Day 1, Continued D
Bryn Shander
Your first sight of the city is of the circular wall of Bryn Shander, some thirty feet high, rising from a distant hilltop and lit by an occasional torch. The twinkling lights of the town promise refuge from the lashing winds, and the smoke from its many hearths portends warmth and sustenance.
As you arrive, the gates remain shut. Raaf announces your presence to the guards. A small portal slides open, and the guard wastes no time in firing off a litany of caustic questions:
"Where were you last?"
"What is your business in Bryn Shander?"
Have you already secured lodgings?
Where do you intend to stay?
How are you paying for your stay? Show me.”
"To your knowledge, have you personally displeased the Frostmaiden?"
Raaf does most of the talking, when he's allowed. You show four gold coins each, enough to allow you to stay for two days. Numchucku shows his gold nugget, but it is unacceptable to the guard as proof of funds.
"Do I look like a rock hound to you? Show me coins."
Eventually, the wooden gate opens only enough for you to pass through after crouching over. There are several guards standing at tables interviewing or searching others attempting to enter. Holding up torches, they check the faces of newcomers against a stack of charcoal drawings
As you line up for more questioning, you witness another newcomer’s bag being searched.
“Whoa ho ho! What do we have here?” The guard puts on a thick leaden glove, reaches in, and holds out what looks like a shard of blueish-black ice.
Making making a show for you and anyone else who may be watching, he puts her in manacles and announces, “Poison crystal on this one. A tennday in the brig, banished from ever reentering Bryn Shander.”
Raaf enters first, talking to a guard several yards away in his animated fashion.
You are issued painted stones (weighing a pound) that must presented to town guardsmen upon request.
“Here’s your stone. Keep it with you at all times and show it when you’re asked. Be out of town in two days or present more gold here for verification. Don’t do those things, it’s off to the brig. This one..." He points to Numchucku's face tattoo, "...Probably don’t want to add to the list of places he's banished from. The bard says he’s responsible for you, so he’ll be keeping you company behind bars if you mess this up. New moon is in a tenday. Gates close five days prior to the new moon. That's in five days, if math ain't your strong suit. The gates stay closed until the lottery is drawn and the unlucky winner is located and secured. Anyone still here, according to these records, is entered into the lottery. So that means, if you don't want to take your chances of being tied up in your knickers and left to freeze to death while the whole town comes to watch, I'd advise you to be gone in four days.”
The Eastlook Gate of Bryn Shander
After you are at last free of Bryn Shander’s guards, you notice its much quieter here than what you were imagining. What should be the bustle of a prosperous frontier town is replaced by the lonely howl of the wind, and the occasional howl of a dog in the distance. For most buildings here, stairs head down to doorways, not up. Most of the buildings here are dug into the ground, making windows level with the street. Many of those windows are now boarded or even bricked up, though smoke still rises from the chimneys. It seems this is another buffer from the cold and wind, and a sign of acceptance that windows no longer serve the purpose of letting in daylight. Other buildings look to have recently had their planks ripped from the decking and floors and even beams pulled from the walls, leaving standing skeletons of edifices that once were.
You pass an inn on your right, called Geldenstag's Rest and note it as a possibility for lodgings. It hardly looks fancy. As you continue into the heart of the city, you begin to see more and more signs of life.
Raaf is ecstatic. His walking almost breaks into a jog. After a while, you turn north down a cramped alley and arrive at a tiny shop. A carved sign of an open book with a compass rose overlay, hangs from a metal arm above the door. It's lit inside, the only light on this stretch of street. Raaf turns to you, a wide smile across his face.
"We're here!"
The Fancy Compass
This tiny bookstore, no more than ten feet across, stands in the shadows of two larger buildings built on either side. Outside the door, a goliath sits in the snow, smoking a pipe. It’s hard to read his face, and he doesn’t look up at you as you pass. Inside the building, a well-dressed, older gnome sits atop a large table, surrounded by stacks of books and scrolls. He’s animated as he tells a story to a six or seven year-old girl standing next to him. She seems enraptured.
“...And that was how I learned a red dragon can shoot fire from both ends!”
Over the shoulder of the gnome, stands a young woman who breaks into a smile upon seeing Raaf. She’s holding several more books and seems to be attending to the gnome. The girl runs to Raaf and wraps her arms around his waist, the woman follows and embraces them both.
Raaf introduces you to Veronna, the owner, and her daughter, Aelwyd. Veronna, in turn, introduces you all to the gnome customer, called Wiiba,
"...And I'm sure you met his large companion on your way in. Eldridge, was it?"
The gnome responds, "Eldath, and yes I'm afraid he has quite a touch of claustrophobia, likely the result of spending most of his youth in a cage. This fine store is a bit too incommodius for his liking. He doesn't speak a lick of Thorasta. In truth, you could only make his acquaintance if you're fluent in Jötun, and even then he's still likely to ignore you. At any rate, Wiiba Woosenbig, pleased to make your acquaintance."
'Well, we should be on our way. Aelwyd, I have an apple for anyone who summons Eldath to come and fetch me." It's only now that you notice the gnome is paralyzed from the waist down.
Eldath barely fits through the door. Without a word, he gently picks up Wiiba and to places him in his backpack. Carefully crouching to fit through the door without bumping anyone's head, the two leave into the night.
Verronna & Aelwyd Radclyff
Eldath & Wiiba Woosenbiig
As you peruse the shelves with Aelwyd, you overhear Verronna and Raaf half-bickering in whispers. Then in a normal voice, Raaf adds, "...I would with my life, Verronna. With my life."
Raaf takes Numchucku aside and confides, "Man to man, here, Noomy -- Veronna and I haven’t seen each other in quite some time. We’re looking for some, uh, time alone. You understand. Do you think you two could take Aelwyd out for a walk? She seems to like you, or, well, she likes Elva. I’m sure she’ll come around on you in a while. Just an hour. Or two. Better make it two. Then we'll find you a place to stay for the night.”
As the three of you exit, you see a hand in the window flip a placard to "Closed".
The Central Marketplace
Not far from The Fancy Compass, a large courtyard opens up between buildings. Orange banners seen throughout the market as well as on some of the more "official"-looking buildings are in the process of being taken down and packed into boxes by a team of workers. The marketplace is made up of tents, covered wagons, and many, many campfires - none of it seems intended to be permanent. You can tell from the number of open spaces and empty stands, this place is not seeing the business it was intended to. Yet, there are still a number of candle and torch-lit merchant stands selling a variety of wares. You spot shoemakers, fishmongers, spice merchants, jewelers, and a weaver. Scrimshaw artists seem to be the fashion here, as you spot several around campfires working on carving giant fish jawbones into ornate decorations. Several of the stands seem to just be selling used goods, the sort of unorganized fare many might consider junk. Another, advertising firewood is selling large bundles of odd-sized used and freshly-sawed lumber perhaps taken from the stripped down buildings you witnessed earlier. Your first stop, dictated by Aelwyd tugging at your hands, is a baker hawking a number of pastries and meat pies, kept warm around a fire.
“Raaf said you’d buy me one.”
Inquiring at a stand about weapons, you're informed that market vendors can’t sell anything deadlier than "pretty knives'.
"It's some deal that rich prick Renderil has with the city."
You're directed to Renderil's Emporium for more advanced weaponry. Elva does find some warmer used clothes for the right price. Now bored with your inquiries and haggling that have nothing to do with meat pies, Aelwyd suggests heading to her temple.
House of the Morninglord
The Temple of Lathander located near the small northeastern market square, is a converted house that serves as a modest gathering place for worshipers of the god of the sun. What is obviously a repurposed family home, is haphazardly decorated with religious symbols. Wind-torn, colorful prayer flags and a crude carving of a sun rising over fields adorn the front. On the door, a small sign reads, “House of the Morninglord. All are welcome.”
The attending priest welcomes Aelwyd by name and asks to introduce her new friends. ("This is Alvin and Knuckles"). The priest, Mithann, takes an immediate interest in you, noticing Elva's leg injury.
"I'm going to say my prayers for my mother and Raaf and for the sun to rise, and for my mom to sell a lot of books."
"That's a fantastic idea, Aelwyd the Great. I'll talk quietly with your friends while you do that."
Turning to Elva, she says, "You're hurt. Let me help. What did this to you?"
While Elva recounts your encounter with the wild dogs, Mithann lays a hand on Elva's wound and whispers a prayer. In moments, the pain of the wound is gone.
"Normally, I ask for a contribution for our temple, but seeing as you're friends of Aelwyd the Great, the first time is on me. Tell me, are you followers of Lathander? ... Very well. Know that are temple is open to all of any good and true beliefs."
"What brings you to the Ten Towns? You're for hire? Sell swords?... or sell... clubs? Your company is a bit small, you might look into recruiting. ... You're headed to Bremen? I'm sure you'll run into one of our acolytes there, Dannika. She might have some work for you."
Aelwyd interupts, "Is Copper here?"
"No, I'm afraid he's not. He's gone north to help a friend."
Mithann informs you as adventurers, you may seek the services of the temple. In addition to a healer, she can identify any item you believe to be magical and tell you its properties.
Renderil's Emporium
Renderil Dolft, Proprietor
Returning to the town center, Aelwyd leads you to her favorite store, a large cabin on the perimeter of the market. The building is old, perhaps centuries, but in exquisite condition. The logs are so well-oiled, they reflect the individual lights of the market.
Everything here is meticulously organized and polished, and displayed in masterly crafted oak cabinets and shelves in a cavernous well-lit room. The store encompasses two floors. The first things you see upon entry are two mannequins bearing beautiful dwarven made half-plate and elven chain armors.
A finely-dressed elf sees you enter and walks quickly to greet you, his mouth agape in melodramatic awe.
“By the rivers of Tarsellis, I haven’t seen a snow elf in one and half hundred years. Do come in, my Sh'eha friend. I have so many questions for you... but first, of course, is, 'What can I do for you?'”
Elva tries flattery, "You have a beautiful store."
"Thank you, I've owned it for over two hundred years."
After inquiring about certain wares and weapons, you realize the prices here are fairly expensive.
“You can, of course, try Black Iron Blades for weapons of… less fine craftsmanship.”
After mistaking Numchucku for a whale oil merchant, he notices his snowshoes.
“Your snow shoes, may I see them? Ulutiun-made are the finest. I can offer you 10 gold for them? …15 if you spend it in-store. I’ll throw in a pair of our standard snowshoes, not Ulutiun quality but adequately made, I guarantee. Think of what you can do with that extra coin in your pocket."
Noom accepts the store credit and purchases torches, rations, and weapons.
Elva asks about jobs at the store.
"I'm afraid I'm not hiring clerks at the moment, but I am always on the lookout for hides, particularly yeti, rothé, or owl bear, but I'll consider others. The fewer holes and slashes the better, of course."
As you’re about to leave, he implores Elva, “I know the last attempt to establish trade between our towns met with disaster and drove our peoples even further apart, but if your elders ever have the wish to explore even the possibility of a trade relationship again, please keep Renderil's Emporium in mind. We haven't had cold steel here in ages."
The Stables
Fhai Khua and Shratha Wolfherder, stable owners.
Aelwyd leads you on a long walk through the city, headed south on the main north-south road in the city. Near the Southlook gate, a large building announces itself with barking dogs and the pungent smell of manure. A figure in a large concealing hood is tending to some horses in the small yard.
“Look! This is my friend Shraffa!”, Aelwyd yells.
The figure, a half-orc with a prominent facial scar, reveals her face and smiles brightly at Aelwyd. You're lead inside where you meet Fhai Khua, a human with facial tattoos.
Elva inquires about Fhai's tattoos. She explains she is Bedine, from the Anauroch regions to the far east and they are her tribal markings.
Elva asks what brought the pair to Dale. Fhai explains they were both hired cavalry soldiers, the Purple Dragons of Cormyr, who served together in a number of campaigns. After serving two years, they headed north together and found the Ten Towns to be ripe with opportunity. They spent all of their money on the purchase of the stables.
Aelwyd takes Shratha by the hand and heads to the back of the stables to see some puppies that were just born. Leaving Fhai to talk with you.
Perhaps wanting to assure you Aelwyd is safe with Shratha, Fhai informs you, “I think she’s one of two half-orcs left in all the Ten Towns now. The only other one I know of, somehow got himself elected speaker up in Termalaine. I guess it's different for men, it usually is."
"Shratha wanted to head for Waterdeep years ago. Most folk there don’t really care what your race is, as long as you've got money. I convinced her to stay because business was good and she shouldn’t give those assholes telling her to get out of town any satisfaction. But now we’re stuck here in the dark, for who knows how long. That’s her reward for listening to me, along with that scar. Some drunk lout slashed her with a bottle across the face. Seems he wasn't too pleased with it.”
“I’ve seen her in battle. She could have fed that man his liver before he finished laughing, but that would have eventually left her strung up in an alley somewhere instead of just bleeding. She’s far more patient than me. She has to be. So now we hunker down and mind the livery. Just trying to save coins for when the time comes we can finally leave.”
“You know, a lot of kids come in here thinking this is a zoo and I tell them all to get lost. Aelwyd though, the way she took to Shratha… I don’t think I’ve seen Shrath smile like that in a decade. Aelwyd is welcome here anytime.”
"Now, can I do anything for you? We have plenty of horses available for sale. The axe beaks are all spoken for, but I can teach you how to ride. You never know when we will have some available. I have a few dogs for sale, not enough to make a team, but let me know and I can put one together in a tenday for you. We make and sell sleds of all sorts. If you're looking for a ride to Easthaven, I run a troika, the fastest sled in the Dale. Get you there in an hour or two. What'll it be?"
"There's plenty of mucking and we're short on hands to do it. If you can spare a day, I can spare a gold."
You agree to return in the morning for a full day's work. Then the three of you set off to return to the Fancy Compass.
The Northlook Inn
After returning to the bookstore and saying goodbye to Aelwyd, you leave with Raaf for the Northlook Inn, for his performance.
This bawdy tavern on the far north end of the Ten Road is abuzz with activity. The air inside is heavy with acrid pipe smoke and stale alcohol, and it mingles in your nostrils with the body odor of myriad patrons. The flickering light, cast by oil lamps and a raging fire in the hearth, obscures stains of every hue imaginable. The rough-cut bartender eyes you as you enter, puffing heavily on a wooden pipe carved to resemble a serpentine dragon. He gives you a nod. The bar is stocked floor to ceiling, but as you look closer, you notice many of the bottles are empty.
Raaf looks around, slaps you on the backs, and tells you to enjoy yourselves. "This is a good crowd! Talk to Scramsax there about getting yourselves a room, it's under my name. I won't be requiring it for the evening," he says with a coy smile. "I get a slight discount but it still is not cheap. Let's meet at the bookstore in the morning, my friends."
Elva informs him you will be working at the stables in the morning.
"The evening then!" He immediately begins to flit around the room engaged in handshakes and conversation. Everyone here seems to be an old acquaintance.
"Hapax, you inbred ungulate! How are you? And more importantly, how is your mother..." His voice fades into the din of the crowd.
Looking around, your daze is interrupted by the sudden braying of a mounted fish behind the bar—a mounted fish clearly animated by some arcane tomfoolery. The trout begins to sing a verse that the tavern patrons quickly pick up, until everyone is hollering,
"There's a place I like to go, farther up the river's flow, where it is, I still don't know, must be under all that snow!"
At a table sit three dwarves, the female and one of the males seem to want your attention.
“You look lost. Up for some low stakes? The game is simple.” The female asks. She introduces you to the table: She's Bratha, there's Eldumin who seems friendly, and Tharrom who's brooding and quiet.
Elva engages in a couple of rounds of gambling, a simple game called "Better's dice". Losing, then winning a round, Elva buys the table a round of drinks.
You notice an elf sitting at a table alone, surrounded by books and papers and several velvet pouches. It looks like he has been there all week, perhaps all year. He wears robes and his long hair is so blond that it almost seems to glow. He explains he and his partner have been experimenting
He looks up and blinks owlishly before catching your eye. He is youthful, younger than you assumed at first glance. He gives you a shy smile before returning to his work.
Sitting down you introduce yourselves and learn he is called Elric Sunhair. Feeling able to confide in Elva as she is one of a few elves he has encountered, he raves about the potential of black ice as a substance for magical crafting. Elva brings up the black ice being tainted. He acknowledges that it can be dangerous, but declares he has found a method for purifying it and making it ready to receive a new infusion of a different kind of magic. After being infused, it no longer carries any danger to the handler.
As of right now, it’s simple magic - only containing glowing light - but he hopes that with further study he’ll be able to imbue it with more “complicated” magic. He offers a reward of ten gold per “finger” shard of black ice, double that in credit towards a shard of sunlight, which he sells for forty gold. He is secretive about showing his wares, but shows just a glimmer of one which glows much brighter than the rest.
"Some shards are more receptive than others."
You'll be able to find him if you inquire back at the Northlook.
You retire to your room for well-needed, uneventful sleep.
