Chapter 30 - A Blessed City

General Summary

After a hard day, the travelers arrive at Rotz auf den Wunsch . This is a city where Dietmar and Cilly were working in at the time of the previous outbreak last fall, before Edda came to lure them to Wunschau with the gold of the city council. The city looks well taken care of - the fields on the north side of the Wunsch are well planted, with many people toiling away on this late spring day. Banners of the Gieselbert house gryphon fly from the parapets. Markets outside the walls seem vibrant.
After crossing the bridge and paying the toll, the companions find themselves in a dense network of town streets, also booming with life and commerce. One other thing they notice is that the city seems to have large numbers of armed people on every corner - judging by their insignia - some knights, but also many commoners trained in the use of arms.
After asking about, the travelers learn that an establishment called the Honey Pot is located nearby at this quarter, and they make their way over there. Hitching Carrot to a post outside, they walk in, and find the place nearly abandoned inside at this time in the late afternoon. The host or hostess seem to be elsewhere, but there are two heavily armed people - one wearing a plumed helmet, despite being inside on a relatively hot day. Dietmar, Cilly, Nit, and Vesogoth get to talking with them, and learn that one is named Dmitrei while the other - a towering figure - is Ingrid . Both are knights who have come to Rotz at the landgrave's call - there seems to be a lot of work for them in town. It is likely, as they relate, that the armed people are here to keep the peace.
Soon, the hostess appears. The guests pay for a night's rest, stabling the donkey, and some order food and drink, though Dietmar plans on eating the Lord's bread once he retires for the night. The guests get to talking, and soon, the conversation turns to Albenheim. Dmitrei seems particularly interested in this tale. Cilly offers her usual saw about the cure for the plague, which is now with the elves, and again blames Dietmar for letting Eddi die. The talk of the elixir is particularly interesting to the knights, though they advise Cilly not to prematurely jump ship to offer it to yet another magnate, but to let things blow over with the margrave.
As the place fills up, Nit puts on a performance, which is not too enthusiastically received, as Carrot, somewhere in his stable, begins to bray loudly as if singing along.
The following day, Dietmar and Ingrid go off to inspect the religious establishments in the area. They run into @Erich and Johann, who have come here from Wunschau after the Flagellants took over. They like their new job in Rotz, and their pay, but after Dietmar offers them a little money and the promise of excitement, they agree to join their erstwhile companions. Subsequently, they head into the Cathedral of St. Werner, which, is under construction, but they walk in to look around. A loose stone from the scaffolding falls, nearly crushing Ingrid beneath it. Dietmar doubts this is a coincidence, but it seems unlikely that the builder on top of the scaffolding could have hurled it.
Cilly and Dmitrei, engaged in a long conversation about elves, also go off to explore the city. Dmitrei wants to locate a messenger service, and finds that many people are engaged in this sort of enterprise, but carrying messages outside of town is expensive and dangerous. Cilly finds an apothecary shop, and speaks to the proprietor, named Frau Ewa, about her predicament. Ewa confirms that she is indeed pregnant, and offers to help if Cilly is seeking a termination. She also inspects her gums, which have been hurting, and giving her nightmares. This seems to have something to do with death, or perhaps, an item she carries. Cilly later explores her bundle and learns some interesting things about its contents.
Nit and Vesogoth explore the city as well. While Nit looks for spaces to perform with Carrot, Vesogoth inquires about the possibility of finding work, and learns that the person to speak to is the landgrave's schultheiss, Walther, who also happens to be head of the tailor's guild, located outside the city walls, in the tailor's district. That is where the group heads next.

Report Date

11 May 2021

Primary Location

Rotz auf den Wunsch