"I would gladly accompany you on such a climb. As long as you don't fall off, I always think a nice view is worth the effort."

He starts stripping off his armour, and listening to the further conversation between Usopi and Sammel. When he hears Usopi describe the wolf hound and its stance, he will pipe up with the correct terminology (as mentioned):

"A wolf hound erect sejant."

(Uthen had heraldry drummed into him as a boy by an Uncle - all the rules, and the correct terminology).

He looks at Gat. "A fine beast worthy of serving as a model for any knight."

Aphail, who has stayed with Sammel at the workshop, is preparing to smith some arrows in part payment for his Brigandine.  When Sir Uspoi and Sir Uthen arrive, they begin to doff their harness.  This is impossible for them to do on their own, so Aphail lends a hand to each knight in turn with leather straps, buckles, plates, maille and gambesons.  When each knight has doffed their harness, he will help to lay out the harness under the tarp, in good order.  This will avoid any plates being lost or mixed up, and help Sammel to be more efficient in his work.

Otto accepts Caiths hand but there is a strange brittleness about his mannerisms that reminds Caith not so much of a feline....but more a disapproving husband.

" Money, Position....a certain desire to put parts of ones life behind oneself. I speak only for myself of course, I know not why Leofwyn has come here. In truth I have not enquired, a habit of keeping oneself to oneself that has stood me in good stead in more southern climes."

In reply to Sir Uthen of Sadley (msg # 116):

Sammel nodded to Sir Uthen and Sir Venia, " I'll get on that as soon as possible."

Caith regards the feline with an apologetic look as she mutters "Nay thought ye'd nay want the scent of dog near ye." in Otto's direction.

She gives Mammon a sideways glance and a serenely truthful reply of "In other words, nay go digging up the past?"

Her apology is to both Mammon and Leofwyn as she offers "If I have offended either of ye by asking foolish questions, then I will nay ask them of ye again."

Caith adds in a slightly less formal tone "Except for the one concerning directions, Lady Leofwyn, as I nay ken the paths of this place as swiftly as the forest trails."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:23, Mon 21 Oct 2019.

Brannon nods. "There is certainly interesting company here. I would be interested to know what you learn. For myself, it seems there is more to this Corbin than the fall of Darian, and I would know more of this Fengris if he is what we face..."

He makes his way over to Cene, and waits til he has finished speaking with Usopi. "Master Cene, I thank you for your welcome. It seems like there is much history here. I'd like to here more of your battles with the followers of Rimfax, and this Fengris. I fear that we may be about to face the same battle on our side of the border, and I would know all I can. If you have the time to speak - or if you have a library...?"

He trails off a little, wondering what sort of library the Mad Duke might have kept, and whether is still there. Or if he even wishes to expose himself to such things.

Usopi beamed and clapped his hands together at the idea of the symbol on his armor. Perhaps he would have it added to his solid green tabbard at some point in the future.

"My thanks Sammel." The large knight says before turning to Uthen, "Now, how do we find the tallest tower?"

Cene looked at Brannon carefully, " Aye, there is a library...of sorts, most of it was Darians.  Lady Mammon and Barlow have been sorting through it and removing the less healthy volumes."

" What would you like to know of Rimfax and its servants? I will...try..to speak of Fengris...it is....dangerous to recall to much of it...it is the Wolf that swallows the World...to think of it is to allow its memory within and it is...oh..so...hungry...."

Sammel looked a little worried, " Uh....thats the Kings Tower....".

" Well, who among us afraid to get their hands dirty with a little digging?", Mammon grinned.

" Offense? Who could take offense to such a silken tongue....even a rough looking hunter must appreciate its...many uses."

Mammon turned away quickly and buried her face in Ottos fur, " Well, time to bathe and nap and change for the feast I think.", she purred as she swept off towards the north face of the courtyard.

Usopi turned back to Sammel, ”Ah,”, he said, ”Then... perhaps the second tallest tower then?” he asked Sammel.

"No offense at all, Lady Caith" said Leofwyn, raising her arm in a respectful, directional call to start walking in a particular direction.

As she walked, only one step ahead of Caith, she spoke.

"To answer your earlier question, I hail from the southernmost parts of Cornumbria, but I am on my way north on a sort of... well I guess you could call it a pilgrimage."

"On the way, I thought I might answer the King's call to arms, and help in any way that I can."

She smiled, absentmindedly getting more familiar with Caith the more she walked.

"I do want to go home eventually... but there's just so much to be done!"

They made a few turns and then started up some stone steps.

"What brings you before the King?"
This message was last edited by the player at 12:10, Mon 21 Oct 2019.

"Thank you - if you are willing, I will speak with Barlow about the library. As for Rimfax and Fengris, I would know as much as is safe. I daresay we may need to know more than is safe in due course, but I understand the dangers of trafficking in such matters." Brannon replies, cautiously. "I suppose my first concern is Rimfax - was it destroyed? How deep-rooted were its worshippers? In Glissom, are we merely dealing with the straggling remnants of its followers? Or is something more sinister afoot?" He pauses. "Is it Rimfax we face? Fengris? Or some other dark power? Truth be known, I fear that some sort of rot has already taken hold in Glissom City, though perhaps that is just my paranoia..."

"Done a bit of badger work, aye..." Caith concurs, even as she tucks her bandaged hand out of sight in a wolfskin sleeve.



Caith grimly mutters "Even if it be one woven of thistle's silk..." as she fights to keep the scarlet creeping up her face to the cheekbones away.



"Aye..." Caith says, now uncomfortably aware that she looks and smell more like a wolf than a woman at the moment, and a distinctly grubby wolf at that.



"Ye be seeking old paths and holy places then?" Caith asks, as she untangles the meaning of the word 'pilgrimage' from her few fragments of lore on the matter.



"Always is, and so few hands to do it all." Caith agrees with a wry smile in return, even as the word 'home' stabs through her heart like an unknowing assassin's blade.



Caith chooses her words carefully as she offers "A matter of dead livestock. Turned out to be more complicated than hunting a wolf with a new found taste for mutton. The rest is now King's task to sort out what be needful to do after the livestock killers were dealt with."

In reply to Brannon Darrow (msg # 128):

Hearing Brannon talk about visiting the library, Lann is interested in studying mo aout the horse skull symbol and other emblems he encountered recently as well as runic scripts.

He turns to the Hearthwarden,"Perhaps I may join you in studying at the library."
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:16, Tue 22 Oct 2019.

Sammel pointed to the north-west, " Follow the three ladies, they're staying in that tower."
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:30, Tue 22 Oct 2019.

Cene smiled kindly, " Destroyed? No, for we are merely men and Rimfax was a Darkling God in ancient times."

" There were many in Ereworn who made offerings to Rimfax, to be honest most of them did so in order to try and avoid its attentions to have children not born with malformed limbs or organs outside their bodies or to have crops that were at least slightly edible.  How much good it did I do not know.  But I think in terms of actual worshippers, they were few and limited to fell priests and the like.  Rimfax was not the only Demon worshipped here in the dark times, the folk of Sulphur Bay worshipped a great Sea Wyrm and sacrificed sailors to it until we put a stop to them."

" I would say you face a few desperate stragglers, Rimfax can be opposed...it is Fengris harbinger, in the ancient tales of Ereworn. Fengris you cannot fight...it is Oblivion given form, immense unto the heavens themselves and just as uncaring of mortal concerns."

" There are those that say that the immense maggots that fall free of Fengris unfathomable hide cloak themselves in comely forms and gather the souls of men...but it is a tale I do not know the truth of."

" Glissom has its own ancient horrors, does it not?"



Cene looked Lann over as he approached, " Lann, it is yes?"

" Welcome to Castle Ereworn."

Drummond gave the newcomers one more look over and headed back to the gate to speak with the men.

"Yes exactly. Rumour speaks of druidic convents and of those who might show me... well, what I am seeking." She finished quite lamely.


Leofwyn briefly eyed the wolf pelts on Caith's armour, wondering if it would be worth asking about it... but decided against it. If there was a significant story associated with it, she would tell it in due time.

They finally arrived and Leaf opened the door but did not go inside.

"Here are your quarters, Lady Caith. I hope you find everything to your satisfaction."

"If there is nothing else you need, I might head back down to work on the gardens."

Caith looks pensive a moment, then answers "I reckon ye'd be better off asking Hearthwarden Brannon about druidic matters, for I am nay as well versed in them as he is, and I am learning much from traveling with him. However, I will tell ye what I know of it, but only if if asked smaller questions, as it is too large a subject to devour whole in one sitting."



Caith peers cautiously around the doorway, not quite sure what to expect, nor wanting to look foolish for not knowing a lack that a lady would.

She replies "Thank ye, but ye've nay need for concern. As long as I can see the moon at night, I'm happy to sleep anywhere out of the rain."

Her face lights up in a smile that is no less genuine for all it is half twisted by the scars down the left side of her face at the mention of gardens.

Caith asks "If ye nay mind me dogging your heels a while longer, then I would greatly like to see these gardens ye speak of. A few fresh herbs, and a bucket of water would make me less likely to offend Otto's refined nostrils."

"Thank you," responds Leaf, "I'll be sure to speak to Sir. Brannon when the opportunity arises." She then adds,

"And when I have the right smaller question I'll be sure to seek your council, also."



Leaf laughed, her smile growing to match Caith's.

"I donna mind at all! I'll wait just here for you to drop your things and... Well instead of a bucket in the garden, I do believe there's a basin and washcloth just inside if you wanted to refresh yourself before heading down?"

She waited a moment and, not wanting to cause offence, added "But either option works well for me!"

In reply to Leofwyn (msg # 134):



"Excuse me all, I'm going to get my armour fixed."

Beathan will deposit the sack of gold he's carrying with the rest in the armoury, before heading off to Sammel at the forge.


OOC: Sorry, been sick.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:36, Tue 22 Oct 2019.

As the others made to leave the forge and head for the north-west tower Beathan arrived and shucked off his maille, handing it to Sammel for repair.

Sammel was beginning to look a little stressed at the workload...

Barlow slapped Sir Turren on the arm, " Well? What shall we? To the library with those two gentlemen or a bit of climbing with that lot near the forge?"

" Or did you have something else in mind?"

Usopi thanked Sammel for the directions, and then with a nod to his companions set off toward the tower.