Earthday, 1 Summerrise, 1165 AS. (Quarter 2)





The village of Runething is currently home to the adventurers. It is a small settlement, numbering between 30-40 inhabitants, most of whom were at one time ghost children or escaped captives of a vicious clan of horse raiders.

There are a few militia guards, a small store with a blacksmith and a few patchy fields for growing vegetables and grazing for livestock.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:43, Fri 05 June 2020.

Two men, half-elves both, stand at the edge of the wood near a small settlement by a great lake. They eye each other with suspicion.

BREVIS: "Do you remember the ending to the credo? 'Birds of a feather, trees with no leaves, Darkness will reign, unless we're all...' The last word seems to escape me, you must have sung it..."

CAILE: "Thieves, of course, stealing back the light from the dark realm of death."

BREVIS: "Good to see you again, brother."

CAILE: "Likewise, brother. The years have not been kind, but at least I am still adding more to the tally. As are you. What happened to the other Childer? Faertid, Galen and Diara? Did they also make it?"

BREVIS: "I heard Galen was either killed by a Rust Brother or became one, the translation of the message was unclear.
The other two, I cannot say. Did you leave Harga on good terms?"

CAILE: "I'd rather not speak more of Harga, the Wastes lie behind me and only sorrow can come from dwelling upon it."

An elderly human emerges from the woods, he looks disoriented and seems to be searching for something. He notices the two men.

HARINDER: "What year is it? Where am I? You there. Name?"

CAILE: "Who? Me?"

HARINDER: "You two. Both of you. And the names of your fathers."

CAILE: "My name is Caile, and I just arrived here this morning. I came here seeking my old childhood friend, Brevis."

The travel-worn half-elf covered in dust and caked mud points to the man next to him.

CAILE: "The name of my father I do not know, for I grew up a street urchin in a small township south of Alderstone. As did my brother here."

Caile puts a hand on Brevis' shoulder. A slight smile appears on his lips and the fatigue from the journey seems to vanish into the air.

BREVIS: "It may require some patience on your part, for you ask difficult questions. Would you describe yourself as a patient man?"

HARINDER: "Then I know you not. What year is it? Does this place still go under the name of Thing? You, half-blood. How many winters do you count?"

BREVIS: "I'll take that as a "no", so i'll be brief.  Brevis. And I was here last winter. That's one."

CAILE: "I think he's asking for your age, brother. Though in a rather roundabout way, it seems. You'd think that humans would be quick about it, considering their short lifespans. Oh, such tragedy is life, here one moment, gone the next. As for the year, according to whom? The Rust Brothers? The dwarves, humans or elves? There are as many ways to count the years as there are kin in these forbidden lands. And as for the name of this here village, I was told the name Runething as I searched this land for my long lost friend."

HARINDER: "The Runes. Yes. That makes sense. *mutters* Could there be that there are no one left? I must seek elsewhere. Perhaps the stables..."

BREVIS: "Yes, Runething accurately captures the essence of this place.  A vague and rudimentary sense of it's own importance. Have you questions for the horses as well?"
This message was lightly edited by the player at 18:01, Tue 02 June 2020.

In reply to Caile (msg # 2):

(whispers to Caile, while following with mild discretion, given the fact our Human seems to have but one leg to stand)

This one in particular (gestures toward Harinder) seems to have counted many winters, despite his overly inquisitive nature.  I must be tired to have given him my favored name.  Stay with me, Brother, for it seems my footing is unsure.  Let's find out why this Human is breathing our air.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:37, Tue 26 May 2020.

In reply to Brevis (msg # 3):

Caile nods in agreement and lowers his voice to a barely audible hush.

"Forgive me, Brother, it was I who gave it up. I can only blame it on the joy I felt for finally finding you again after all these years. I will not be so careless again, I swear."

Caile quietly observes the elderly human as the two walk along behind him.

"I do not think we should discount this one, Brother, though he seems frail and unsound of mind. I sense that there is more to him than the naked eye can see. How else could such a seemingly broken soul have survived in these cursed lands for so long?"

He shudders and throws a glance over his shoulder, as if hunted.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:02, Tue 02 June 2020.

In reply to Caile (msg # 4):

Rounding the bend a village can be seen not too far off in the distance.

This must be the place, none too soon if I might add...

He says to himself aloud. After getting a bit closer he sees three persons having paused for a conversation and not wanting to be rude approaches, cautiously, and at a distance that would allow him an escape, or at least a chance to draw his sword.

Well met fellow travellers! Fine day for a stroll is it not?

As he is now close enough to get a good look at the two half elves and the old man, a quizzical look can briefly be seen in his eyes, a slight squint as if trying to focus, but quickly returns to a friendly smile.

In reply to Lothar (msg # 5):

To Caile: Perhaps the south is burning.  It seems we've more guests.

In reply to Lothar (msg # 5):

To Lothar:  I'm not one for strolls, certainly not at this time of day.  In fact, I don't plan on going very far at all, though plans can always change.  Come closer so that I may hear you better, my attention is hard of hearing.

The old man already hurried down the road, as if hunted, or even haunted.

Haunted he was. By the one demon he could not tame - that of an old man's shame. He had opened many doors in the dark mind of his during the hermit years. And there were things in his past that he had to deal with.

He passed the wall. The village of Runething had been brought back to standards by newcomers. Some of them were traders or adventurers, and they knew the druid by his reputation, which tended to travel before him. Harinder was welcomed by some, avoided by others, and soon found the young slave boy he had come looking for.

He was by the stables, saddling a horse. Only, the boy was now a man, recognizable by the promise of murder in his gaze and the trident scar across his cheek. Although the old druid bore the scar no more, the killer saw Harinder, and knew him instantly for who he was, and greeted him as a brother who had been lost.

For the first time in his life, Harinder felt something resembling fulfillment, if not joy.

"Killer. It is you" Harinder said with a smile. The man did not return the smile. He looked as if he wanted to. The lip moved. But perhaps he was not able to.


"My children do not know me by that name, Harinder." the man said. "They know me as Brander. It is the name I took for myself."

A hand trailed the scar on his cheek. Brander turned to the horse and patted it's hide, absently. " I have children now. Four who still lives."

Harinder nodded. "Brander it is then" he said.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:59, Fri 29 May 2020.

In reply to Harinder (msg # 8):

Brevis pays him little attention, his focus upon Lothar.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:10, Fri 29 May 2020.

In reply to Harinder (msg # 8):

Caile's gaze follows the old man as he disappears into the village. "What a peculiar and sad man", he thinks to himself. "There is a great ballad to be unearthed in his past, I can feel it".

He turns to the new arrival and leisurely rests his hand on the pommel of his blade. What is a halfling doing so far north? Could the little half-thing have followed him?

"Well met, traveller! What has brought you here, so far from home? Your kind rarely leaves Belifar, no?"
This message was lightly edited by the player at 18:03, Tue 02 June 2020.