Mists over the Musarde , Chapter Six

[ewancummins]

In the Mists, there are neither stars nor moon, neither sun nor sky. Without such heavenly guides, one may measure time only in paces or heartbeats- an exercise in futility. It becomes impossible to say whether you have walked the Mists for minutes or hours- or even days.

After an indeterminate time has passed in walking almost blindly through the fog, your party comes across a stone road- the only definite form or feature of the land you have encountered since first entering the border mists at the verge of the Wood-that-Waits.

As your party travels down the road, the fog begins to clear. Sunlight creeps in through the veil of gloom. What's more, there are sounds of a town or encampment: varied voices of men and women [Mordentish words may be picked out among the chatter], the creak of wagons, the braying of donkeys, etc.

[steveflam]

"Ay, Dorgio or Benn, mebbe ye wanna come up front here so as to greet these peoples? Yer got better manners 'n' I does an yer words sound better too. Sounds like language we all knows too."

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

Dorgio blinks as the mists begin to clear. No endless wandering? No formless horrors in the grey vapors? "Well, that was easier than I was expecting."

Taking Norzak's advice, the priest shouts, "Hail!" and slowly approaches the camp, his holy symbol in hand.

[steveflam]

Norzak follows at a distance of five feet behind Dorgio, and looks at the people they heard from the mists and are now approaching.

[ewancummins]

Stepping out of the fog, Dorgio finds himself not in a camp, but on the outskirts of what appears to be a large town! The highway of hard packed dirt and river-cobbles runs right into town, and either side of the thoroughfare is lined with timber buildings, mostly one or two-storey structures. In addition to the log houses and shops, there are many tents, shacks, and improvised shelters. The whole place has the appearance of having been built in a week, and is overflowing with people. And what people! There are some Vistani here, but many gorgios: bewhiskered lumberjacks with big axes slung over their broad shoulders, turbaned traders wrapped in yellow cotton robes, mahogany-skinned hunters with hatchets and hunting bows, and many fair complexioned folk in clothing that resembles that worn in Pont-a Museau and the other cities of the Musarde river valley.

No one seems too surprised to see the cleric wander out of the mists, but at least one person comes forward to greet him: an old man with nut-brown skin and wiry gray hair.
The old man speaks in oddly-inflected Mordentish-

''Hello, friend, new to town, eh?''

[steveflam]

Norzak walks up to stand next to Dorgio and gives his best smile to the old man. As well, his best attempt at speaking properly for once. "Hullo there. I don't rightly know if we are new ta town. But if ye be kindly enough ter tell us what town we be at, then we'll know if we are first timers there, eh?"

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

"Quite new, I am thinking! Dorgio Varga, servant of the Morninglord." He takes out his flask and hands it to the man. Some missionaries spread the good news through the book or the sword; Dorgio preferred the bottle. I was afraid we'd been losing our way in the fog. Can you be telling us the name of this place?"

[ewancummins]

'''Well, you have come to the Bazaar-at-the-Edge-of-the-Mists. Heh, that's what the tinker-men call it. Folks here, we just call it Bazaar. My name's Zeke. Pleased to make your acquiantance, Dorgio.''

[steveflam]

"An I be Norzak Darkender o Darkon. Nice ta meetcha Zeke."

[Adam]

"Bazaar," Bennedict says, finally stepping forward after eavesdropping on the conversation, "At the edge of the mists, you say? I've never heard of this place before."

He stops, quickly regaining his manners. "I am Bennedict Gehrman, by the way, of Lamordia."

[ewancummins]

Zeke replies to Norzak,


''I can see that you are a dwarf. We have a few of your kind in town, and here no one will bother you for being different- but outside the Bazaar...well, the Old Folk are not used to seeing dwarfs and elfs and suchlike. I'd keep that in mind if you go travelling far, Norzak.''

[ewancummins]

"Bazaar," Bennedict says, finally stepping forward after eavesdropping on the conversation, "At the edge of the mists, you say? I've never heard of this place before."

He stops, quickly regaining his manners. "I am Bennedict Gehrman, by the way, of Lamordia."

Turning his attention from the dwarf to Benn, Zeke smiles and says-


''Lamordia, eh? That's a way up north, in the ice and snow! Well, you'll find the autumn warmer here, I reckon. ''

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

The priest gives Benn a quizzical look before returning his attention to Zeke. "Just how far south are we from Lamordia, my friend? When last we had been reckoning, we were somewhere near Darkon."

[ewancummins]

The priest gives Benn a quizzical look before returning his attention to Zeke. "Just how far south are we from Lamordia, my friend? When last we had been reckoning, we were somewhere near Darkon."

Zeke looks down at his feet, shuffles, and clears his throat before answering-

''Well, now...I don't rightly know how far it is, just that Lamordia and Darkon are way up north. I have seen ...uh..maps...but I don't read so good. You want me to take you to somebody educated? Would that help?''

[steveflam]

"Uh Zeke, thanks. Now do yer know how far we is from Pont A Museau?"