Session 5 Planning

Tracking the Minstrel across Wilkershire, towards Middencrest. Need to supply the guys with a map.

Landscape: Farmland all around broken by a few trees here and there. Somewhat hilly. The Twigthistle forest is on their left (southside) and comes closer and further from the road, depending on how it travels.

Farmsteads and barns close to the road, for easy moving of resources. Mostly bricks, cobbles, taupe homes bolstered by wooden supports and thatch roofs. Every so often there sits a well, with folks huddling around collecting water. Children and young teens carrying water, or mucking around. Lots of winding roads covered in bushes and farms.

## Road Encounters

Weather:

* 1-5: Rain, wind, small stormy conditions.
* 6-10: Light rain, drizzle.
* 11-20: Fine, sunny weather.

Travelers: Farmers, merchants, random adventurers.

Gryphlings (Manticore statblock). Lesser cousins of the Gryphons the Knights ride. A little larger than wolves, with stunted wings. These ones are feral things, with mottled brown feathers and dark beaks. Their eyes are black tinged with yellow.

Gryph Knights. Flying overhead. Majestic beasts larger than horses, with massive wingspans. The knights have gleaming armour that shines brighter than steel with a bluish tint. Their chests are emblazoned with a winged details, with a crown set in the middle. Long lances, flechettes, bows, arrows, and spears.

* NPC: Sir Damian Reece, of House Reece. Resplendent armour, smells faintly of cinnamon and lavender. Heraldry is a hatchwork of green and black blended with a castle. Jet black hair, glorious moustache and chiseled features. A good fighter, but noble born and a bit arrogant. Uppity.
* NPC: Dame Catryn Araton, of House Araton. Older Kottur lady, with a speckled leopard-like colouring. Heraldry is red, grey and light blue, blended with the Torian Crown. Another good fighter, but also noble. A bit overprotective.

Family from Ridlen. Dressed a little more exotically, with metal braces ingrained with fish-like scales. If they talk to them, find out they're leaving due to a local city lord in Ridlen.

* NPC: Henry Stafford. A skittery older man (late 50's), dressed in fine clothing dirtied by travel. Riding a dappled mare of fine bred stock. Metal braces made of bronze, ingrained with fish scales. Dark brown hair and deep tan skin. Ran a fishing industry in Ridlen, but doesn't like the policies being imposed by the local City Lord. Tougher labour laws, and higher taxes to keep the city industry afloat.
* Other NPCs: All wearing a combination of light and dark blue, taupe tinged with white. Most of their metal is bronze. About fifteen all up, including some guards. Names: Jack, Gill, Snagger. All tough and hardy, and darker skin.

Will likely come across Acreborrow:

A town a little larger then Deron's Fall. More farms here, and a bit more variety. Sheep, cattle, horses. Overall, flatter land. No Booksmith here, they utilise Daalia. However, there are a few more smithys, coopers etc.

Locations:

The Acre: Patch of ground kept green for travelers to pitch tents, for minstrels and bards to perform, for people to sell wares. Small market going there when the party arrives.

Borrowed Bunk.

* Telemaine. Fat innkeeper, well fed and a little lazy. Black hair turning white, scraggly beard. Voice: A bit whiny.
* Kris. Waitress. Young with a prominent nose. Laidback and easy going, but also a little lazy.
* Dods. Local Mediator. Kottur with light grey fur and very blue eyes. Wearing light blue, grey and white robes. Young for a Mediator, but slim. Spoke with the Minstrel, who was very interested in the creation myth of Toria. Specifically about the Marred.

The Minstrel has come through. In fact, he stayed at the Borrowed Bunk only last night and played a few songs. Shared some stories as well - old stories, fairy tales and fables. They don't know where he's headed, but mentioned that he left that morning.

Dods spoke with the Minstrel at length about theology the previous night. The man seemed very interested to know about the Binding of the Marred.

The Minstrel has actually paid Telemaine and a few of his fellows to watch if anyone asks about him. If the party bunks at the inn, he will send some men to attack them to stop them asking about it. If any survive, they will run out and into the crowded bar, accusing the others of attacking them.

Guardsmen:

* Watchcaptain Nel. Hard woman, grunts a lot. Reddish hair and darker skin. Has a few scars. Sick of the border skirmishes as a local lord's making some noise, add to a slow increase in bandits coming from the south.
* NPC names: Jenna. Vos. Matthews. Few that are nursing wounds taken from some bandit attacks from the south.

She heard the Minstrel play at the inn, said he was too tinny for her taste. Doesn't like of folk. She knows that he was looking to buy a horse, as he asked if the Guardsmen knew where the best one's were kept. If the party bring the innkeeper and assassins to her, she will be judicious, but very much align with the innkeeper. Doesn't trust newcomers.

Saddles And Sods

* NPC: Drendy. An elven man getting on his years. Clean shaven with long dark hair. Rotund, despite his height.

He sold the Minstrel a pair of horses for quick travel. The man seemed to have a good eye, as he bought the best two he had in stock.

Blots. Travelling cartographer. Dressed all in green and brown. Shorter fellow. Friendly chap with a wide face and mouth, full beard. Carting around a bunch of maps. Dealt with the Minstrel too - he bought a few maps. Specifically ones north of Onsfar and Middencrest, around Mortes Mill. Seemed to want to know the autonomy of it all. Speaks oddly, like his mind is muddled about - between serious and nonserious. Has seen the five books of the Sequence before, and they messed with his head. Final words were 'Sweet Bliss'.

Enderin: Older man, but spry for his age. Balding head, with a ring of grey behind his ears. Furious grey moustache and reading eyeglasses that make his eyes look large. Wearing a dark blue travelling cap tied, travelling cloak (also dark blue). Arcanic broach.

Appears as a hatchwork of glowing blue lines generated from an Arc that appears. Incredibly complex interweaving of lines and sigils.

What is he doing? On a mission from the Crown down south. Local City Lord of Glimmerby by the name of Remus Tebesh is stretching his authority, with a group of Guardsmen under his watch. Has increased taxes in his local area, claiming to need them for a fishing industry expansion. However, has been strong-arming the populace, and several dozen have died.