Chronicles of Vieliria

[Roddek]

"Lord Greyaxe, I've been made aware of an incident of severe disrespect to your station in Kilfrid's tavern by one of my serfs named Germind. As a disciplinary measure, I was about to order his confinement to his house for 2 weeks. In those weeks, he would be allowed to feed only on bread, carrots, rice, cheese and water without a drop of wine. In the mean time, he would be required to pay a fine to Kilfrid equal to the money he spends on an average week in his tavern, to recompense Kilfrid from the loss of a customer. Is this punishment agreeable to you?"

"Aye, it is," Roddek said, smiling underneath his beard. "Thank you. I see that justice is righteous in your lands."

Turning to Roddek, Matheron adds "There's also a small dwarven community in my cousin's town lord Greyaxe. I think it numbers 6-7 of your people. A couple of them are not from the Veilirian dwarven holdings. Perhaps you'll find one that is from your parts."

"I'll be certain to ask around when I get there. Perhaps I could find out why it is my people have such a bad reputation in these parts," he said giving the butler a bit of a look, but nothing too threatening as he is a guest.

[VAN]

"I understand my lord, if you have only few horses it's obvious that you prefer keeping them at the estate."

Boiros takes a sip of tea and adds:

"Thank you for the offer to help us, I will keep you and your family in my prayers. If I may ask, do you happen to know if the mists have brought other people from the Core in Vielliria?"

[Varrus the Ethical]

Wil nods. "I can do that. Keeping people safe in the wilderness is what I'm made for."

[alhoon]

"Any other ragtag adventures come through this town that you know of?"

Lord Matheron seems to give another inquisitory look at G before speaking. "I'm a scholar foremost. If you happen to find any genuine piece of a rare book or something similar that would advance my knowledge and understanding of the world, or of the world's creatures, I would make your time very worthwhile.
In fact, I've asked an information broker in the town you're going to do the same thing for me. He's called Yves Millet and he's a rich man that lives with his cousins. He's not exceptional character as you may guess from his profession. I suspect that he's not above blackmail or selling damaging secrets. He's been in Vieliria along with his family for about two years now. You may want to talk with him, or you may prefer to avoid him. Your decision."

" If I may ask, do you happen to know if the mists have brought other people from the Core in Vielliria?"

"Recently? No, you're the only ones I'm aware of. In general, there is no secure way to the "Core" as you Corelanders call it, like connections I've heard exist in other places. The wandering gypsies, the magic of powerful anchorites and the temperament of the mists have deposited, or taken away, travelers from time to time. Unfortunatelly, the general trend seems to be more people coming to Vieliria through the mists than going away. "
Louis Matheron turned to his son and his aide. "Reohore, contant Didrecht and gather 15 men from my lands and have them equipped and ready to leave in the morning. Jean, have Emile's son see to your horse and polish your armor. Here is the tax we owe your uncle." Matheron gave a heavy purse to Jean.
"Jean, while in Mierana, pass by that man, Yves, and see if he has located anything of value. Do not negotiate any price, leave that to me. Just learn if he has located anything and what he wants for it if he has."
Then, Lord Matheron turned to the party. "If you excuse me gentlemen, I have to return to my studies. I'll cover your expenses in the tavern for tonight as long as there's not a fight or other trouble there." Lord Matheron's eyes didn't seem to linger on anyone in particular, making it clear it wasn't an accusation. "Lord Greyaxe, you're welcome to stay under my roof if you prefer as it befits your station as a visiting noble."

The rest of the afternoon and the night would pass uneventfully. Kilfrid informs the group that the other two visitors have left already, so there's another room for them if they want more space.
Arneu made sure that the village knew that there was a traveling performer in the village, staying for the night. That brough a large crowd that night. Tables had to be moved and people were either dancing or sitting on the floor as Arneu sang happy cheerful tunes about places exotic and special, heroes brave and wise and heroines beautiful and smart. Laughter, music, the smell of warm bread and spiced stew filled the night. The men that were about to leave for duty to their baron were served free ale and Arneu made special mentions of the their name in the songs he sang. A few of the young girls present got their parents permission to ask Wil and G for a dance or two, and Arneu had about 3 marriage proposals that he gracefully turned down.
Everything seemed peaceful and idyllic in Harpton village that night. Even the everpresent mists, seemed to have thinned, allowing full visibility to the star-dotted sky above.

Morning seemed to come late in the sleepy village after the previous night. Few seemed to wake up at the first call of the rooster and the sun was well above the treeline when the levies gathered outside the village to leave. Some were saying their last farewells to relatives as the group passed the gate to meet them.
Lord Jean Matheron was atop a spotted white riding steed, wearing bandet armor and sporting a sword on his side and a shield at his back. Serge was beside him, in his chaim mail as well. The group of the seasoned adventurers, the noble scion and the professional soldier were a sight beside the levies. Men of ages from late teens to late thirties, armed with state-issued padded armor, shortspears and whatever else they've scavenged or found in their attics they eagerly fell in line as Serge gave the call.
From his horse Jean addressed the men. "We're leaving for Mierana. There, you'll be sent to watchtowers or border patrols as my uncle, Lord Alfeden and his councilors see fit. With the blessing of Ezra you'll all return to your families safe and sound in 2 months, with the pay you earn from doing your duty. I've received splendid news that everyone we sent in the previous rotation is well and sound, as I'm sure you'll be in two months.

On other matters now. It may come as a suprise to you, but I'll not be the commander in this trip. We're honored to have an experienced war commander with us, Lord Greyaxe, second son of Clanleader Dorrek Greyaxe and head of the axebearer company. I know that you'll show him the respect his title and his experience warrants.
My noble father, Lord Louis Matheron, was able to secure the services of the scout Wilfred of Falkovnia. So, this time you won't reach Mierana hungry, or worse, in high fever because a certain someone thought that every kind of water is drinkable" Jean said as his gaze fell on a man in his early twenties, along with the gazes of nearly every man gathered. The man, turning red started to say something but Jean cut him off, "Yes Higrad, we know. 'the damn feys fooled you' " which brought laughter to all gathered, even Higrad himself.
"Commander? Should Serge give the order to march?" Jean asked Roddek.

[VAN]

"Recently? No, you're the only ones I'm aware of. In general, there is no secure way to the "Core" as you Corelanders call it, like connections I've heard exist in other places. The wandering gypsies, the magic of powerful anchorites and the temperament of the mists have deposited, or taken away, travelers from time to time. Unfortunatelly, the general trend seems to be more people coming to Vieliria through the mists than going away. "

"I understand my lord, well I suspected that mists brought us here for a reason since all of us are from different places and two are even outlanders. Guess we have to wait and we will get the reason sooner or later. May the mighty Ezra guide us and protect us with her shield."

[Roddek]

Roddek nodded. "Move them out," he said, moving to lead the company.

[Varrus the Ethical]

Wil nods and takes point in front of the column.

[alhoon]

The day went by uneventfully mostly. It was a good day, although mists were hanging around the group, reducing effective visibility to a 500-600 yards, although the outline of the mountains to the east was visible. For those unaccustomed to these conditions, it seemed like they were boxed in by a large gray wall. In their march through plains and grassland, the large group encountered a couple more small hamlets and villages but they didn't stop except to refill their waterskins.
The slow progress of the irregular levies was not a suprise to anyone that have spent time with human armies. Although somewhat motivated, the 15 men carrying their few things on their backs, wearing padded armor that didn't fit very well and leaning on spears as if they were walking staffs seem to inspire little confidence as to their chances of survival if they found themselves in hostilities. From their experience, Roddek, Boiros and Wilfred didn't expect much more; these men were often used as cannon fodder to protect the more valuable troops or overcome a foe with sheer numbers.
Although many of the men have traveled the path again, and there were markings on the way, Wilfred or Serge had to sometimes point the right direction to men engaged in gossip to notice where their steps fall and whether they're on the right path. Arneu tried to help the pace, by singing a tune to help the men march, but he was soon tired. Still, in Roddek's experience with human levies and according to Serge's word, they were making good time. Boiros, Roddek and Arneu had enough time in the rest stops to have a chat about area with Jean Matheron and G had heard bits of gossip from the levies. When Wilfred returned with a couple of rabbits and a bag of mushrooms to supplement the dry bread the men were given for the road, he received a hearty cheer.

In general, The men seemed kinda wary about the dwarf and the anchorite. They show respect to Wilfred, Serge and Jean Matheron. G was the one they were the most relaxed and casual about apparently.
When they stopped to camp for the afternoon, near a pond some of the older men knew about and Wilfred found easily, Arneu entertained the men, Boiros led a prayer and Roddek with Jean supervised the setting of a couple of tents. G was asked by the men to play dice with them once they set in their own tent for the night while others asked Wil to help them practice with their weapons. A light rain started in the autumn night, enough to make watch duty particularly unpleasant for the undisciplined men but it stopped at dawn.



In the morning, Serge and Roddek had everyone up and ready by the time the sun was over the horizon. The group was on the road within an hour. Serge expected they would be in Mierana by midday.


The first sign of trouble came when Jean's horse started whining nervously and seemed unsettled while they were passing through some lightly forested area. Folliage and grass seemed less vibrant here; there were more flies. Jean Matheron dismounted to calm the horse. Wilfred scouted the woods ahead but didn't spot anyone or anything so the column proceeded with care. For all their previous waryness, bordering rudeness in some cases, the levies seemed to be clustered around Boiros, messing up their lines like the flies seem to be clustering around them.
At the head of the column, Roddek and Wilfred were the first to notice the darkened patch of grass near a tree. For both the experienced warriors, the color of dried blood on the grass was apparent although the scent has faded with the rain. As they reached for weapons, their reluctance warned the men behind them that clutched spears in their arms. Most of the men have slaughtered livestock and couple with the reaction of the veterans in their midst quickly realized what the color was.
"Is that blood on this small blanket there?" a man in his late twenties called loudly and moved towards a small redish-brown piece of cloth or leather, more like a rag, discarded near another tree. As he cautiously moved over the piece that caught his attention he freezed, his eyes growing wide and his blood draining from his face. His mouth opened and closed spasmodically, no noise coming out. As he rised his terrified eyes towards the tree, he seemed to see something the others couldn't see from their angle; something inhumanely evil judging from the scream the man left as he dropped his spear and ran.
The mists seem to have thickened around the group, reducing visibility to less than 100 yards. In the corner of everyone's mind seemed to be the feeling that he was being watched although it was nearly drown by the rising fear. The levies was bumping on one another some trying to move forward in morbid curiosity, drawn like moths to a grotesque flame, and some trying to back away self preservation taking precendance.
Before anyone else could act, Serge draw his sword and he moved towards the small piece of redish leather with determination, praying to Ezra. A handful of levies followed him, scattering flies as they moved. A couple of steps before the small group reached that piece, Serge, a hardened veteran having served 12 years froze in his step.
"Ezra! Lend us your shield!" He exclaimed in horror. With a trembling hand, he guided his sword to the brownish piece of leather and used the weapon to pick it up for all to see what it was.
Cries of horror and disbelief were heard as they saw the tortured, torn and finally discarded like a used towel, bloodied skin of a person, the size of a small kid.

Serge let his sword drop and fell to his knees and vomited, unwittingly mixing the contents of his stomach with the soil blooded by the atrocity, as he saw the diminutive skinless body nailed to the tree under dozens of flies feeding on it. The flayed facial skin have melticusly be nailed above the fleshy bloodless head in a mock macabre grin.

[Roddek]

"By the gods," Roddek said, stepping back a few paces at the sight of the child. He recovered after a second, noticing the men not holding it together. Hells, he barely managed to keep his own unease in check. "F-Form up," he said, but the words were lost in the panic. He pulled Serge to his feet and tried again. "F-FORM UP, YOU DOGS! The only thing out in these woods that should be scared right now is whatever did this to that child, because now it has to answer to us! Keep an eye out for trouble, your weapons close to you, and your thoughts on the job at hand. We do this child no good if we get ourselves killed!"

[VAN]

Boiros hasn't seen the macabre scene till last moment. The young man's and Serge's cries catches his attention. The cleric draws his sword and gets closer in order to see what has terrified these men so much. The skinless body and the flayed facial skin nailed at the tree is too much for him. He drops his sword and starts running and crying having totally lost the control of his action. He stops his uncontrollable run only because he trips to a root and fall heavily to the ground where he remains for few moments tills he gathers his wits and finally regains selfcontrol. Still horrified and a bit ashamed of his reaction Boiros walks back to the macabre scene, but several feet away he feels nauseated and a strong feeling of aversion. He is unable to go closer. Standing the closest he can, the cleric gets many deep breathes trying to calm himself and prays to Ezra for this poor child's soul. Then looks around to see how the rest of the group is reacting and if they need any assistance. Finally spotting Roddek to be the most calm he says:

"Get this child down of the tree please, it needs to be buried and carried away from this unholy ground. All of us need to get away from here as fast as we can. Mighty Ezra protect us!"

[Varrus the Ethical]

Wil lets a breath escape from his clenched teeth as he backs away from the flayed corpse and notches an arrow to his blow, his eyes darting side to side, looking for target.

[Naliamegod]

*G immediately rushes to the scene, and upon seeing the sight infront of him immediately gags and collapses onto the ground. He is completely unconscious*

[alhoon]

After a momentary silence, chaos breaks through the group of the levies. Some stare frozen as is Arneu, others run away in terror dropping spears like the anchorite Boiros while others double over to empty their stomachs like Serge and Jean do. Garret is not the only one to faint when he realizes what has happened.
The dwarf noble and the ranger Wilfred seem to be the only ones that actually do something. It takes a slap from an iron gauntlet to bring Serge back to his senses and the veteran warrior helps Lord Jean Matheron steady himself. Roddek proves what stock war commanders of his clan are made from and dispels any remaining doupt as to why Lord Luis Matheron put him, instead of his own son, in charge of the expedition. The ranger on the other hand remains alert bow readied covering the dwarf and the shaken young noble as they try to gather whatever remains from their war party.
The characters acting as figures of authority, start to shake the remaining levies out of their panicked stupor, those that are not too deeply in fugue state at least. The words of the dwarf combined with the presence of their Lord and some semblance of security by the sight of Serge and Wilfred with weapons, seem to work. Eight of the levies manage to come to their senses once removed from the vicinity of the bloodstained ground and the flayed body. A couple of them had to be forcibly removed as they were lost in a panicked rage, sreaming and attacking with their fists anything that touched them; even the ground once they've been tripped. Serge had a black eye by the time they had calmed them.
3 levies and Garret are in a catatonic state; some are babbling incoherently while others stare blankly with glassy eyes.
Soon the situation was more under control. The anchorite has returned and a few levies were able to stand with their spear in hand, forming a circle around those that were in shock or still shaking. The whispered word "Zevarziaspawn" is heard more than once; a mix of horror and hate but unfortunately, very little determination. Yet a problem surfaced itself; Roddek, Wilfred, Serge and Jean realized that they haven't accounted for everyone.

Four levies have vanished screaming in the woods.

[Varrus the Ethical]

Wil kneels to the ground, looking for trail-sign. "I'll try and track down the men who ran off." He glances at the body and shudders. "This forest is no place to be wandering about without your wits.

[alhoon]

Jean Matheron, still pale, looks around him to the dishelved men. Then he looks at the steadfast dwarf and the ranger. "You're offering to go to the woods, after this to find men that you've barely met? You are very honorable sir. I'll come with you. These men are my responsibility, I'm their liege". Jean step towards Wilfred, trying to look as determined as the dwarf, but not really succeeding. It's apparent he's still afraid.
Serge intervened then. "Lord Matheron, my suggestion is that you stay here, to protect the rest of your men. Mr Wilfred seems to know his way to the woods. Your father's serfs can't have gone too far"
"I'm heavily armed and trained in swordfighting since I was a kid Serge. These men are my responsibility, including the foreigner that offers to find them. My father would have done the same, Serge. My father has done the same in the past."
"With all due respect Lord Matheron, you've been training in swordplay since you were a young boy, which was 7 years ago. I put the sword into your hands myself. Your father is a more experienced warrior than you and has faced Zevarziaspawn in the past. And your father already has two heirs in case the unthinkable happens to him; you do not have any sons."
Serge's words seem to have the opposite result than he intended. Jean stands more straight moves next to Wilfred and says to the armsman "Your opinion has been noted Serge. Your orders are to stand guard here and protect the levies. Wilfred of Falkovnia, I'll come with you." Jean drew his fine sword and stepped next to Wilfred as Serge moved to the soldiers, defeated.

Thankfully Wilfred and all who accompanied him, were able to track down the missing men without any incident. They found the men in various states of fear lost in the mist covered woods. Some were hiding, scared nearly out of their minds and some were trying to locate the rest of the group but were too afraid to shout. None of them had any serious injuries. It took them about an hour to track down and locate the missing men. The mists were blocking visibility to less than 200 yards as they returned the last dishelved man to the levies.