The 24th Day of QuaDec, 1045 - Verbobonc City
After carefully crafting the elaborate backstory of my sudden (and heroic) demise, I wisely venture to the most incognito place I know: Verbobonc City.
My initial sarcasm stung my decision to travel there in search of the careless adventurers Carathmus, Sloemin, and the dwarf Sabu Tablesmasher II, but it was far more practical. The capital city is metropolitan enough that I could convert my gold into less bulky currency with few fees, mercantile enough that I could resupply, nay, re-imagine myself in fashion. Gone is Elsderth Millbottom, Vanished is Sir Elsderth Greyhawk. With a gruffer persona and an odd decision transform myself to completely clean shaven in the first time since my scribe apprenticeship, I walked the seedier sections of the capital as Torben Hardox, bounty hunter, mercenary, and most certainly, a tougher individual than I actually am, and amazingly came out with information regarding the trio.
A few quick visits to some pawn shops to rid myself of some baronial belongings netted me an outrageous pair of fur boots, which were surprisingly comfortable, and this journal, with sufficient ink and quill for the time being. I'm disappointed this journal won't go with my library of others I've kept through the years, but if that's the first regret I've had since concocting this plot to avoid certain doom against the evil elementalists, then I chose wisely.
I will have a fine dinner tonight, drink some wine, and sleep one last time until I find the three individuals responsible for inciting the ire of the temple and the deaths of dozens, if not hundreds of innocents. My leads put them following the trade road up into the County of Fresklun. I might be part of the Ancien Empire, but it's nothing more than one the petty jarldoms when I gallivanted through Wyrmnal as a youth.
The 25th Day of QuaDec, 1045 - Rynehurst
I'm disappointed my veil of civilization disappeared before my first full day's ride.
In all my travels east, I never knew the scum and villany was but a few leagues beyond the turnoff to the Feldkurton. Where the Calebron River meets with the Velvderdya is a quaint fortified village known as Rynehurst. At least quaint was my first impression. Inside was a den of thieves, an illicit bazaar of black market items, and a haven for underground bloodsport. That this type of place is a mere 30 miles from the Viscount (40 from Feldkurton) disturbs me greatly.
The only respite I could find was that the elements who kept Rynehurst independent also enjoyed some of the finer treasures of the civilized lifestyle, so travelers could very well frequent certain establishments, and possibly escape the seedier undertones of of the town.
"Torben" is out of sorts in those parts of the town, but manners and money won the day. I did regain some creditbility when I inquired about acquiring armor and weapons... a LOT of weapons...
No transactions came about my mass armament inquiry, but I did get further leads on the trio. They caroused their way through the seedier portions, partook in every harlot that would have them, and fought some unfortunates in the pits. Just a regular day in Rynehurst, but one of the whores has been missing since they left. Most account her desire to become a camp follower of the trio, but with the rumors of "living armor," I fear a far worse fate.
The trio was last seen leaving Rynehurst for the west. The Old River Road goes beyond the borders of Verbobonc, with a short stop in Valkurl and into the domain of the Margrave of Fresklun: Devarnish.
DM Notes: Elsderth as we know him is no more. A fully presented hired sword in a way he could only dream of in his early forays. Torben, of course, is the original Viscount's seneschal and confidante of Elsderth for those initial letters. Hardox wasn't the prime caravan guard that got him in trouble with Runholf the Dandy in Wyrmnal (and ultimately on the road with the Order of Merit), but his name was far more memorable than Harbash.
And hiding under an assumed name does not work if you keep sending letters to the Viscount. A journal is a much better vehicle this new chapter of his life.
I came to realize in all his "holidays," Elsderth never traveled west. I'll take a good hard look at all the previous episodes, but he's always made a hard right when the road from Feldkurton meet the Old River Road. The entire continent west of the Calebron River is new territory.
Next: #62 - The County of Devarnish
After carefully crafting the elaborate backstory of my sudden (and heroic) demise, I wisely venture to the most incognito place I know: Verbobonc City.
My initial sarcasm stung my decision to travel there in search of the careless adventurers Carathmus, Sloemin, and the dwarf Sabu Tablesmasher II, but it was far more practical. The capital city is metropolitan enough that I could convert my gold into less bulky currency with few fees, mercantile enough that I could resupply, nay, re-imagine myself in fashion. Gone is Elsderth Millbottom, Vanished is Sir Elsderth Greyhawk. With a gruffer persona and an odd decision transform myself to completely clean shaven in the first time since my scribe apprenticeship, I walked the seedier sections of the capital as Torben Hardox, bounty hunter, mercenary, and most certainly, a tougher individual than I actually am, and amazingly came out with information regarding the trio.
 |
| One last look at Verbobonc City |
I will have a fine dinner tonight, drink some wine, and sleep one last time until I find the three individuals responsible for inciting the ire of the temple and the deaths of dozens, if not hundreds of innocents. My leads put them following the trade road up into the County of Fresklun. I might be part of the Ancien Empire, but it's nothing more than one the petty jarldoms when I gallivanted through Wyrmnal as a youth.
The 25th Day of QuaDec, 1045 - Rynehurst
I'm disappointed my veil of civilization disappeared before my first full day's ride.
In all my travels east, I never knew the scum and villany was but a few leagues beyond the turnoff to the Feldkurton. Where the Calebron River meets with the Velvderdya is a quaint fortified village known as Rynehurst. At least quaint was my first impression. Inside was a den of thieves, an illicit bazaar of black market items, and a haven for underground bloodsport. That this type of place is a mere 30 miles from the Viscount (40 from Feldkurton) disturbs me greatly.
The only respite I could find was that the elements who kept Rynehurst independent also enjoyed some of the finer treasures of the civilized lifestyle, so travelers could very well frequent certain establishments, and possibly escape the seedier undertones of of the town.
"Torben" is out of sorts in those parts of the town, but manners and money won the day. I did regain some creditbility when I inquired about acquiring armor and weapons... a LOT of weapons...
The trio was last seen leaving Rynehurst for the west. The Old River Road goes beyond the borders of Verbobonc, with a short stop in Valkurl and into the domain of the Margrave of Fresklun: Devarnish.
DM Notes: Elsderth as we know him is no more. A fully presented hired sword in a way he could only dream of in his early forays. Torben, of course, is the original Viscount's seneschal and confidante of Elsderth for those initial letters. Hardox wasn't the prime caravan guard that got him in trouble with Runholf the Dandy in Wyrmnal (and ultimately on the road with the Order of Merit), but his name was far more memorable than Harbash.
And hiding under an assumed name does not work if you keep sending letters to the Viscount. A journal is a much better vehicle this new chapter of his life.
I came to realize in all his "holidays," Elsderth never traveled west. I'll take a good hard look at all the previous episodes, but he's always made a hard right when the road from Feldkurton meet the Old River Road. The entire continent west of the Calebron River is new territory.
Next: #62 - The County of Devarnish
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