NPC’s

Lady Moonfire

This youthful half-elf favors a black or green gown sewn with silver thread. Glittering rings decorate her delicate fingers, and a silver amulet hangs regally from her neck.

Lady_Moonfire

 

Lady Moonfire is very happy to meet you in the Tavern the next day at lunch, in fact you do recognise her, but had assumed she was your common or garden villager.

She is beautiful but not particularly noble acting, in fact she seems quite flighty and irreverant, drinking ale and laughing loudly and lewdly. She tells you that she is an adventurer at heart, a mage of no small reknown.

She is very interested in the story of the tower and its libraries, she admits to having met Numeshay in her past but was repulsed by his fascination with other realms.

She is even more interested in Kaddim and the High Forest from which he hails.

She informs you that every piece of unoccupied land, 10 miles in each direction belongs to her. The land and property that belonged to Numeshay Odeken becomes property of the crown (ie Lady Moonfire) unless relatives can be found.

She continues….

“Nobody in their right mind though, Tristram, will seek out such people, if they are alive or will even admit to being related to such an obviously unstable individual anyway.

I’ll make you a deal. Take me to the High Forest, to the Frozen Tower of Draigdurroch and help me secure some arcane tomes my research has indicated are there and I’ll waive my rights to Odeken’s land and property.

Let me know, I’ve got a trial to officiate” She drains her pint and walks out.

 

Zark

zark

The Trial of Zark Flintcastle

(As told by Braxus)

The main hall of the guard HQ has been cleared. At the back of the hall sits Zark, his hands bound before him, a guard to either side. Before him sit his judges –

  • Lady Moonfire, town leader

  • Captain Harrowleaf, Captain of the Guard

  • Brother Griffon, priest of Silvanus (I’ve never seen Griffon before, he looks like he could be of similar blood to me. Hmm!)

Behind them, I sit, along with Garwan, the shopkeeper, and Uncle of the accused.

Harrowleaf stands and reads out the charges –

  • Kidnapping
  • Slavery
  • Disturbing the peace

He then delivers his judgement. The other judges haven’t spoken a word, there’s been no testimony.

“Zark, you are a disgrace to your family. Your parents died to give you a good start andyour Uncle has raised you and he now sits, a broken man, humiliated by your selfishness. I overlooked so many of your petty crimes, attributing them to youth and the recklessness of a young man without loving parents. I too feel humiliated and betrayed by your actions. Children? Trafficking in children? You dirty little wretch!!! You will hang!”

Zark starts crying. His previously defiant pretence falls away. He crumples from his chair and holds his hands aloft…

“Mercy good captain, I admit my crimes, but I beg mercy. I will talk, I will tell you what you want to know. I did not intend this, I just wanted something more than the life of a shopkeeper.” At this he looks imploringly at his Uncle, who sits calmly, although you don’t need the eyes of a elven scout to see the tears running down his cheeks.

“Calla, ask Calla, they’ve asked me for advice on her. She’ll tell you. May Silvanus forgive me brother,” he shouts looking towards the priest,”I didn’t want to do it, they made me!!”

Brother Griffon stands and says “Tyr’s tits man! You should have come to me!” He turns to Harrowleaf, “Let him live. I know you make the decisions about this sort of thing, but this is different. We saw what happened all those years ago, it was bound to have affected him. He’s family Harrowleaf! We, both of us, held him on our knee. I won’t be party to his death!”

“And then what Griffon? We let one crime go unpunished, we let people think it’s acceptable to kidnap children if you’ve had a troubled past! You think I want this? You think that I’ve slept or had a moment’s peace since this all began? This shouldn’t happen in Loudwater, we worked too damned hard!” The captain’s hands are waving and his normal composure is slipping, he glances over at Garwan and stops.

I’m not sure what passed between them in that moment but there was something. A single mouthed plea from the old dwarf, a slight nod from the elf, I can’t be sure.

Harrowleaf breathes deeply, regains his centre and speaks…

“Zark Flintcastle, you are hereby banished from Loudwater and its environs. Your misdeeds will remain private. You have until dusk to gather your belongings. You will not speak with anyone and nobody will be free to approach you. I will slay you myself if you even sneeze in the direction of my town ever again. Remove him from my sight!”

Lady Moonfire stands and walks over to Garwan who is being comforted by Brother Griffon, I can’t hear what they’re saying. Harrowleaf looks angry. He walks over to me.

“Fuck this Braxus!! I was there when he was born, I saw him take his first steps, I saw him punch his first goblin. I don’t know what that scum from Zelbross did to him; it changed him. Braxus, be the instrument of my vengeance, all our vengeance, Loudwater’s, Garwan’s, Zark’s, yours! Find the ones behind this. Find them and slay them! Slay them!!”