no, but that Hunter should try the Ranger's area in the Keep. After thanking him, Hunter makes his way into the keep, through the great hall, down the stairs, and to the dungeon where the Ranger's are quartered. He finds Ludmilla reading a report at her desk in the shared office. The only other Ranger present is is an older, balding human gentlemen that Hunter recognizes by sight but can't remember the name of for the life of him. He decides to keep things low key and pitches his voice lower in an attempt at some privacy for the upcoming conversation. "Hey, Ludmilla, you got a minute?"

"No, but I'd rather talk to you than read this report. What you be needing?" she says, stretching enough to audibly crack her neck and back.

After a moment of hesitation, Hunter walks closer and says, "I have a question about the portal in the Briar Hills..." He gives her a familiar look. "I'm not the first person you told where to find it, am I?"

"What makes you say that?" she says, genuinely curious.

"Symania has one. Tolliver gave it to her. Lakal's Tear."

"Aye, I told him where to get it. Swore him to secrecy too," she says, "Is there any particular reason she showed you hers?"

Hunter's tail flicks to one side. "Because I showed her mine. How did you know my grandfather?"

"So you made it. Good for you," says Ludmilla genuinely pleased. "I knew Toliver and Symania from my adventuring days. We broke up a devil cult in Sarthel, oh, it must be thirty years ago now?" She shakes her head in disbelief. "I'd known of them before that but it was the first time we had worked together."

Hunter drops the attitude when he hears about the cult, but he pushes on. "And, did you work together again after that?"

"We did," she says simply.

Hunter's tail starts to twitch again. "Well, what was he to you?"

"A party member and trusted friend," she says without hesitating.

"Oh. Well, were you and him ever... you know,  'close'?"

"No. He was married at the time to his first wife and happily so. He talked about your family most of the time," she says.

Hunter glances self-consciously at the other ranger in the room, and asks, "I'd like to know more about them. Do you need to finish reading right now?"

"While I be needing to read it and write a summary for the Old Man, it can wait for a little bit so long as you don't talk my ears off," she says, flashing a smile at Hunter.

Hunter grabs a chair and sits down. "So, I only remember that Rose's folks didn't approve of some stuff. Including my dad. But I'm not clear on what exactly happened. Things are fuzzy."

"Toliver and Rose had known each other from a young age, having grown up in Darden together. By the time she passed from Cackle Fever, they were both well into their forties and half their kids were married with children of their own. It was a sad time for your grandfather; I've never seen him so down and lonely. I did what I could to cheer him up, but being a Ranger is hard at the best of times and I just couldn't be around as much as I wanted or he needed. So naturally it was Symania that he spent more and more time with, to the point where his son, your uncle, Rowan confronted them about it.  That was three months after we buried her.

But whatever was happening between them at the time, I ask you not to be angry with them. There's no instructions for how long grief lasts for each person and they were discreet out of respect for others. This is a lesson Rowan and Gus have both refused to learn, and that's why they remain alienated from your branch of the family, as well as from Yorenan and Symania," she shakes her head at it.

Hunter shakes his head. "No, I'll grin and bear it if I ever meet them. They're my family." Hunter looks at the other ranger again, getting butterflies about broaching the next topic on his agenda with third parties present, but he swallows it. "I'm grateful for you telling me where to find the flower," he whispers. "But, I think you need to know, that... I can't give it to Kat anymore."

Ludmilla's eyebrows climb up her forehead, threatening to blow right past and off of her face. "You risked your life to get her this present and you won't even give it to her? What happened?"

He winces and massages the back of his neck, draws a somber breath, and explains. "I met someone else. I let my eyes wander, and she got sweet on me, and I didn't discourage it. Kathryn found out. Now neither of them will look at me. But I still went and got the flower, after." He looks down.

Ludmilla silently stares at Hunter in disbelief before saying, "Let me see the flower."

Hunter brings it out and shows her, guarding it from being glimpsed by the other ranger.

The old woman takes it and carefully holding it in such a way that the other Ranger wouldn't be able to see it clearly from where he is sitting in the corner. She visually checks for blemishes, pulls lightly at the petals who don't give at all, and then at the leaves, which receive a similar treatment and yield similar results. She says, "Well, it seems to have absorbed your feelings okay, so I don't think it's in danger of rotting away." She hands it back. "Your feelings seem to be true so I don't understand what the issue is. Why not just use it as an apology gift?"

He watches in horror as she starts to pull at it. For a moment, he doesn't answer. "That was my original idea. But, after Symania told me about when she got hers, I changed my mind. It would make a great gift, definitely, but it could mean more than that. No, it should. And...Kathryn's not the one."

"Ah," she says, looking away while she contemplates that. "So, what are you planning to do with it?"

"Is it gonna rot? How long will it be this way?"

Ludmilla says, "In theory, it could last indefinitely, but those would be some powerful feelings. Most average the lifetime of the couple or bond."

"Well then, like I said, I want to give it to someone who means the world to me. Wow, that was really mushy, pardon me." His thoughts drift through the days in the East Woods, and Shandalar is suddenly there in his mind's eye, her anger firmly rooted to her face. "I just don't have that person right now. I'm kinda worried that the flower might wilt before I do."

"It might, yes. But it absorbed the feelings you put into it as you escaped. It wouldn't really mean anything to another person," says Ludmilla.

A realization hits him. "Oh... So, it can only mean anything for Kathryn? Then..."

"That's the whole point of the process, yes," she confirms with a nod, "You'd have to repeat it for someone else, but I wouldn't recommend tempting fate too many times. The fact you are so indecisive right now might draw unwanted attention as it is."

Hunter leans back in the chair and rubs his face. "There are a million-and-one things I could have done different. This whole thing sucks."

Ludmilla watches him with some sympathy and finally says, "Are you sure you aren't overthinking this? There are more kinds of love than just romantic love. Whatever you feel for Kathryn is true and that's special. Why not celebrate that fact rather than dwelling on your mistakes? Why not figure out what that flower means and then tell her about it when she's ready?"

"I will. I'm trying. It's just that this fact is a direct result of my mistakes, and she's still angry."

"You have no control over that and accepting that be at the heart of my advice," she says.

Hunter says nothing. He just nods.

She leans back in her chair, satisfied that Hunter has heard her. "Is there anything else?"

"Actually, yeah," he answers. "I saw your marriage ceremony in a vision of the past in the White Well. I was just curious to know more about it, if you wouldn't mind telling me?"

"You saw?" she goes silent, clearly unhappy about it. She's silent for so long that Hunter starts wondering if he has overstepped but she finally says, "It be the happiest day of my long life. The night before I had spent in ritual cleansing, my mother herself doing my hair. My mother-in-law and aunties presented me with borrowed gifts of jewelry and silks, passed down through our various families for generations, each a connection to that past, each a blessing for the future. They showered me with advice, both useful and not, but it was the act of being together that was the greatest treasure. I never felt more loved than I did in that moment, a feeling shared by my beloved Milosh as he navigated his own rites and rituals with the men of our families.

I don't remember much of the ceremony itself, for it was long and I was overwhelmed, but I remember being happy. And always, I had Milosh at hand. He was always handsome but he never looked so fine as he did that day." She looks away and wipes the tears from her eyes with the back of her left hand. "I haven't spoken of that day since your grandmother passed away and only then with your grandfather. Do you understand?"

Hunter doesn't dare say a word, frozen in place while she looks to be mulling over whether to talk about it and when she does, he realizes he just stepped on a bomb. "Oh. I'm sorry." He doesn't know what to do with this information now, but he asks, "Are you alright?"

She takes a moment to gather herself but finally says, "I be here, now, and that's enough." She takes a deep breath and says, "It be a powerful memory, I put it away so that I may live, but it's always there, ready to come out again. A treasure and a curse. Distance helps, but the pain only fades, never goes away."

Oops, this was probably a mistake. "He seemed like a good guy... You should come to the feast. In fact, it might be about to start. Would that help?"

"In a little while. I be needing to finish with this report first. Go ahead, I'll catch up," she waves him off.

"Alright." He gets up. "Thanks for talking to me."

"Of course. What are friends for?" she says.

Hunter smiles at her and then walks out to the courtyard to see if there's anything he can do to help get things ready.

After Hunter leaves the room the Ranger in the corner looks over to her sharing a look with her, silently asking if she is okay. Appreciative for his concern, she nonetheless waves him off, her expression conveying this to him, causing him to nod in understanding before they both go back to work.

Kathryn comes back to the Keep with Robert and uses this occasion to talk some more about the companions she's traveling with. Once they arrive there and see the many people gathered in the courtyard, she searches for the rest of the party and spots some of them hanging out near the entrance to the keep. She motions to Robert to follow her and she proceeds to introduce him to them, after which they begin to talk about the kinds of lessons he taught her so many years ago.

She then remembers Lady Emily wished to talk to her about a private matter. Thinking it might be better to find her before the feast begins, she asks Zoe to take care of Robert and promises to come back as soon as possible. And off she goes.

After asking around a little bit with the staff, Kat tracks Lady Emily to her office, a small room just off to the side of the master bedroom. When she knocks, the door is answered by a teenage girl of thirteen, in a white gown similar to Holly's, marking her as one of Emily's ladies-in-waiting. The brown haired girl is gangly and freckled, but she'll probably be a looker someday. She says, "How do you do? I'm Tracy."

"Hi Tracy. I'm doing very well, thank you. I'm Ser Kathryn, from the Acorn Avengers. Is Lady Emily here? She wanted to talk to me about something, but I can come back later if that's better."

Tracy is about to answer when Emily calls from inside the room, "Let her in Tracy, I did ask to speak to her." Tracy gives Kat an awkward curtsy and opens the door wider so she can come in. "Lady Emily will see you now," she adds unnecessarily.

When Kathryn enters the room, it is full of shelves on all the walls, which are filled with sending stones. Three young women varying in age from eleven to seventeen are tending the shelves, picking up stones as needed and listening to the messages, before writing them down and taking them to Emily, who is sitting at her desk writing a report. Her handwriting is neat and crisp, almost as good as Hush's. She says, "Come in Ser Kathryn, I'm almost done. Have a seat." She indicates a chair next to Holly, who is reading one of the messages.

Kat's sister-in-law lowers the paper and smiles at her, saying, "Hello Kat, good to see you."

"Hello, Lady Emily. Hi, Holly. I'm glad to see you." Kathryn smiles to the young woman and takes the seat that Lady Emily offered her. She then looks around the room, fascinated by this system of sending stones. It appears that the rumors that Stockmer's wife also acts as his spymaster are true.

Both women go back to work but it is Emily that finishes first. She sets her quill down and picks up a pinch of sand and sprinkles it over the paper to help it dry faster. She says, "Thank you for waiting. I was wondering if I'd see you before the party. Would you like something to drink? I'm having water myself." She indicates her goblet.

"Oh, thank you, but no. I already drank some ale with my teacher not long ago. The one Juan just invented? It's quite good, you should try it if you haven't already."

"We bought some for the party. I'll make sure to try it tonight," she says, leaning back in her chair to relax. "Let's get to it then. I have two friends from Fallcrest, sisters, one of which you've met already. I've known Febe and Sorsha Medial since they were babes in the cradle, and their father longer still. They've been visiting to study the old ruins hereabout and I was hoping you'd be willing to see them home when you leave for Fallcrest yourself."

"Of course we will," she exclaims confidently. "I'm sure the others would be happy to escort them back home. It's the least we can do after all the help Febe has given us. I had no idea there were ruins in the region though."

"Oh yes," says Emily, "On top of the ruined Nerathi manors scattered about here in the wold, there's also the ruins of an old Nerathi fort to the north and the ruins of Inverness Castle to the east. And of course, the Eladrin ruins of Dal Nystiere in the Iron Arrow lands. They all draw explorers and students of antiquity from time to time and Douvan and his daughters are no exception."

Kathryn ponders for an instant the implications of what Lady Emily just said, especially when she mentions the many ruined Nerathi manors across the land. "Hmm, I've never heard of the Medial family before. Who are they? They sound like historians of some sorts."

"Indeed. They are scholars of the old empires, with Douvan taking a particular interest in Nerath, both the Kingdom and the Empire that came after. I have all of his books in the library if you are interested in reading them. There isn't a person alive today that can rival his knowledge of the Vale and its history. In fact, it's his life's work to put together the definitive account of our region both during the Empire and in the immediate aftermath leading up to the invasion by the Bloodspear Orcs a hundred years ago." She picks up her goblet and sips some water. "His daughters have been helping him with his book, though both in their own ways. Febe is devoted to the goddess of knowledge as you know, while Sorsha follows the path of a bard, wandering where her heart takes her. It's very rare for them to travel together like this and I'm afraid they may have attracted some trouble."

Although Kathryn has never been the bookish type, she seems very interested in what Douvan has to say about the history of Nerath, but her attention quickly shifts to the two sisters. "Trouble?" she repeats. "Coming from who?"

"We don't know," says Emily unhappily. "They've been approached twice by strange men looking to buy whatever artifacts they may have found while poking around in the ruins and both times the sisters have rebuffed them politely. However, while the men have never outright threatened them, they've both been warned about not poking their noses into dangerous places and they've both been followed but not harmed. This attention stopped as soon as they entered Harken Village, but I'm afraid whoever they are may try something on the road back home. And since you are planning to make for Fallcrest directly you should be able to avoid any trouble that might be waiting on the road to Hammerfast."

Kat furrows her brows and says, "I don't like the sound of that. You're right, we definitely cannot let Febe and Sorsha travel alone. I'll also try to convince the others to take the time to look into this. It seems too important to just ignore."

Emily nods and then smiles, "I was hoping you'd say that. Thank you. I'd hate for anything to happen to them."

"It's my pleasure to help," Kat says with a little smile. "Should I tell Febe about this, or will you?"

"I'll tell them myself at the party, but when you see them, please don't mention the part about keeping them out of trouble. I promised I wouldn't make a big deal out of it and if they found out about the real reason for our arrangement, Sorsha might turn it down. She can be terribly stubborn I'm afraid. I should be able to sell the idea of traveling with you as faster than Hammerfast, which will greatly appeal to them," says Emily.

"Will do. I'll tell my friends about the trouble in question once we're well on our way then." Kat pauses for an instant and then asks, "Um, why is the King's Road not often used by travelers? Is there something wrong with it? Monsters? Bandits?"

"Bandits. Which is the other thing I want to discuss with you," she takes another drink. "We have reports from both Hammerfast and Fallcrest of bandits hitting caravans on the Trade Road, the same bandits that I suspect shut down trade between Harkenwold and Fallcrest. The dwarves have upped their guards so they can still get through, but the cost to the merchants for doing so is fast making the trade route untenable, just like ours to Fallcrest. The other merchants haven't been so lucky. There are still some that would chance it but their numbers are thinning and soon trade might stop completely.

I can't stress enough how much of a disaster this would be for Fallcrest, Winterhaven, and Mistwatch, especially with the war on Shadowmire threatening to expand into the rest of the Vale. If the route between Hammerfast and Fallcrest is broken, that will leave the one and only trade route on the Nentir River, which runs directly through that dragon's swamp. It's not a matter of if Shadowmire will shut it down, it's when."

"We can't let that happen," Kat declares. "Which means we have to get rid of the bandits. We could set a trap for them while we travel to Fallcrest and capture a few of them, learn where their camps are and then attack them. But maybe that's too obvious?"

"Maybe, but it's worth a shot. Either way, I agree with you, tracking down their base is a high priority amongst high priorities. That's why Jojo's trading mission is so important and why I advised my husband to support it even before we knew about the dragon and its machinations for the region." She reaches down below her desk and pulls out a large scroll tube, from which she produces a map. "I think they are located in the forest here. It would surely hide them and it's located between the King's Road and the Trade Road, making it the perfect place to strike from. So long as they didn't harm the forest, the Treants wouldn't care."

Lady Emily's Map:

Kathryn hardens her gaze and examines the map carefully. The region where they could be hiding is vast, but not so much that it'd be impossible to track them down. "Maybe they have scouts who come into town to spot possible targets. We should make sure they notice us before we leave."

"That's certainly possible. I wouldn't be surprised if you caught their attention when you start trading, especially if you travel around to the various villages talking about reopening the route." Her tone makes it clear that her suggestion is to do just that.

Kat grins and nods. "That sounds like a fine idea. I can't wait to give them a piece of my mind. What should we do with the prisoners?"

"Get them to flip on their compatriots in exchange for leniency, take the rest to the Watch in Fallcrest for justice. I'll let the Lord Warden know that you've agreed. After I tell my husband of course!" She laughs.

Kat chuckles and says, "Will do. We might need to borrow some manacles, if you have any."

"I'll make the arrangements, don't worry," she says.

"Thank you. I'd like to stay a little more, but I have to go back to my friends; I left Robert with them, and he's never really been good with crowds. Was there anything else you wanted to talk about before I go?"

"No, I'll see you at the party. I still have some work to do." She reaches over to the three neat piles of messages marked Urgent, Priority, and Important and takes a sheet from the bottom of the Urgent pile. "Take care Ser Kathryn, and thank you again."

"It was my pleasure." The young woman rises from her chair, waves goodbye at Holly, and exits the room.

1. Food.
2. Dancing
3. Talking to an NPC
4. Talking to each other
5. Joke or Story Telling
6. Axe Throwing
7. Drinking Contest

Anyone that wants to participate, you can drink 1 cup of ale with no save per 6 points of Con you have. After that it's a DC 14 Con save. If you fail the save, you become one step closer to passing out and take a stacking -2 to further Con saves to resist becoming drunk. Once you fail three saves you pass out. Good luck.

Special: Dwarves and anyone with Resistance to Poison has advantage on this check.

Normal dancing doesn't require a check.

Now if a dance competition breaks out, that's another story. Use Str (Athletics), Dex (Acrobatics), or Cha (Perform) at a DC of your choosing to set the bar for everyone else to match. Anyone who fails to do so is eliminated. The game is then repeated with a new person setting the challenge each time, until every remaining contestant has had a turn. Repeat until there is only one winner. The contestants can declare a draw by mutual agreement.

Bjark is at it again. Contestants throw an axe at a target with a DC of 10. Each round the DC goes up by 2, as the contestants throw at the target from further and further away until there is a winner. After DC 20, everyone has disadvantage on the throw.

Win prestige and friends with your ability to bullshit and jape. Make a Diplomacy or Deception check depending on if you are telling the truth or lying through your teeth/putting on a character and then pair it with a Perform check. Winner is the one with the best combined rolls.

Give yourself advantage if you describe the broad strokes of your joke or story in an entertaining way.

Example: I tell a funny story about an old man who loses his shadow and the house cat that helps him win it back from a giant through a high-stakes poker game, all while trying to dodge the loving affections of the giant's lonely wife.