Book 1 - Chapter 2: The Road to Aite-Aerd

[pringerbeam]

     "Great, at this rate I'll die of trenchfoot before we even make it to Caer Mog."  Remarked Thedrin as he vainly brushed at the mud that had stained the doublet beneath his scale shirt.

[Asta]

Scathach turned her mount around to lead the group to the campsite she had found. The ride there went by quickly and without event, and before too long you find yourself in a small clearing surrounded by tall white-barked trees. After another half hour, your camp is erected and the half-elf hunter takes the first watch.

[Oath]

As the camp gets set up, Cecilia volunteers for the final watch. "I'd like to take the last watch, if you don't mind."
The adventure had been quite something so far and she was eager to rest after her near death encounter.

[Throndir]

[info]Perception during watch
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+7 : 6 + 7, total 13[/blockquote][/info]

[pringerbeam]

[info]Thedrin taking second watch

Perception[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+2 : 9 + 2, total 11[/blockquote][/info]

[Oath]

[info] perception for watch
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+1 : 11 + 1, total 12[/blockquote]
[/info]

[Asta]

The night passes with merciful peace, though on occasion the quaking of the trees in the breeze is eerie enough to sound like something sinister waiting in the darkness.



Location: Caer Mog
Date: Oaeksaber 1, 795
Time: ~1900

When dawn arrives you find that the heavy fog from the day before has finally blown away and is replaced by an overcast autumn sky. After packing up, you continue on the road north and follow it as it bends slightly east. Two uneventful days of riding under the grey sky eventually leads you to the outskirts of Caer Mog.

For the last hour you've been riding past scattered farmhouses, recently harvested fields of Highland wheat, and fenced off pasture. Occasionally you spot a farmhand out with the small herds of domesticated aurochs the settled people of the steppe tend to ranch. They wave at you as you pass, serving as both a greeting and a check to make sure you bear no ill will toward them. Before long the village is in sight.

The sun is beginning to set as you ride into Caer Mog, a village about the same size as Telan that is about halfway on the journey north to Aite-Ard. A sleepy looking militiaman slouches by the wooden posts that serve as a gate into town, leaning heavily on one. He doesn't bother to call out to you, simply waving you on into the village with a lazy sweep of his hand. He yawns wide while doing so.

The village, much like any other one out on the step is laid out in a familiar manner. Inside the wooden walls that serve as bulwark to hostile creatures out on the steppe, the unpaved streets are laid out in an easy to navigate grid. At the center, you know there will be a village square where the open air market would be operating had it not been so late in the day. Unlike the one in Telan, the meeting hall in Caer Mog has a surprisingly high minaret that protrudes from its roof, the tower is at least 80 feet tall by your estimate and probably offers a commanding view of the flat expanse that is the Great Highland Steppe. Certainly a boon for the local watch.

"Take a gander at that huge thing. Should get one of our own back home. Bet you could see for miles up there" Scathach says with a low whistle. "Right then. I'm proper knackered from ridin' all day, you wanna see if we can't get a room somewhere?"

[pringerbeam]

     "Lovely Lady of the Lake yes, an inn, and a bath, and a laundry." Said Thedrin as they made their way down the street. "Not to mention a real hot meal. That nomad's stew was not meant for a proper constitution."

[Throndir]

"I wudden mind a proper bath myself. Maybe I can sell a couple of these trinkets we got earlier tomorrow mornin' too." Rhenri said as she lightly played with the beads and bracelet in one of her pouches.

"I can do some shoppin' tomorrow for the rest of us if y'all have anythin' y'all want." Rhenri offered.

[Asta]

"We can come up with a list once we find soomplace to stay. First we need tah foind a place tah sleep..." Scathach replies, then trails off to turn an tap a passerby on his shoulder. "Say, where's the inn?"

The man, confused for a moment at first about being asked stares at the four of you for a moment before realizing what was asked of him. "Oh, uhh... Well there's three in town so I guess you can take your pick? They're all pretty close together actually so you don't have to walk all over. There's the Stardust Knight, the Unbreakable Diamond, and the Golden Breeze."

[pringerbeam]

     "This Stardust Knight sounds like the best of them. I didn't think these folk even knew what a knight was but I gather the proprietor must have a familiarity with proper class to pick a name like that."

[Asta]

"Oh, yeah he ain't from around here. Fancy chap from down south. Dunno why he'd want to move all the way up here, not that I don't love the steppe, but you know... Albion being what it is." The man shrugs his shoulders. "Anyway, it's up that street there a short ways. Can't miss the sign out front." he thumbs in the general direction of a nearby street before turning to leave.

[Asta]

After the man takes his leave, you head down the street indicated and eventually spot the inn in question. A wooden sign hangs off a pole sticking out from the eves depicting a knight in purple and green painted armor, below the knight the name of the inn is printed.

Inside the large common room you find it to be rather busy. Travelers and local patrons mingle, chatting loudly over drinks while a bard in a patchwork cape stands atop a small box playing a lively tune on his flute. In one corner you spot a older man with a wild look to him sitting by himself. Though the room is busy, there are still a handful of tables that are unoccupied and there are open spots at the bar where the the proprietor, a man with an elaborate mustache and a colorful cravat, serves drinks.

[pringerbeam]

     Thedrin made his way to the bar and approached the barkeep. "Hello there sir. Do you happen to have a room for a knight errant and his companions? We're making for Ait Aerd and need lodgings for the night."

[Asta]

"Why of course my good man, the most comfortable rooms in the entire town and for a reasonable price to wit. It will be a short wait as they are prepared for you, feel free to order a meal and something to drink. We have a robust collection of imported wines, as well as local ales if you prefer."

It is evident to anyone listening to the proprietor speak, that he is not a native of the region. His accent marks him as someone who lived most of his life in the territories surrounding Albion's capital.