Of course its not that straight forward.
Write up follows:
For 2 weeks the group looked for some sort of employment around Erylond. There was plenty of labor jobs to be had paying a few commons a day for 10 hours of hard work, but anything more material just wasn’t there. If we were willing to take on apprenticeship roles at smiths or scriptoriums that would help. With no journeyman papers to our name and only our good will and badges from the Greater Rand Sellsword and Adventuring Guild to attest for us – there was a lack of honest well paying legal work.
Which is what most of us knew years ago which is WHY we became mercenaries in the first place.
We wanted a stipend of coins at our back before descending back into the Terror Dungeon to help outfit us properly and that meant finding some sort of well paying work that would be suited to our skills. Pha-iyr Carom promised he would help us out if possible and spent many days looking over what jobs might come ibn that would be a fit for us.
And eventually on Spiritmonth the 26 with the onset of snow already here, some good news came our way.
We met up with the Guild Facilitator at his office that morning where he was entertaining a middle aged human woman identified as Vespia Neast, Chancellor and Speaker for the Wizard-Lord Celeste Firesworn from the Tower of Eternals here in Erylond. She had come to Pha-iyr a few days ago looking to have a matter resolved for her superior in a far flung province to the north and end of Erylond’s direct control.
There is a province to the north called the Durcent Province run by a local lord named Sir Durcent. It is composed of three steads run by the Durcent family, the Maciles family, and the Ostlerson family. For the last decade plus, Celeste has been commissioning birch bark from an ancient stand of trees that is found on the Durcent Province. These trees are old and their offspring are all descendant from an infused tree that was supposedly ensorcelled at one time in the past. The bark is superior to most other bark and Celeste uses it often when possible for her commissions on books and grimoires that she makes for her clients. There is other birch that can be used but her clients have gotten used to this superior product and she is loathe to use some inferior if at all possible.
About 6 weeks ago the order for birch bark she made from the Durcent province failed to come in – some 40 sheets she had requested and had committed to using. Never having a problem before in getting the material She had sent some letters out to the Province hoping to speed the material along and getting back that there has been some issues with a local orcish tribe making trouble and preventing the harvesting of the not only the birch bark, but other material throughout the province.
More strongly worded letters went out all coming back without the material and Celeste was now forced to refund part of her commission funds to her clients as well as use lesser quality material to complete what she can. This has aggravated the Wizard-Lord who then about 2 weeks ago sent Vespia Neast and a team of 4 to head 8 miles out to the Durcent Province and see if they can fix the problem and resolve it.
According to Vespia, orcish raiders were running wild across the province and the local sheriff had dies some 2 months ago – with his replacement being ineffective as there was a power struggle between the new sheriff appointed and another sheriff who was also appointed a few days later by the Ostlerson portion of the province. This has made the deputizing of locals difficult at best since thoughts are running high that this needs to be resolved but no one wants to stick their neck out too far and potentially piss off the “wrong” sheriff in this matter. So Vespia and her people returned the Celeste and gave her the bad news. A further trip to the Hall of Nobles has shown that the matter is a local matter and the sheriff can handle it – meaning no one from Erylond’s court is going to get involved on a matter that is so far from the seat of power and no one has died – so they’ll just wait for it to be fixed locally.
Celeste had since put up 500 nobles and gone to the GRSAG to have the matter handled by professionals and that’s where we come in. 60 nobles up front and the remaining 440 upon completion which is resolve the issue with the Durcent Province and bring the perpetrators to the problems there to justice. The job called for 5 to complete the mission and besides the reward listed, 10% of ready coin and treasure found is to be given to the GRSAG and the rest is ours to keep.
We signed the paper and decided on Thalin, Barb, Shimlagesh, Brading, and Darius to best handle this mission. Returning to the house we geared up, left the rest of the material with the party still behind and started our walk north up through the Thakian Gate and on the way to the Durcent Province.
We passed other larger farms and holdings as we went, come castles and keeps, and then eventually as we travelled the holdings grew smaller and the places less grand. Eventually we left the trade road to one of the smaller roads heading east and 8 or 9 miles from Erylond later arrived at the Durcent Province. Many of the homes were simple land-crofter’s huts and the land showed signs of being harvested but strangely still incomplete at this time.
The Main center of the province had 5 larger buildings – the Manorhouse, the Smith and Farrier, the Granary, the Temple, and the Tavern and Meetinghouse. There was a village square that was cordoned off as well but at this time of late afternoon was mostly empty. As we came to the Manorhouse was had the opportunity to check in with the Castellan and leave our weapons.
We could see the manorhouse stables and besides a few riding horses and a nag or two, there were almost a dozen shaggy haired stout ponies and two large silverbacked war wolves each with a modified saddle on them. The Castellan let us know that orcs from the Wolf Skull tribe were here and having a heated conversation with Sir Durcent. They had been at the Province for the last 8 days and things have gotten tense. How so?
6 people who worked for the Province have died via poison since the orcs have crossed the border.
Shit.
We were escorted inside the manor house and led outside the meeting room/dining room where we could see the local lord and maybe 8 of his people sitting around along with a half dozen liveried and armored guards – while almost 20 orcs of considerable size and ferocity were lambasting the lord.
The orcs were screaming that this was traditionally orcish land and they wanted the sovereignty to ride across it at will and to use it as they see fit. Sir Durcent said that those documents were well over a century old and this Durcent Province has been here and established shortly after the fall of the Randari Ympyr. The orcish chief, a huge woman named Glamar, was telling Sir Durcent that as of now no one has gotten hurt but she cannot keep the Wolf Skull Orcs from eventually coming to blows if things don’t change.
Then the poisoning was brought up and the Chief was furious saying that poisoning was HUMAN thing to do and no member of her Clanar would ever poison – if things were to be decided by killing – then it would be with tooth, hand, and weapon. There was a speaker, a thinnish orc, who was being run over verbally by the shouting at the table and then the meeting broke up and we quickly moved to the side while the orcs left.
Barb and Thalin, both capable of understanding the language, heard the Chief Glamar talk to her sub-chief, a male named Fintok in Orcish and although they were trying to be quiet, spoke differently. Apparently they had until the last 2 months great dealings with the Durcent Province and the former Sheriff was a good friend of all. She is not happy with the way things are going and wants it to be resolved in a way that saves her tribe and appeases the new Champions of the tribe.
From here we then had a chance to meet with Sir Durcent who was exhausted over what had happened. Sir Durcent is in his 50’s and has been running the Province without issue for a while. There was a page, a constable, the lord’s ranger and his assistant, the master at arms, the reeve, and finally the untenured Sheriff – Thurbarn Greensward.
We got caught up on the local issue. The former Sheriff, Auganus, had been sheriff for 14 years and had a heart attack about 2 months ago after a one day trip to northern Stivil. His passing was a loss to everyone and his wife, Hula, was gifted their homestead of 2 acres for the remainder of her life as thanks for the Sheriff’s efforts.
Sir Durcent then went to his people and picked one of Auganus’ deputies, Thurbarn, and submitted his name to Erylond for vesting and appointment. There are typically 4 orders of law officers. The constable is in charge with maintaining order and investigating crime in any city/town portion of a locale – answers to the local lord. The Marshall is in charge of any standing army/military/or mustered militia body should one be called – and if there is no Marshall, the Sheriff takes over that duty. The Sheriff is responsible for the law and order of anything that takes place in a bordered province regardless of city/town limit – and answers to the local lord. The Ranger is responsible for maintaining the larger laws of the greater lords – whether it’s by poachers, timberthieves, smugglers, or the like – and their reach is not limited to a province. Inside a Province the Sheriff’s word holds sway, outside the Ranger of King’s Man’s word is law.
Thurbarn was well liked and capable of doing the job – having been a deputy for 4 years already and having a militia background before. A local who was known and liked, his name was presented and sent down to Erylond, knowing it would take 2 weeks to get it through the courts and ratified before it would come back up here.
Apparently another name had been presented by the Ostlerson Province as Sheriff – Fersic Gregson. Fersic is also a local person who was not a deputy, but had spent the last 3 years as caravan guard for the Reetersbeard Caravans and was also liked in his own province. Taller, broader, more handsome, and having 70 odd pounds on Thurbarn – his paperwork had been sent to Erylond 2 days after Thurbarn – presenting an issue.
Thurbarn had until the end of 90 days to show he was capable of doing the job and if so – would be tenured as Sheriff and that’s it. If he had a vote of no confidence, then Fersic would get a shot for 90 days as well – and if HE had a vote of no confidence – the Thurbarn would get ANOTHER 90 days – until one man withdrew their name or someone was ratified.
With the orcish issue though, the province was in turmoil – no one wanted to risk getting ostracized by accepting a deputy position from either acting sheriff until they know who was the better choice. So Thurbarn has been trying to go about this alone.
It hasn’t been good. And it’s not necessarily his fault.
The orcs every fall have their Fall Harvest Festival where for three days they harvest what they want from their summer home and prepare to follow the herds for hunting in the winters followed by feats of strength and other contests. There are three new champions: The High Runner (fastest in the tribe) the Fire Champion (Strongest in the tribe) and the Hunt Master (best hunter in the tribe). These 3 new champions sit on the orcish council for the next year and help dictate policy.
These 3 are rather hot headed and are some of the loudest voices about taking back ancestral land. This has been a bone of contention for a long time – but only recently it’s gotten worse. The former Sheriff was very good at diplomacy and policy and the situation has gotten out of control. The Orcish Speaker is a thin wiry orc called Scrato and many of the people of Durcent Province say he’s been poisoning the people.
What people?
Durcent Province has lost 2 of its 3 deacons, a page, a tradesmaster, the woodward, and the head constable to date. All died from poisoning – the smell of bitter almonds noted along with blistering. The Watcher for the Dead, a man named Curio, presided over all of them.
As for the orcs- the chief is correct – although the orcish toughs and riders have not actually hurt anyone yet – they have spent the better part of 6 or 7 weeks scaring off the villagers from the fields and harvesting meaning things will be tight this year in the Durcent Province since the snows have started to fall and there is still turnips, winter wheat, and potatoes in the fields to be brought in.
The younger orcs have also been taken to a drug called “Scratch” which gives orcs a barbaric high for almost an hour followed by a gentle euphoria. It also makes their prone to violent outbursts and bouts of rage. There is a similar drug, Lion’s Leaf, that until recently was the drug of choice for hunters and warriors of any race – but the orcs have taken to this scratch and the thought is, it’s part of the problem.
There was some thought that it might come from Canaslan, as a Canaslanian peddler was through here some weeks ago trying to sell it.
After getting all this information, Sir Durcent was pretty much exhausted and understand the Wizard Lord Celeste is angry but he cannot get her birch bark harvested until this matter with the rocs is resolved and now all the unexplained poisonings is stretching the Province’s capabilities thin. He did sign his name to the charter we had, giving us more authority to handle the situation from the locals without needing the Sheriff involved.
He gave us a place to stay near the manor house – a crofter’s hut that wasn’t being used, and one of our meals would be comped at the Tavern – rest of it was on us. We went to the house, it was secure and well maintained, dropped off our items, and then went to see Speaker Scrato – the speaker for the Wolf Skull Orc tribe.
Scrato had 2 pages/apprentices – each roughly 14/15 years of age. As barbaric orcs they did have their letters and numbers (a rarity!) and were earnest if simple in their doings. Scrato was … nothing like an orc. Eating a salad, talking with his hands and voice at a higher octave, he was well dressed and clean – also some 80 lbs lighter than typical orcs. Dark hair with an asymmetrical cut hanging over one side of his head, our immediate thought was – wow – this is a guy who can poison people!.
But after talking to him and his pages – and the 4 orcs charged with guarding him – we started to discount that. He was eloquent, honest (seeming!), and forthcoming. He had until this entire mess a good relationship with Sir Durcent and truly missed the old Sheriff. He doesn’t like the new crop of champions and blames Scratch for the recent antagonistic views the younger members of the tribe have taken.
As for who is poisoning? He truly believes it’s the local Ranger, Thog Ranswaller. We had met him briefly with Sir Durcent – a half-orc of mid 30’s age, quiet and not well liked. To Scrato’s way of thinking – with enough of Sir Durcent’s people being killed and their positions not being filled – the Ranger could have more control of the Province and shape it the way he might want and prefer. The people were all poisoned in their homes, and the Ranger a secretive man, can come and go at will and no one would think twice about it.
We left Scrato with more questions and returned to the Tavern to have a drink. While there Darius made his way to the man identified as Fersic Gregson, the alternate sheriff, while the party spent the time with the barkeep, Fant Ralinson – half orcish proprietor whose family has run this place for 4 generations. Most of the beverages were either beer or ale, identified as “left beer”, center ale and right ale – as placement of the barrels behind the bar.
Darius did talk to Fersic who although younger than Thurbarn, was earnest in his want for a better province. He wanted Thurbarn to just forego his tenure and if so, Fersic would hire him as first deputy. Thurbarn apparently feels the same but the other direction. No one is happy with the orc issue and Fersic did admit he had some of them followed for a few days and let Darius know that one of Scrato’s guards was at the scene of each poisoning earlier in the day before it happened. He is convinced Scrato is the poisoner and is playing everyone off against each other.
We eventually got some sleep and in the morning had the chance to sit with Sheriff (acting) Thurbarn. He verified much of what we had learned and had his own thoughts on what was going on. The orcs are a part of the poisoning, but he doesn’t believe they are actually the cause and culprit.
We wanted to go visit the Watcher for the Dead Curio as we were concerned about the old sheriff’s death and the timing of it – and also to see his widow, Hula, and find out what she might be able to reveal to and for us.
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