The first floor of Castle Ereworn is mostly empty apart from a simple wooden stool on which sits King Corbin flanked by Diarmuid, The Boar, and the robed form known to them only as Strawberry. Two battered shields mounted on stands stood outside an embossed bronze door leading into the northeast tower. Newly woven tapestries deck the
walls, interspaced with the glass filled windows . The tapestry on the west wall seems
far older than the rest.  It  depicts a figure in a white robe, performing some sort of ritual before a huge crystal. After several months in Ereworn the three men knew this tapestry celebrated Elvaron’s life and deeds.

A gigantic stained glass window depicting a sword and a river comprises the east wall.
Beneath the window is a raised plinth. An ugly gouge in the centre of the plinth suggests that something once stood here, but has long since been removed.

King Corbin apologises for calling you in so early then a serious look crosses his face.

" Several of the shepherding holdings in the Grey Hills have been reporting losses recently, I thought it to be wolves now that game is returning to Ereworn but it seems not.  It seems one of the headmen sent word with his cousin looking for assistance beyond our borders."

" I blame them not, its been a long time since any of Ereworns folk could look to their rulers with anything but fear.  But I aim to change that, and with that in mind I ask you to head to Ceann Caorach and see whats troubling them."

" The purging cleansed Ereworn of the demons influence, but not all evil was of its making."

The talk of demons and the cleansing matches many of the tall tales among the castle staff that you have heard over your time here but if such wild and fanciful tales are true and the impossible deeds you have heard were performed by King Corbin and his companions and their fallen friends are not allegory then there are no signs of such about the place....though from the work being done to the castle the previous lord, one Duke Darian did not keep up the place well.

Beathan: since coming here you have been called upon both for your knowledge of medicine and for help in translating certain tomes...some rather darker than you were comfortable with. You sometimes find yourself staring at the hulking Diarmuid, despite his savage almost wild ways...there is a certain...kinship...

Deise: King Corbin has not spoken with you overly much but has asked to know more of Cornumbria to the south and Strawberry, the birthmarked young sage, has utilised your talent for remaining unseen to keep track of rumours and gossip amongst the staff.

Sir Uthen: KIng Corbin eagerly absorbs your tales of court and the interactions of the nobility of Albion, isolated until recently he is eager to have Ereworn once again be a vital force in Ellesland and to reopen proper relations and trade with her neighbours; indeed he sent Diarmuid and Strawberry north on such a mission to the pagan land of Glissom almost a year ago.

In reply to GM (msg # 1):

Takes a knee and says,
As you wish my Lord.

Thinking - how much can I find out about Ceann Caorach. If the locals are calling for aid in this part of the world, it must is hardly trivial. Shudders.

King Corbin smiled and waved him to his feet, " Good luck, I'm sure everything will be well in such capable hands."

I look to Strawberry , making eye contact before whispering;
Might I have a word with you, when you have a moment?

The robed man, only a few years older than Deise but with eyes that seemed far older put a hand to the wine-stain birthmark that covered half his face and nodded drawing Deise over to the window.

" What do you need?", he said gently.

Thank you for sparing the time. If I might be so bold, I would know more to better serve as eyes and ears to the King.
Can I ask, when did you first hear the rumoirs from the Grey Hills? What are we likely to meet on the way to Ceann  Caorach, and when we get there?

Strawberry smiled kindly, " Perhaps a month ago there was word of some sheep going missing where the Grey Hills meet the Pagans, it was presumed to be wolves or perhaps a newly woken bear, but other reports trickled in more recently which indicate that perhaps things are somewhat different...no predation on the corpses, animals killed very close to habitations."

" Oh, Ceann Caorach is not far. Maybe a days journey, a small holding of a few buildings. I haven't been there myself, I assume there will be sheep, rain, trees and pasture...".

Sir Uthen takes a knee.

"I am at your disposal, Your Majesty. Whether these people are victims of wolves or something more sinister, I will do my utmost to deliver them safety and justice in your name."
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:00, Tue 06 Aug 2019.

King Corbin rose and indicated that Sir Uthen should do the same, " I have faith in all of you.", he smiled.

The hulking form of Diarmuid had seemingly no opinion either way and shrugged moving to open the bronze doors to enable the king egress from the room.

" Be kind to them. The people of Ereworn have suffered much and the scars are still fresh."

I walk toward my companions relaying the small piece of news I have gleaned from Strawberry.

"Dead sheep, no marks on the body. Could be disease, a poisoned well maybe?"

Strawberry leant in, " You misunderstand, there are marks aplenty...indeed some of them have been torn in half...but nothing eaten...not a jot.."

" Head over to the others, we can't spare horses as you know....the ones the Duke had won't let men sit them....those that didn't fly away.", it is hard to tell if he's joking or not at the last.

Strawberry clapped him on the shoulder and left the room following the king.
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:17, Wed 07 Aug 2019.

Dropping to one knee with a *thunk* Beathan speaks slowly;

Your Majesty, I will purge the evil from the land and cast light of wisdom on the demonic words.


...........



Beathan looked at his two fellows, he'd been busy with the work the king had given him and not had much time to socialise the past few months.

He nodded to Sir Uthen and went and stood near Deise as Strawberry broke away.

" Gentlemen, are we ready?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:11, Wed 07 Aug 2019.

"About as ready as I'm gonna get, better hit the road - it won't walk itself", smiles the small man.
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:26, Wed 07 Aug 2019.

In reply to Deise (msg # 13):

" Agreed".

OOC: Feel free to make any purchases you want to before setting out.

"Yes, I am ready to depart as well."
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:41, Wed 07 Aug 2019.

The three men checked their packs and departed the castle, venturing down through the ramped gate and across the arched stone bridge that bridged the chasm that was Castle Ereworns first line of defense....one of the stonemasons had told Sir Uthen that the bridge had once been invisible to the naked eye, such tall tales were not uncommon in Ereworn the three had learned.

After a six hour journey down the Kings Road through the Pagans the three companions arrive in the foothills that comprise the easternmost part of the Grey Hills.  From Strawberrys words Deise knew they had another six to eight hours or so across rough ground and winding trails to get to Ceann Caorach.

Luckily it was mid-spring now and the hills are not covered in deep snow but they are still soaked by intermittent rain as they travel. As the day began to darken they were passing through a patch of silver firs the came across the corpses of half a dozen sheep scattered along and beside the path. A number of rooks took off from the bodies, cawing down at the men from the branches.

Before the night draws fully in, Deise attempts to ascertain whether any trail remains from whatever put the flock to the slaughter.

Deise pads around the bodies but is unable to find any sign of tracks except for sheep and some small boot prints which are scattered haphazardly about and then are deeper and further apart as they head west.

Beathan focuses for a moment on the direction of the sheep's tracks and then the surrounding terrain. Before he starts to gather wood for a fire.

OCC: Casts Pursuit on the sheep to get a fix on their direction of travel.

This message was last edited by the GM at 01:20, Thu 08 Aug 2019.

Sir Uthen is looking at the sheep - at their wounds - trying to see if he can identify anything about how the wounds were inflicted.

OOC: how small is small -  child size perhaps?

OOC: Early Teen-Child Sized.

Wood is gathered, and the corpses inspected...some it seems were bodily torn apart, others sliced in twain...but other than the rooks feeding there was nothing taken from the bodies.

Beathans senses tell him to head west to find the place where the flock had originated and the  person had run to....
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:11, Thu 08 Aug 2019.

"Beathen, Sir Uthen, Night drawing in and we have a bit to go before gettting to the village. Lets get a fire up and get some rest. I am happy to take first watch if ye don't mind."

Deise attempts to get some conversation started with new road companions, who he has seen around the castle but not mixed with overly much.

"Sir Knight, a beehive sigil, where do you call home lad, and you tall one- cant place your accent."
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:58, Thu 08 Aug 2019.