Beginnings

General Summary

It's the year 888 of the Tevinter Imperium, 13th day of Cassus, and in the small town of Schwarzstein located in the outskirts of the Hunterthorn Mountains an unlikely group of travellers comes together.

The Golden Sun

Harold, a soldier, awakens in the tavern "The Golden Sun" after not the most comfortable night. When leaving his room he bumps into Junius, a mage that doesn't seem to quite fit in the small-town world of Schwarzstein and seems to have eyes mostly for the papers he carries with him. Jeska, a dwarf, is a rather uncommon sight so far away from the bigger cities, as is Brenda, who definitely isn't a citizen of the Imperium, and doesn't quite know how to act and fit in here.

by Elvenbeard

While Harold and Jeska have breakfast, Junius an overpriced cup of tea, and Brenda just wants something cold against the heat, a crowd starts to gather outside. A young boy calls the tavern maid Vania to the door, informing her that "They are coming!". Jeska already assumes the worst, assumes a darkspawn attack - but in fact it is a caravan that arrives.

The Caravan Camp - a couple of hours earlier

A couple of hours earlier the mercenaries Mira and Maxfield, working for the caravan leader, have to sort out a small internal argument: an older lady accuses a young woman of stealing her heirloom, an expensive necklace. Mira and Maxfield investigate, as does Claudia, the accused. The old woman, Brigid, is a true beast and convinced of the young noble's evil deed, and Mira has all hands full dealing with the upset civilian. An attempt to strip-search the old lady fails, and the necklace seems to have disappeared from the face of the earth. Meanwhile Maxfield and Claudia interrogate two other elder ladies, Korinne and Thea, who slept in the same tent that night and might have seen who really stole the necklace - if it was stolen at all. In the end it turned out that Brigid had only accidentally put her necklace in Korinne's bag instead of her own - there had never been a theft. Since Brigid had behaved absolutely terribly, Claudia and Maxfield plan to play a little prank on her: quick and unseen, more shadow than human, Claudia manages to put the necklace into Brigid's bag while Maxfield distracts her, only for Maxfield to search the bag again and the "stolen" necklace magically reappearing in a "Look what we have here!" moment. Brigid is fuming, while Korinne and Thea are just as amused as the pranksters, feeling with the wrongly accused Claudia.

by Elvenbeard

The Desert Crows introduce themselves

The caravan eventually arrives in Schwarzstein, where Jeska, Brenda, Harold, and Junius witness the arrival of its leaders: Valentin as well as his right and left hand. He announces that the mercenaries call themselves the "Desert Crows" and they offer safe passage to Vol Dorma to everyone who has the coin. Harold decides to join the caravan, since he isn't planning on staying in Schwarzstein, but is shocked to hear that for 2 weeks of travel the mercenaries ask for 30 silver. Any attempts at persuading the mercenaries to lower the price fail, and begrudgingly he pays.

by Elvenbeard

Junius overhears the price and mutters "I could buy 30 cups of tea for that" to himself, but he actually gets a lower price, due to his abilities as a mage. He travels as a normal passenger, but he agrees to help if needed. Brenda first of all doesn't get the point of queuing up to get to talk to the mercenaries, but after she scared some of the townspeople the guards get her back in line. She isn't pleased with the amount of silver she'd need to pay and decides then not to join the caravan at all, instead looking for other means to continue her journey. Jeska in the meantime stays in the tavern, as she doesn't like crowds and would rather talk to the leaders at a later point, potentially to travel along as well.

A curious encounter

Harold sits in front of the tavern and watches the crowd as first Claudia, then Maxfield and Mira enter the tavern - the Golden Sun is the first inn on the way into the town and they have the afternoon off. Claudia asks the tavern owner about refugees, which makes Mira, an elf, suspicious. Mira in general is an unusual sight, since there aren't many free elves in this part of the Imperium. Maxfield and Mira sit with Claudia and start having a friendly conversation, as Brenda enters the tavern again to ask Detlef, the owner, where in town she could buy a map. He gives her the directions to the Marketplace and the "Everything and Nothing" general goods store, located on the corner of where the main street meets the market place. Upon entering the tavern Brenda notices Maxfield and vice versa, and he stands in her way before she manages to leave again - they know each other, grew up in the same hold in the south. Only begrudingly Brenda agrees to sit with Maxfield, Mira, and Claudia. All this is overheard by Jeska, sitting by the window scribbling in her notebook, and Junius doing paperwork at the counter.

by Elvenbeard

Harold helps out

Harold outside the tavern witnesses how the tavern maid Vania along with the boy who had called her outside and a girl to whom Harold had briefly talked to in the crowd, talk to the mercenary leaders. The conversation doesn't seem to go according to what Vania expected, but Harold can't hear any details. When Vania returns, visibly upset and desperate, talking about how she can't afford leaving, he decides to help her. Vania is shocked, but thankful.

An argument

Jeska eventually finishes her breakfast, politely brings her dishes to Vania, and decides to go to the market. Harold goes back outside as well after his brief conversation with Vania. Just as Jeska is about to step out onto the street, she overhears a loud argument at the east gate. An older man, balding, angry, is yelling at Valentin and his companion. They seem to have had the same argument many times before, as Valentin doesn't seem bothered, but eventually the older man throws him out of the city, threatening to send the guards after them if they return. Then the boy formerly seen with Vania approaches the older man, asking him "Grandad, why do you have to be like this?"

Notes

In-Game Date: 13th Cassus, 888 TE; early morning
Highlights:

• Claudia rolling NEIN
• Harold and Junius bumping into each other, paperwork going everywhere
• The drunk guy at the bar that is not dead, but asleep for the entire campaign - only waking up for a second when Brenda tears through the common room like a hurricane to order a cold beer
• For some reason everyone assumed Maxfield is the drunk guy
• Junius getting his papers out of Brenda's way ever so slightly on the bar counter as she downs her beer in one go
• Jeska storming out of the tavern with her crossbow ready to fight - because of old habits - only to see that there was no danger, and a little embarrassed walking back in
• Also: Jeska loves her breakfast and gives Junius a very teethy grin while eating
• Junius loves his tea, despite it being very expensive out here
• Mira being called "You filthy - !!!" by Brigid and Maxfield having murder vibes from a long distance the lovely two old ladies vs. the terrible old lady ("so typical of her >.>")
• the lovely two old ladies become Claudia's contacts and are probably spies hiding secret messages in their knitting
• Maxfieldwell/ Maxwellfield - SSSHHHH!!!
• Claudia messes with Brigid's head by smuggling the necklace back in her bag - Maxfield enables her; the most awkward trip follows as Korinne, Thea, Brigid, and Claudia are reuinited in their cart
• Brigid probably knows that the bag was empty and she KNOWS either Maxfield or Claudia put the necklace back, but she can't prove it (because best stealth roll)
• Harold has now x-ray vision: Perception Roll of 18
• Harold adopts an entire family
• Brenda will powerwalk through the desert, Jeska will have a sled and be drawn by her OR Maxfield will carry her - either on his back or in his bag
• "Drama in tent city"
• "The code is in the knitting"
• "I could by 30 cups of tea for that"

Report Date

13 Apr 2018

Primary Location

Schwarzstein