A report from the Orlmarthings who were there.
ej.
Clayday, Disorder, Fire 1617
During the busy Market Day Ksw
, Senulf Blackbrow the Redsmith lost his eyes to an eruption of fire while pouring molten bronze into a mold. He was taken to Orane’s Loom and rendered into the care of our half-blind blind priestess, Morganeth White Eye. He left behind his wife and children at the stead.
A priestess of Maran Gor, Yanvale the Stomper-Woman, arrived on Market Day Ksw
and spent a week on the tula, assisting the Grain Goddesses with their rituals and beating the Indolent Men to work. She left before the end of the season, taking young Aurisa Orstgandidottir with her as her new initiate. The Clan Ring was very relieved.
A late, urgent, and unusual summons came from our chieftain, Gordangar Kenstrelsson during our supper. We rode quickly down to Old Man Village and found the chieftain, still muddy from the road, in a heated discussion with his brother, Savan Thundermaker, the clan’s priest of Ohorlanth. He told us that King Kangharl the Blackmor had declared Gringle of Apple Lane outlaw, presumably at the behest of a Lunar witch named Erianda, for some nefarious demon-plot of hers.
However, Gordangar’s father, Kenstrel (who had been the tribal king in his time), had made an oath on behalf of the tribe to protect Gringle and his property, as a favor to Gringle for his friendship. Gordangar ordered us to Apple Lane to uphold the oath that Blackmor was willing to break, protect Gringle, and remove him beyond the reach of the king.
gj.
Windsday, Disorder Week
Using Bangarl’s Wagon to help speed our journey to Apple Lane, we travelled north along the low-ridges above the Colymar Wilds. Blocking the path, we encountered a dancing troop of dragonewts, who we greeted successfully with the Peace Secret. They gave us a lizard on a stick and allowed us to pass unharmed.
We next passed near Asborn’s Stead, a stout fort on the edge of the Colymar Wilds. Asborn’s clan, the Ammangarn or “Black Spear Clan”, keep our Colymar tribal wyter, the Black Spear, and have refused to bring it out of the Colymar Wilds and give it to the Blackmor.
Asborn was once King Kangharl’s sworn sword-friend, but has since broken with him and lives in exile on his stead.
We accepted hospitality at Asborn Thriceborn’s fort, thane of the Ammangarn “Black Spear” clan. Desrik honored him with a poem about the Black Spear clan’s heroic exploits. Although the Thriceborn offered us places next to the fire to rest, we wished to return to our urgent mission. He sent two horsethanes with us to guide us safely to the edge of Black Spear lands as night fell.
We arrived at Apple Lane after nightfall, a perfectly peaceful and untroubled hamlet at an important tribal crossroads. Despite the late hour, we woke Gringle with urgent news. He told us he had nothing the Governor-General could want, nor any wealth left to speak of that would interest King Kangharl, the Lunars, or even common robbers. He’d been slowly bled dry, in punishment for taking sides in the Rebellion. Gringle asked after our parents and family, many of whom he had known, recalling with clarity Sarlanth’s honorable father and Dinestan’s happy but doomed-young-lover parents.
Pondering why King Kangharl might have declared him outlaw for no apparent reason, Gringle concluded that somehow someone must have learned of his Three Secret Treasures and wished to wrest one or more of them from him. Removing the tribal king’s protection was a means to an end.
He showed us the Three Secret Treasures: the Eye of the Halfbird, the Lead Grimoire, and the Iron Cardinal Egg.
Then the attack came. Meteors rained down upon the pawnshop, threatening to destroy it around us. Gringle quickly led us out the back door, but we found the pawnshop was surrounded by Kangharl’s kinsmen and our escape blocked. We fought them, and although we tried our best not to hurt them to avoid a feud with the king, Desrik forgot about all that and used his knife on the Taraling’s throats, hurting several.
We were victorious, beating down the king’s clansmen and driving off the Lunar witch. We carried the Taralings to the nearby Temple of All Gods and Gringle paid the god-talker for their care. We hoped this will stave off a feud with the Blackmor. The witch vanished into the night, driven mad by the spirits Orsten set upon her. Only the unfortunate thane of Apple Lane, Dronlan Sharpsword, was killed, trying to fulfil his oaths.
In addition to Gringle, the hamlet’s bonesmith and friend of Gringle, Piku Third Eye Blue decided to come with us, fearing Lunar reprisals. We agreed to let him resettle on our stead, even though he is a foreign sorcerer who brings a wife, a daughter, a son, a herd of goats, and his Monster that frightens everyone.
It took a full day for everything to be made ready. No one had a chance to sleep.
Kj.
Wildday, Disorder Week
Moving Gringle, Quackjohn (Gringle’s duckservant), Squinch (Gringle’s ancient book-keeper), Piku, his family, his herd of goats, his Monster, and everyone’s belongings was very slow going. We only made it as far as Asborn’s Stead. We took up his previous offer for a place near the fire and the protection of his stone walls. Gringle and Asborn spoke privately for an hour. Desrik taught Quackjohn his Soup Secret and everyone had a good meal. Asborn’s hospitality was free-flowing and generous.
We finally got to rest.
Xj.
Godsday, Disorder Week
We returned to the tula. Piku and his family, goats, and the Monster caused much astonishment and consternation at the stead. Gringle confered privately with Gordangar and Savan Thundermaker for several hours.
We spent the night in the safety of our family.
ol.
Freezeday, Harmony Week
We set off to Quackford with Gringle, Quackjohn, and Squinch in Bangarl’s Wagon. The wagon’s magic worked well on the roads. We arrived in Quackford safely before nightfall. Gringle paid for our meals and lodgings at the Waddle-On Inn.
Gringle asked one last favor of us. Giving us one of his Three Secret Treasures, the Lead Grimoire, he asked us to take it to Minaryth Purple in Jonstown. He said that it may help with “the War”. When Sarlanth asked “Which war?”, Gringle said “The War soon to come.” In return for this last favor, Gringle gave us the Eye of the Halfbird, encouraging us to look through it. We could see the Otherworld reflected in it.
Quackjohn taught Desrik a thing or two about throwing knives in return for learning Desrik’s Soup Secret.
We spent the night singing songs and telling stories.
wl.
Waterday, Harmony Week
We saw Gringle, Quackjohn, and Squinch safely to a boat that would carry them far away out of Sartar to Nochet. Gringle gave us one last blessing and invited us to visit him in Nochet someday. Gringle specifically told Desrik he might come to Nochet and learn a thing or two about trade from him.
We returned to the Waddle-On Inn to find that Gringle had arranged for the inn to host a feast on our behalf.
We ate and drank our fill and found pleasant company in our beds.
el.
Clayday, Harmony Week
We returned to the tula to get back to work after being gone for almost a week. While we were gone, Piku killed and skinned a few goats to begin building a goat-skin dome-house for his family and a wooden pen for the goats near the stead’s forge. Piku’s wife has been constantly baking goatmeat-patties and the smell now permeates the stead. Piku moved the Monster into the stead’s forge to protect it. He has cast a spell over the forge “to make it work properly”. None of our kinsmen are willing to go near it now. All this commotion has caused great astonishment and consternation among our kin.
We returned Bangarl’s Wagon and gave the Eye of the Halfbird to the Clan Ring, who placed it with the clan’s other magic treasures for safe keeping.
.l.
Fireday, Harmony Week
It is the Summer Solstice.
Xl.
Godsday, Harmony Week
Very, Very Bad News Arrived. A rider from Asborn’s Stead came fast into the tula today with terrible news. Red fire and smoke was seen rising from Apple Lane during the night of the Full Moon, (almost a week after we fled with Gringle). Asborn’s outriders reported that a regiment of Lunar sorcerers descended upon Apple Lane, accompanied by many demons. They reduced the Pawnshop to rubble, destroying the spirits within, and searched the ruins carefully. Then they ransacked the entire hamlet. They burnt down the famous apple orchard. They crucified the wife and children of the unfortunate late thane. All the other residents were driven out. A few took refuge at Asborn’s Stead. A company of Lunar soldiers arrived two days later (on Freezeday, Death week) to occupy what remained of the village. The peaceful, beautiful hamlet Apple Lane is no more.
Important People We Met
Asborn Thriceborn gsW
A melancholy Storm Voice, Asborn is a famed warrior and hero of the Colymar tribe. He was a boon companion of Queen Leika and accompanied her into Snake Pipe Hollow during her Crown Test; he is often called Demonslayer for all the Chaos he killed. Twice he has died and twice Orlanth has returned him from the dead. He has come back to life so many times that it’s easier to come back than stay dead.
Asborn was once a close friend of Kangharl Kagradusson before he became king of the Colymar. The two fought side-by-side in many adventures and battles until Kangharl betrayed Queen Leika. Asborn now despises his former companion, always calling the king by his contemptuous nickname, “Blackmor”. Asborn openly rebels against the Lunar Empire and enjoys robbing Lunar travelers along the road near his stead.
Dronlan Sharpsword gyW
Deceased. A member of our cousin-clan, the Ernaldorings, Dronlan was appointed thane of Apple Lane by King Dangmet more than twenty years ago. He was a good friend of Gringle’s. As thane, Dronlan provided tribal protection and law for the hamlet and killed a number of bandits and outlaws over the years (including a fearsome cave troll). He was struck down from behind by the witch Erianda while fulfilling his oath.
Piku Third Eye Blue oas
Now taken up residence in our stead. A strange, secretive foreigner of the Third Eye Blue people, Piku is an extremely skilled metalsmith and a sorcerer. His magic all pertains to the arts of metal working, and knows secrets of metal beyond the ken of our Gustbrani redsmiths. Piku is a small man but extremely strong and very secretive. He fears and hates Dwarves. Piku will not offer sacrifices to the Orlanthi gods or participate in their worship; instead he worships strange sorcerous demons of which he will not speak.
Piku can get and work iron, aluminum, and virgin metals if his price is met, and he can forge almost anything practical. He has little artistic skill, although he knows a song to sing sword pommels into the shape of animal heads. Piku makes weapons and armor as well as tools.
Valeeda is Piku’s very ugly wife, and her goat meat pies smell mouth-wateringly tempting. Yaku, their plain-looking 17-year-old daughter never speaks to males of any age. Wakapo, the son, is a young man, and has the tattooed eye upon his forehead. He assists his father in the forge.
Piku has a Monster. A small, nameless thing without fur, anus, or eyes Piku keeps chained to the bellows, which it vigorously pumps until told to stop. At night Piku unchains it and feeds it a goat-meat patty, and leaves it to guard the forge. No one knows what it would do if it got loose.
Gringle Goodsell, the Pawnbroker ghy
Safely relocated to Nochet. This priest and devotee of Issaries, the God of Trade, is originally from Esrolia and is a good friend to our clan and tribe.
The Pawnbroker is widely known for his evaluation skills, his fast talk and his skillful purchasing. He loves to haggle. He is an old man, balding, with one eye that twitches, yet holds himself proud and aloof. Gringle is unfailingly polite except to rude people. He tries to avoid fights.
Gringle dislikes the Empire very much. He was part of the Sartar High Council and reluctantly supported Starbrow’s Rebellion. After the Rebellion failed, he was forced to become a tax farmer for the Lunar Governor-General. King Blackmor publicly blamed him for the Lunar taxes making him a scapegoat before eventually outlawing him at the behest of the Lunar witch Erianda. Gringle has great personal respect for the Governor-General Fazzur, whom he believes is honorable and intelligent.
Quackjohn, Gringle’s Duckservant glw
Safely relocated to Nochet. Quackjohn is Gringle’s dedicated Duck-Man-Servant, an elderly duck who has been with Gringle since 1572, when they settled in Apple Lane. He is likable and chatty. Though white-feathered, he still proved his mettle in the Pawnshop Fight.
Quackjohn and Desrik struck up a friendship during our flight from Apple Lane to Quackford. In return for learning Desrik’s Soup Secret, he taught Desrik how to throw knives. Then, he drank Desrik under the table.
Squinch Greybeard, Gringle’s Factor gyh
Safely relocated to Nochet. A scribe from Boldhome, Squinch has been in Gringle’s employ for over forty years and now serves as his factor.
Erianda, the Blue and Red Witch /
We only saw her briefly, emerging from shadows to slay Dronlan Swordsharp with her scimitars. She is blue on one side and red on the other. Orsten’s spirits drove her into the orchard surrounding Apple Lane and broke her magic. We do not know what became of her.
Darnsten, Thane of the Taralings, King Kangarl’s Man
He dueled with Sarlanth at the Pawnshop Fight and lost. Although wounded, we left him and his injured clansmen with the priestess at the Temple of All Gods in Apple Lane. We do not know what became of him.