"You're a sergeant, Tol.  You already do the work, now you'll have the title.  Most of the time we work on a squad level, so you shouldn't have to see your lieutenant, just me.  If you do though, know that they tend to be young members of the Barons' houses and don't know much about soldiering.  They also don't like others to see their ignorance. A lot of times it'll fall on you to keep your men alive, your officer too.  And when you do something good, they'll steal the credit for it if they can to get more influence at court or jump precedence for inheritance, or capture a better bride. Best for us all if they stay well away." She snorts and waves her hand as if shooing away flies.

"Your recruits'll be raw.  Most of them doing their first trip of militia duty.  Boys and girls just hitting their majority and hefting a spear with a sharp point for the first time.  Good for standing watch or forming a line, but don't hope for much more.  If they're to become any more than they are, it'll be on you to teach them."

Tolantra chuckled. "Aye, we had a few highborn like that back home as well. I'll try to keep them in one piece. Though if they're anything like Karsus Wands, even my best might not be enough. As for the younglings, I'll get them into shape." She gave a quick bow. "Need anything else from me?"

The River Shining Tavern

Tolantra bowed to the host, giving her eyes a chance to adjust from the sunlight outside. "Clear tunnels and good ore to you. My name is Tol Auricheart. I'm an adventuring companion of Garth Delimbiyr. He's well, but decided to stay in the south after making his fortune. I was hoping to speak with his parents, to bring them word of their son."

"Yes, of course," the host replied.  "He is well?  The master has forsworn his son's debts, you realize?"

After a time you are escorted to a sitting room above the main floor of the tavern. It's possible that they rent a room or two here, but the second floor seems largely devoted to the housing of the Delimbyr family.  Compared with the orderly aspiring luxury below, the family home seems common and sturdy. The chair are simply made with straw-stuffed pillows to soften hard wooden seats.  When master Delimbyr comes, he cuts a different character than anything you ever saw from Garth.

He's a hard man grown old.  His forearms have a kind of farm-boy strength to them that come from days and years of forceful manipulation of tools and taps rather than the purposeful development of soldiers and strongmen. The lines on his face show years of worry and concern that must come from rising from a common family taking their name from the river they were spawned near to the reputable and and respected entrepreneur he has become. This and yet his middle has grown soft and round. Food that once was a rarity purchased with long hours of toil now comes easily to him, though with the weighty responsibility of knowing that the lives of others depend on his success.

"Welcome Tol. Ever we are glad to host the people of Derval Ironeater.  I'm Hull, Hull Delimbyr.  You come to tell me of my son."
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:56, Fri 07 Aug 2020.

Celadhel was going to her kinswoman's house Shalindra, who by her description seems to be a knight/cavalier of some kind, but you have no sense of where that would be.  You could gather information?

Edrie said that she was going to a boardinghouse for young single women, run by Zeno.  She said it was in the North East corner of town.  You could probably find it.

Tol had considerable business to attend, but said that he lodged at the Dragonback Inn, and would be visiting The River Shining Tavern--which would theoretically be near the river.

Olaf said that he was going to the Harvest House, which is a prominent enough building in town that you would be able to find your way with relative ease.

Where do you want to go?

Tolantra stood and gave Hull a respectful bow. Master Delimbyr. I had the honor of being the leader of your son's militia squad. Our duty done for the month, we went south to investigate rumors of caves outside the village of Bowshot. We found them occupied by a variety of monsters led by a sect of evil priests. We prevailed in clearing the caves, and brought out a minor fortune. Garth decided to use his portion to buy Bowshot's sole inn. It was in need of an experienced hand to manage it, and with the winter to make changes, I'm confident that by the time the first caravans come, Garth will have it in a condition worthy of the family name. I promised to bring word to his family that his not returning was due to an excess of good fortune, and not of bad." She bowed a second time.

Hull seemed puzzled, his worn brow furrowing with thought. "Hmmm. It's not like Garth to take on honest work. I don't know when or if you'll be heading to Bowshot again, but I'd like to pass on some of the family wisdom to him.  He won't ask, and it's not something I'd trust to a regular messenger, but if you'll come before you depart I'd be obliged if you'd take it to him. A few family recipes and managerial advice.  That sort of thing.  Would you be willing?"

Tolantra nodded. She'd had her private concerns about Garth and his steadiness in battle, but he wasn't a bad person. She was glad he had gotten out of adventuring before his recklessness had killed him. "I would be happy to. The next time I head south, I'll come to you first."

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 35):

(ooc: my error, got mixed up)
Heluvianal heads to the house of Zeno, where he told Edrie he would go to after seeing the master.

Once he had caught up with Edrie, Heluvianal gave his leave, letting her know he was going to pop into the herbalist shop he had worked in behind the scenes, asking if she needed supplies.

He then heads out to the shop to catch up and maybe make/buy a distraction package.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:52, Sat 08 Aug 2020.

Zeno's Residence (building 141) is located in the farmer's quarter--mostly occupied by the farmers who till the soil in the Norhtern fields.  Some have small herds of cattle and sheep, while others have chickens in the back yard.  The area is crowded, noisy, full of animals, and has a definite odor--the honest and unassuming rich scent of manure. It is a fair sized building with many rooms, and in somewhat poor repair.  Zeno himself--a battle scarred half-elf--is outside making a repair to the building.  Edrie is inside, and Zeno doesn't let males inside.  He sighs and goes inside to summon Edrie, and soon enough she emerges half-washed, out of her travel clothes and modestly wrapped in a house robe. "Heluvianal!  How was your visit with the Master?"

He looked on as Zeno went to get Edrie and caught himself watching every move that Edrie made, each twist of the hips, each flick of the hair.  Ahem!!  Edrie, you look.... He was lost for words Nice.   Oh no he thought, what kind of response was that?  Edrie knew exactly what she was doing, he knew that too.

Master Ondabarl was pleased to hear that you had returned, he asked me to find something out, it appears he has a 'liking' of Baron Crom Redhand's recently made widow and asked if there were any things that would win her favour.  If I can get this information to him, he has something that will help me   He didn't mean to say all of this but he couldn't help it, not now, not with her hair gleaming.....ahem.  He caught his thoughts again.

Will you aid in this as I'm sure she would welcome such conversation with you about, what ever women talk about.  That was it, he stopped talking and smiled to save himself.

"Uh, ok."  She looks a little sheepish, "I'm not exactly a highborn lady to be sitting in Lady Redhand's parlor, though.  She'd be more likely to take me on as a chambermaid." She thinks for a moment, "Maybe Celadhel would be better at that?"  She stops to consider that while Celadhel seems highborn, she also had a hard ferocity to her that might not endear her to genteel associations. Moreover she remembered how she set her wood elf companion packing.  "But maybe not. I'd be more helpful if it was a research problem."  She beams temporarily, and then realizes how weak that sounds, pushes a lock of hair behind her ear and breaks eye contact. "Is that all?"

In reply to Edrie Graf (msg # 42):

He watched Edrie as she spoke, listening as he always has, maybe it was her that encouraged him in the past when not with Master Ondabarl!

Chambermaid may work as you'd see what was going on and then when we feel high born, can't be that hard, then return and have a good contact.

Thats it, research her, what she does and what she doesn't like, how to be highborn! I could help.

And he too now because a little flustered, I am to be your student

He started to reach up to help her move her hair then stopped himself before his hand had gone too high and tried to change it to a handshake, feeling foolish he dropped his hand. Err, ok, I'll leave you to it now, erm, I'll be back at the tower. He smiled and awkwardly turned the walked off faster than he intended.

I'm going to call that a day's business concluded--prepared for the morning?

((ooc: Yep!))

Uktar 4, 1357

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
Temperature:
Low: 15
High: 40

Winds: From tropics at 40 mph.

Precipitation: Heavy snow becoming rain or sleet

Relative Humidity:
Morning: Low
Evening: Moderate

Dawn is at: 7:02

Number of daylight hours: 9.90

Selûne: 3rd Qtr

---

Early the next morning--a bitter cold morning that warms appreciably in the day and visited by snow and rain--a note from Sherlen Spearslayer sends a hastily scrawled note to Tol. "Just got word, important visitors in town this tenday, get your new pups ready, and be ready to do gate and city patrol duty.  Get the tabard fitted. Check in when you can."

'When you can' is about as formal as the Daggerford Militia ever gets.

As it turns out, the important visitor coming is Baron Agwain of Delantar--a barony that econmpasses the lands along the Northern bank of the River Delimbiyr between Julkoun and Secomber.  Of all the Shining Baronies of the Council of Man, Delantar is perhaps the best developed and most influential besides the Ducal seat of Daggerford itself.

Tolantra nodded to herself as she read the note from Sherlen. It seemed like she had proven her competence to the militia commander, which was always to the good. After getting some morningfeast, she went out to gather up her axe novices. It was going to be a miserable day; perfect for doing weapon drills inside. This first day she didn't want to bring any of her squad in to join the training; they deserved some time to themselves, and besides there were only five novices. Tolantra could handle them herself, easily. She also made a point of finding someone who knew how to use needle and thread, so that her tabard could be prepared.

Heluvianal

It doesn't take much investigating the next morning to discover that the former Baroness Piann Redhand of Tavboryn, the widow of Baron Cromm, is currently a guest of the Duke of Daggerford at his castle. The town is seemingly abuzz with news of the impending arrival of Baron Agwain of Delantar--so there are many tongues wagging regarding the rulers of the Shining Baronies as the feudal lands that owe fealty to the Duke are known.

The nature and duration of Piann's stay is behind your ability to determine via street banter.

Your immediate options seem to be:

• Look for a way to meet with Piann in the Ducal castle.
• Look for better qualified informants to get more information on her status.
• Look for better qualified informants about the Shining Baronies.

Of course you are always able to come up with your own path.

Tolantra



A seamstress is easily found and appropriated for the work prior to pressing on to the barracks.  You sit for a time in Sherlen's office going over the standard training regimen. "Marching is for soldiers--and we're not. They'll never be able to practice it enough to make much use of it.  They need the General Orders fo the watch, care of equipment, camping protocols and experience for road missions, and weapons training. Spears are mandatory, but you can determine their further arms.  There's one now..." she says as she gestures through the window of her office.

The new one of the new recruits is already at the barracks when you arrive.  He seems eager and enthusiastic, but not especially promising.  He wears the apron of an apprentice mason.

Soon after you arrive comes what you soon recognize to be a paragon of lowborn humanity. A humble gardener, your warrior's eye identifies a frame that muscle could easily be built upon and a springiness in his step that implies a natural sort of athleticism. His eyes are intelligent as well.  A considerable prospect, and but for the nature of his birth he might easily be a lord among these people.  Unfortunately he has yet to set his eyes on the horizon.

A pair of females come next.  One is a useless sort. Whether by nature or neglect, this young woman never learned any skill of appreciable value and seems destined to enter the pool of unskilled female labor--cleaning, or serving, or laying.  It'll be some time yet before she develops an income sufficient to buy her way out of militia duty.  It's unlikely, though, that she'll contribute much until then.  Her companion, though, may have considerable talents.  Her forearms bore the striations and vascularity associated with long use of manual tools--not unlike Tol's own. Tools implied skill, and the fact that she kept company easily and befriended one who was so much her inferior implied the ability to participate in team work.

Finally there is a lithe fellow who brings with him his own bow and arrows, and appears prepared to prove his worth.  If you had to guess, he made them himself and has sufficient skill to make more.

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 48):

The next day brought many rumours, gossip, quick enquiries from a smiling young Elf brought additional information but more was needed.

Heluvianal asked each who best to talk with about the Baroness and the impending visit of another Baron.

They may need additional help he thought to himself.

Finding Edrie to pass this on since she said she would help, proved slightly difficult, he wasn't quite strong enough yet to face the proprietor again and didn't know which window she would be at, so he settled down across the street and waiting, even trying a bit of Elven singing whilst there, the Ethereal and Haunting tunes brought both joy and upset. He didn't know why he chose the song of the distant lady lost in the wood but it worked for his voice.

There are many people with many answers, but in short there seem to be two avenues: Speak with someone highly placed in the militia, or someone from the Ducal Court.

The Daggerford Militia is commanded by a Sherlen Spearslayer, and is served by two captains--Arayndar Delimbyr and the Duke's Lawsword Rauthgar Thundersworn.  That's the low road to the information you seek.

The high road runs through the Ducal Court:

Lord Llewellyn Longhand, Duke’s Master-of-Arms
Korbus Brightjewel, Court Jeweler
Kelson “Darktreader” Floshin, Master of the Duke’s Hunt
Gwydion pen Dafwyd, Court Wizard to the Duke of Daggerford
Lady Bronwyn Daggerford, the Duke's Sister

Again, street level contacts get you little more than names.



After a time Edrie indeed emerges.  While adventuring, Edrie had always kept herself buttoned up and tightly bound--as much armor as any human wizard can manage.  Here though, back at home, she wears a stout woolen dress a well cut coat that accentuates her waist while preserving her warmth, and an oiled cloak with a fur trimmed interior to keep the cold and wet out. Not good travel clothes or adventuring clothes, but well made for today's conditions.

"Heluvianal. Good morning! What a pretty song--are you turning bard on us?"

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 51):

Caught out by how Edrie looks, almost forgetting that she wears more comfortable clothing in the Tower of their master, his song abruptly ends and then closes his mouth.
Erm, good morning, you look, erm, dressed for the weather rather than a fight, much better.

That errand for Master Ondabarl, we are in luck as there is much gossip starting in the town  He then regales to Edrie what he has learnt about whom to talk with or get close with.  Do you think we could both get close to people and find information out?  I'm sure others would want to know too.

Tolantra greeted each of her new recruits as they arrived. She asked each of them for their names, what they hoped to do over the next three or four years, and which weapons they were familiar with. She wanted to get a feel for their skills and the personalities she would be dealing with. She also introduced herself, puffing out her beard and crossing her arms in a way that emphasized her muscles. None of them particularly looked like troublemakers, but it was better to establish herself at the start anyway.

Once the introductions were out of the way, she started weapons drills. Those, she knew from experience, were what recruits found the most interesting. Better to give them the reward of showing up early, and burn off any nervous energy. Once they were sufficiently tired she would have them stack arms and begin work on the non-combat skills militia needed.

While they drilled, she debated what weapons she wanted to train them in. Spears made sense; they were easy to learn and useful when defending a wall. Outside the wall, though, they were pretty useless outside of either a disciplined formation or tunnel fighting.

They would need something more effective for close-in work, either an axe or sword. Tolantra leaned towards the battle axe; she knew it well and the novelty of learning a non-human weapon would hopefully give her squad a bit of internal cohesion and pride. Since they had one archer already, she'd teach them the short bow, so the squad would have a way of fighting at range. And, more practically, if she needed to take these tenderfeet out with her existing squad, making them archers would give the swordlings a chance to be both useful and survive. She might also teach them something else, like knife fighting or her beloved war hammer. But first she'd see how they took to these three.

Tol:  Roll a Wisdom check and a Charisma check. We’re going to determine how successful you are in drilling militia men (wisdom), but we’re also going to see if you retain their respect at the conclusion of their drilling (charisma).

We’re going to reach a point in this campaign where we incorporate some Birthright and Battlesystem mechanics. It seems appropriate to me that there should be some sort of NWP for raising and training levies in such scenarios. Combined with the formation work you did in the dungeons, and what you’re engaging in here, I’d think you’d be eligible for attaining that NWP at the next opportunity.  I’ll be reviewing that material to see if something that already exists—and we’ll invent something if it doesn’t. Of course, that doesn’t mean that you have to choose it—just that you can.

Do you want to continue training them beyond today?  They’re only required to show up today to receive their initial training, but it’s possible that you can enjoin them to volunteer a little further time this week with a successful Charisma check vs each of them.

What else would you like to do/work on this ten-day?

Mason
Gardener
Layabout
Carpentress
Bowyer

---

Hel:

“Speaking to Sherlen or one of her captains seems possible.  Tol talks to Sherlen more than I do, but practitioners of the Art are rare enough in the militia that she may take an appointment with me. Captain Arayndar Delimbyr sounds like he may be a relative of Garth.  I always got along well enough with Garth—it could be an opening.  I know Tol was going to speak to Garth’s father last night—I could deliver similar news to Arayndar.” 

She gives a frustrated smile, “Neither of these options requires that I become a chamber maid for a widowed baroness. Whatever people-skills I may have had, I’ve been gradually losing in the library in any case.  What seems to be the best course to you?”

((ooc: Training checks:
Wisdom check: 1d20 = 5
Charisma check 1d20 = 6 Both succeed.))

Tolantra spent an enjoyable day putting her new militia through their paces. They went through use and care of their weapons and armor, a description of militia duties in which she was able to tell some tales of road patrol, and general militia calls and responses. Then through the afternoon she split them up into smaller groups and began weapons drills.

It went... about as well as she could have hoped for over a single day. They were going to need significantly more work if they were going to be able to be effective, or survive, any sort of actual fight. But for the first day, it was positive.

As the sun started to go down and she wrapped up the first day, she spent a bit of time talking with each person. She was hoping to convince them to come for another day or two of weapons drill. If these were dwarves, it would have been a solid month. But... these were not dwarves. One had to make allowances.

((ooc: Charisma check to convince folks to come for more training: 1d20 = 6. Pretty high success.))