SESSION 34: PREPARATIONS
Over the next few days, whilst waiting for Fenton and Rossiter to masterwork their weapons, the party undertake preparations for the next assault.
Ansic and Uthalin are continuously sparing against each other. In between when Fenton is working on his family Urgrosh, Uthalin borrows the weapon and practices incessantly with it. Ansic works tirelessly with his long sword increasing the strength of every blow. Thomas is improving his accuracy with his bow, firing arrow after arrow at targets. In his down time he is playing and training Baby Cord, feeding it little pieces of meat and doing his best to domesticate it.
To the delight of Eldred Hester, Risandor entertains guests of The Salty Tusk nightly, for he just cannot help himself. The ever watchful eye of Thomas looks over Risandor and Karleigh, ensuring that they are never left alone at night.
Asmara is repulsed by the worship of Asmodeus but her training in Diplomacy keeps her from being actively discourteous or aggressive to his followers. She talks to locals in the Tusk and to the traders and the guards of caravans about Sarenrae and asks people, when she feels it's appropriate, to repent for their sins and seek a better, more good life. Asmara is especially protective of Karleigh making sure that the former slave is cared for and is allowed to enjoy her newly won freedom.
Halee uses the time to start to map out the relationships of the local inhabitants. She starts to observe the guards of the Keep, who are the local tradesmen, who are the merchants that come and go, who do they trade with, what is the local gossip etc. She talks to Hester about the relationships of the locals, who gets along and who doesn't. Hester enjoys having someone to gossip with and fills in some of the missing pieces for her.
Over the next couple of days she starts to map out the relationships and personalities of various people within the local areas. Whilst there are gaps, it's a start.
Markis has been the Castellan for two decades now having inherited the Keep from his father. He has a permanent force of professional soldiers. This force is supplemented by local freemen who are obligated to provide periodic service. The Masters all have an oath of fealty to Markis and he can call on their service in time of need. They are required, under their oaths, to provide personal service (although they are able to substitute their sons or a representative if they are unfit for service) and a personal retinue, which must be appropriately equipped. Each Master has undertaken a separate oath of fealty with Markis depending on their landholdings. In return for their fealty, Markis must protect their land holdings. The Masters must protect their serfs although they are not obligated to provide any protection for their stock and may treat with them as they will.
Watching the guard come and go Halee estimates that the compliment includes Capitan Garin, a sergeant, a corporal, and perhaps 10 men at arms and 8 or so freemen serving at any one time. Whilst Garin is armoured in plate, the men at arms are armoured in chain and carry a mixture of weapons from axes, swords, spears and cross bows. Most of the men at arms and the officers carry shields. The freemen supply their own equipment and it is more mixed with leather armour, shields, spears, bows and daggers being common.
From observing the coming and goings through the Keep gates, Halee can work out that the fortification houses some horses, enabling some of the men at arms to serve as cavalry. She counts approximately 10 horses coming and going from the stables which must be housed within the Keep walls.
Whilst she cannot get access to the Keep itself, Hester tells her that there is in fact a dungeon in which prisoners are kept. Markis and Garin strictly enforce the laws and any unsanctioned killings or any theft or other crimes are answered for by a variety of punishments.
Whilst Markis himself doesn't seem to have any slaves the same cannot be said for the Curate Heinrich. Halee learns that Heinrich has many lands surrounding his Church which are tended by numerous slaves. He holds periodic sermons for the faithful which the Masters and their families attend to pay homage. He is a devout man and he visits the Hamlets to bless the chateaus, lands and stock of the Masters to protect them and make them more fruitful. He has a number of acolytes, professional guards, freeman and serfs who live in and around the church, protecting it and serving Asmodeus.
Halee notes that there is a main trading hall where most of the merchants come to sell their cargos and pick up buy goods. These are mainly farm produce such as cotton, wool, grains and some livestock such as cattle, sheep and slaves. There is a constant stream of caravans with perhaps one every three or four days. A typical caravan may stay in town for a day or two depending on their schedule, the nature of their goods and how far they've already travelled. Some caravans are passing through and do not necessarily buy or sell from the trading hall but almost all stop with the Keep being an important place of refuge for long journeys in a dangerous area. All are headed by a steward or the owner of the caravan. Men like the merchant Roddric, whom Halee had travelled to the Keep with, or merchant Conradin who is currently staying at The Salty Tusk.
Halee starts to catalogue this information for future reference. [DMs Note – I'll start to develop up some type of chart to show the relationships and personalities over the coming sessions].
DEW
answers the call and paints TMP's final unit of Simian Legionaires...
