Mrs. Roxbury Brambledown

> “The quill is mightier than the sword.”
>
>

Roxbury grew up in the farmlands on the outskirts of Hygard, with her grandparents, her parents and her siblings. She married Mr Brambledown and they had children of their own. She ventured into the city of Hygard to earn penny for her ever growing family and became a Hygard Chronicler.

One of her five children, Saxon, following in her footsteps, entered the city and joined the militia.

Roxy appeared briefly in Season 3, in which she helped Greta, Adelais and Tektite piece together a map of regions to the North, East, South and West of central Hygard.

### Description:

She is a 3’4” tall mouse with mouse proportions, super cute fluffy features, fairly big ears. She has chestnut brown fur with a white belly, long mousey tail. She wears a green cotton under-tunic with armour made of strips of bark, she has no trousers because she likes to run on all fours. Her satchel is made of sewn together leaves. On her back is a huge crow feather, it’s a lot taller than her.

Before the demon war, and the drow war, Roxbury was tasked with mapping the surrounding lands around Hygard, and of writing down tales she heard along the way. She would return to Hygard when her task was done and add her works to the libraries for all to read and learn. The Hygard she knew was peaceful and idyllic; truly a place where all races could be successful. Jobs were plenty, markets were brimming, religions were rich. Not a spot of conflict.

Roxbury wears plain clothes and carries a satchel made of sewn together leaves. In her satchel are rolls of parchment, an inkwell, a few vials of ink, and a small quill made of a single pigeon feather. Also within the bag are a few pouches of berries, two vials of vinegar, several spare vials and a pouch of salt, for making new inks. She carries food provisions in the form of vegetables and dried berries. On her back is a giant crow feather quill, black with shines of blue and taller than her, which was sent to her by her son, Saxon, after he procured it during militia business. She uses it with pride.

### Family:

Husband - Farmer - Mr. Bowen Brambledown

Child (Son) - Dill

Child (Daughter) - Elizabeth

Child (Son) - Militia Mouse - Saxon

Child (Daughter) - Isabel

Child (Daughter) - Anise

#### The Meadowbrans

Roxbury's maiden name is Meadowbran, this is her family.

Grandmother - Poppy

Grandfather - Boldo

Mother - Gwendolyn

Father - Basil

Uncle - Fennel

Aunt - Aubrey

Sister - Perilla

Brother - Saff

Brother - Dandelion

Sister - Orris

#### The Brambledowns

Bowen was born a Brambledown, and therefore this is the family that Roxbury married into.

Grandmother - Camomile

Grandfather - Bastian

Mother - Gabrielle

Father - Rowan

Uncle - Yarrow

Aunt - Burnette

Sister - Mallow

Brother - Selim

Cousin - Gali

#### The Marshbarrows

The third family of Fieldkin to live on the outskirts of Hygard with the Meadowbrans and Brambledowns.

Uncle - Tarra

Aunt - Quassia

Cousin - Rue

Cousin - Sorrel

### The Scrolls of Roxbury Brambledown:

#### The Cyclops and the Noise

I departed from The Rusty Anchor in a rainy, port town, called Salt Rest, on my journey by sea to Metsu. The galley, the Murialupus by name, was captained by Gartok. I’ve heard great stories of the mighty Captain Gartok, and trust he’d get me there safety, no matter the cost. The journey was uneventful, save for a bit of bad weather, which is the way of the unpredictable sea. Captain Gartok saw us through and we arrived on the beach near a port town, in the country of Metsu. Captain Gartok is confident the crew will fix the ship for our journey’s return.
The port town was empty, or so it appeared at first. Two, great, cyclopes, towered far above my ears. One lifting a roof of a two-storey house. Another, scavenging in piles of rubble, looking for “sneaky dogs”. One introduced themselves as Hogash, and told us the other was Barosh. In their loud voices they proclaimed “meat!”. They tore at trees as if they were weeds, slammed them against the buildings with a “bashy noise”.
I created a makeshift instrument of wood and metal, and played it in an attempt to soothe the cyclopes. They did not like the rhythm. They liked when I bashed the instrument instead. They called me “noise maker”. Barosh did not like that my new friends were hiding and so I called them out.

Riding on the shoulders of Hogash, we travelled to the cyclopes village, a natural cave carved into the side of a mountain. There were many bones on the floor and lots of hides, sewn together to make sheets and beds. We were greeted by three more cyclopes, and Hogash introduced us as “not meat”. The others did not believe him, and a branch was changed into an illusion of an orc as an offering to the hungry cyclopes. They took it in their big hands, but squished it.

“Ah, I squished it. I squished it into funny tree” said the cyclops. The illusion had broken, and they weren’t happy. As we knew we had to leave, I asked who was strongest out of the cyclopes, and as they argued we left. We heard them say “you’re both stupid, but he’s stronger.” as we ran from the cave, with a sigh of “ah” from the other cyclopes.

Mr Tral led us back through the forest, and it was getting very gloomy indeed.

#### The Breakfast Bizaare and the Jingka

We came across a shop, entitled “Brinner Briggins Breakfast Bazaar”, owned by a delightful, young man called Brinner Briggins. A human, with a stylish coat, but clothes a little tattered as if he’d been working hard, frying eggs over a stove. It was an empty shop, but a pleasant surprise, and my stomach sure rumbled at the luck of finding such a place on our journey. Mr Briggins makes us all breakfast, eggs, meat and vegetables. He tells us that the cyclopes are drawn to the villages by the people there. It’s too dangerous to take the path because there are militia. I began to think that maybe the militia would help us, my own son, Saxon is in the militia.
I noted a sweet exchange between Mr Tral and Mr Briggins, in which Mr Tral asked “what about the stools?” and Mr Briggins replied “if they do not stay quiet, they’ll be here”, referring to the cyclopes, to which, Mr Tral “shh”ed the inanimate stools.

Mr Briggins leads us to the Jingka, a city of terrifying birds. They peer at us from the top of the wall, I fear they’re going to eat us, but they seems transfixed with gold.

“You have gold, show me the gold”, a bird with black and white feathers asks us. We enter the city after showing all the worldly goods we have, I have no gold, but the others have some.

The city of the Jingka has recessed caves, and houses on stilts, everything is up so high for they can fly. It’s a cloudy day, but the sun breaks through. We climb up into a nest, I’m terrified, but I make it up with the help of Captain Gartok. We do not have much rest before the bird, that lives here, wants its nest back. I can hear its screams on the wind. I rush out as quick as I can. I really do not recommend visiting this place.

We did discover that they would not eat me, we asked a magpie and it response was “are you yours?”, I replied, “yes, I am mine”, to which it responded that it cannot eat me. Oh, but they do have such a lust for gold. We asked if they could take us to Metsu, and they said they could, for gold of course. There are entering, and leaving fees.

They offered to give us a lift in a boat in the sky. To me it sounded fascinating, scary of course, but what adventure! It turned out to be the birds holding a plank of wood in the air, not a boat at all, and not safe.

#### One Quiet Night in Metzu

Finally away from that terrifying place, we were back on the road, the road leading us to the City of Metsu. I was glad everyone was together. Mr Tral and Ms Jenks, Master Zianddin, Captain Gartok, and our new friend, Mr Briggins. We headed towards a militia encampment, which I had hoped would be a great place to rest. My legs were starting to get wary, after all that excitement with the bird folk.

But Mr Briggins told us the militia were outcast, not part of the Hygard ways anymore. He pictured them as a terrifying people, worst than the Jingka. I shuddered to think.

But all the same, you cannot go judging people that way. And, militia after all. My son is in the militia. And they’re a noble lot, the guards of Hygard.

Mr Tral leads the way, and takes us up to a stream. It’s gloomy again, it’s actually a little scary this night. The trees, they twist in strange ways. And, oh what a chill. I long for a good night’s sleep.
We find a clearing, and a beautiful, crystal clear lake. It’s a fantastic place to make camp, and that is what we did. There was a sign with strange symbols upon it, I took a moment to jot it down. Mr Briggins, being local, was asked if he knew what it said. He could not read it, said it was written in Metsuken. Fascinating!

The fire was lit, warm once more. I slept well.

Ms Jenks woke me, as Captain Gartok and Mr Briggins had gone for a swim. Mr Briggins had taken in a good lot of water, I used my seafaring scrolls. Some great notes in there. I tapped his chest to rid his lungs of water. Mr Tral, now wearing his fetching red robes, I assume he went for a swim as well, did an amazing technique I have only seem farmers do to stop sheep from choking.

Brinner is breathing easy now. In our haste to get him back down the mountain, I’m really not sure why we did not just stay and let him rest, we put him on Tral’s yellow robe and dragged him to the plateau. Captain Gartok is helping us now.
Ptolemy, messing around again, tripped backwards. I’m going to check on her. Ms Jenks’ suitcase came flying out of nowhere, I heard Mr Tral say “case” so I guess he threw it. I caught it before it fell off the side of the mountain and was lost for good!
Ms Jenks looked thankful. She pulled me away from the edge and all, what a kind young girl.

When Mr Briggins had recovered somewhat he told us that the sign said “Kamizu”, that translated to “God Water”.

#### Commander Riffraff and the Ghosts

We followed the path beyond the militia encampment. Everyone was awfully quiet today. Captain Gartok and I waited in the forest, whilst the others went into the militia to ask for directions. We strolled along the rest of the path whilst we waited, and found a stone bridge over a stream. It reminded me of the Hygard architecture, of the gargoyles.

Captain Gartok voiced his concerns that the others had not come back in a while, I decided I’d take a little look and check on them. I hid in a barrel in a tent in the camp and heard that our friends were being held prisoner in another tent. I’m not sure why the militia would do such a thing, but there was talk of ghosts. Suspicious folk. There are no ghosts in Hygard.

I made a noise to distract the guards nearby, and read one of my scrolls that creates a ghostly figure. I caused a distraction but it was not enough to move them away from the others.

I ran back off into the woods and made a signal to Captain Gartok, we’d need his muscle to save the others from the tent.

I waited in the woods, and met with Mr Tral, he gave me a konker, so kind. Captain Gartok arrived, with Mr Briggins. Mr Briggins was still recovering from his swim, so I told him a story to calm him, whilst Mr Tral and Captain Gartok went back to search for the others.

I told Mr Briggins the story of “the Cyclops and the Noise”. It was nice to hear Captain Gartok also told Mr Briggins some stories.

When we were all reunited, a new friend had arrived, a kobold by the name of Commander Riffraff. He was awfully thin, and sure in need of a good meal. Mr Briggins could sort him out when he was well again. We headed back up the road and over the stone bridge.

Commander Riffraff told me that he lost his family tree parchment, I’ll have to draw him up a new one, he told me everyone that should go on it.

#### Hospitality of the Metzuken

We soon came upon a Metsuken village. Oily, muddy, ooze folk are the Metsuken people. They have no appendages. They tilt and sway as they walk. I noticed that little tendrils appear when they interact with us and things. The village is made of stone buildings, and tents. They are very hospitable, they gave us water, traded and lent us their floor to sleep on. The room we stayed in looks like a place of religious practice. Mr Briggins began to communicate with the Mersuken people, he can write in Metsu! How curious! I lent him some of my scrolls to help us communicate. There’s no food left in the temple, but the villagers might give us some, how generous. It’s quiet and peaceful here. We had a dish called “rice”, it was white grain - warm and welcome.

I found a comfortable place to sleep for the night, everyone seems happy. The Metsuken are nice folk. Captain Gartok woke me, someone had burnt themselves.

#### The Mist and the Neon

Metsuken squish down onto the floor when we greet them and their cart.

They’ve given us a gift, a tied bundle. Mr Tral opens it. It is rice. So much rice, we would never need such a generous gift. But, they give us this gift as if to say “please, don’t kill us”. What a thing to think!

We offer a trade instead. Master Zianddin has a few pots to put the rice in. We offer a Metsu coin, berries and my packets of fried mushrooms I had rationed from one of Mr Briggins’ fantastic breakfasts. Mr Tral creates a “we come in peace” sign on his face in bright pink. He calls it “neon”. We leave the Metsu people, and continue on our way. I look back to see them rise from the floor and continue again on theirs.

It was a very misty night, we realised there must be a river nearby.

Mr Tral goes into the mist, and returns. He says that he has marked a bridge over a river with one of his “neons”. Captain Gartok heads into the mist, with Commander Riffraff secured in a carry bag on his back as he was still too weak to walk.

As lights, militia with torches, approach, the others fall back into the trees. I have to follow Captain Gartok, we surely should not leave a member of the party alone. We must press forward, to Metsu. I found Captain Gartok quickly, thank goodness. We continue forward together, looking for the “neon”, hoping the others will do that too. We see a light, then two.

Mist is coming out of the mouth of a beast. It looks like a religious statue, a guardian to ward off bad spirits, akin to the gargoyles of Hygard.

“Greetings, outlanders” it speaks. It tells us that it is “Jinnai”, the “mouth of Metsu”, the “end of the long road”. It tells us that it is the “end of our journey” because “we smell of blood and war”. I inform him that I have never seen war. I ask if we can help the Metsu, what can we do for them? Jinnai tells us to “speak with the guardian on the other bridge when this week is through”. We have no indication as to what day it is, it feels like a Wednesday.

We ask if Jinnai could grant us passage back through the mist, to find the others. And Jinnai did. It blew a clear path through the mist for us to follow.

#### The Fire and the Sorrow

When we arrive at the end of the mist, back into the forest, we find a horrid sight. The forest is ablaze. The night is lit with fire. We find a body, burnt on the path. Dear Mother, how sad. We hurry back down the path, fearing for our friends. We find the others, they escaped the fire, thank goodness.
Mr Tral tells me the stars tonight are like “lots of eyes looking down”. How poetic. We find a cave to rest in. Mr Briggins lets us know that the symbol for “metusken” translates to “deadly punch” or “deadly hand”. Mr Briggins writes the symbol down for us.

Mr Tral asks me to fix his hat, he told me it was precious, it kept the sun away. I fixed it for him and he began emoting a happy symbol on his face, a pink “neon”.

The next morning, Mr Briggins found us breakfast, birds and eggs, and mushrooms too. My favourite, I gave the meat to Commander Riffraff, as I do not eat it.

We headed back the way we had come the day before, towards the stone bridge over the river to find the other guardian. On the road we saw the broken wheel on the Metsuken’s cart. The cart was singed, the Metsu people gone. Terrible, dear Mother, they were caught in the fire too? Scorched earth around the cart might have been them.

Back passed the militia encampment, it was being picked at by the cyclopes. I wonder what they’ll find there. We all hide in the bushes, I’m not sure why, I quite like the cyclopes. Ms Jenks and Mr Briggins are having a good time, I wonder what’s in that potion.

Suddenly, my ears go and I cannot hear a thing. When the rush of noise comes back Riffraff lets me know that it was magic. And Captain Gartok scoops us up and drags us both to Master Zianddin.

I stay with Ms Jenks, Mr Briggins, and Commander Riffraff. Ms Jenks talks of her family. It is nice to hear her open up about things. I gave Commander Riffraff a kobold toy that I had weaved during our nice conversation. He referred to it as his cousin, Nik Nak. How sweet.

#### The River and the Gates of Metsu

We made camp in a village. I did not sleep, too much thinking of those poor Metsuken and the devastation of the fire. So sad, dear Mother, so very sad. Ms Jenks and Mr Briggins woke in the night from terrible nightmares. Mr Tral’s hat had caught fire again, during Ms Jenks’ outburst. I fixed it for him, weaved bits of leaves amongst the hay. I hope it holds.

We walked to the bridge, there was no guardian there. We went to cross the river. Captain Gartok went first, an orc of the sea, he walked across the rocks. Captain Gartok slipped into the river, we all gasp and hear a dog bark and then he’s on the other side of the river. Good job! I do begin to wonder what that bark was about. Master Zianddin says we’ve found our “sneaky dog”.

And then we see it, a magnificent creature forms out of wisps of foam, in the form of a fox, sitting on its own nine tails. Mr Briggins tells us her name is Sandō, and she is the other guardian. She says she is the “start of the long road” and that  “the Week of Mondays is over, we can now go through the gates of Metsu city”. There was talk of us doing things the wrong way round. She grants us all one question each.

We ask “what happened to the Metsu?”, Mr Briggins translates, and the fox with nine tails never opens its mouth but we can all hear her strange tongue.

She says that there were two of each guardian. Sandō had a brother. And Jinnai had a sister. The war took them away. Everyone left Metsu, there was nothing for them after the war.

Only the Followers of the White Circle stayed behind.

Captain Gartok asked if the people of Metsu have always been “aquatic”, but Sandō does not understand the question and informs him to ask another.

He asks, “we were met with stormy seas. Will we have to deal with it on our exit?”

Mr Briggins says he could have told us, the Metsu land is plagued with many woes, and bad weather is one of them, and it has always been that way, the winters are long.

I turn to Sandō and ask again what I asked Jinnai, “what can we do to help the Metsu?” Mr Briggins says that Sandō enjoyed that question the most, but that her answer didn’t sound helpful. Her answer was, “Yuen Gui”.

Sandō judged that we are pure and she left. She seemed to become one with the river again.

This Yuen Gui seems to be a person. Yuen is a fairly common name. Sandō was speaking to us in the Metsuken language, but to our ears it did not sound the same.

#### A Song of Brinner Briggins

A long walk back along the same road we came, back to the gates of Metsu. Mr Briggins is gravely ill since we spoke to the guardian, it is worrying. He is coughing so much. If only we could rest, but he insists we do not have time and must press on.

In a dismal mood we arrive back at the mist. The mist parts and there is a clear way through, we all keep a close eye on our coughing guide. Jinnai is helping us now, leading our way through the mist. We find ourselves greeted by his two great eyes again.

He welcomes us, and nothing more. His eyes close. A gravelled trail leads us to massive city gates with light, stone walls. It is a magnificent sight. Finally we have made it to Metsu city. A place uncharted. The gates are ajar, enough for a cart to get through.

Long pedestals, either side of the gates, lie empty with markings where statues used to be. Was this where the other two guardians stood?

Mr Briggins runs up the steps before we can stop him. We all follow without a second thought.

We are in a beautiful city, befit our accomplishment. And what a horror we saw upon those steps. Hundreds of fallen, hundreds of dead. Bleached in the sun. Oh to have known what had happened to them, oh Mother, what happened? What war was this? Dear Mother, it’s horrible.

Mr Briggins approaches a Hygard made building, an embassy. He desperately tries to open the door, through the struggle and the coughs it is sad to bear witness. Please, rest.

Master Zianddin helps him. And I have no words for what happened next.

Never have I seen such.

Dear, Mr Briggins, left us before our eyes. I do not understand it. A spirit took his body, it was said, for he left us five days prior. Has it been five days? Has everything been for nought?

We follow a lit path down into a vault, we’re greeted by an earthen smell. In the chamber beyond stands a golem, and beyond that a prison door. Is this where we find “Yuen”?

#### The Golem and the Prison Vault

The golem asks us all for identification. At Mr Tral’s display of the Metsu rune, the golem says “target acquired” and turns to Mr Tral. Ms Jenks politely asks Captain Gartok if she can use a spell on him, and he grows to the height of the golem! Quite a sight to see! At the distraction, I sneak past the golem and to the vault door, but it is locked tight. Mr Tral is there, with his face pressed against the eye slot.

Ms Jenks tells the golem that she is the Owner of the Golem Factory, I never knew, I wonder why she never said. But alas, the golem seemed mad, and began to attack Mr Tral at the vault door. What excitement.
Mr Tral begins to pick the lock on the vault door, he seems intent on letting whoever in is there, out. He refers to them as “beard”. The golem goes again to attack Mr Tral.

I stand up tall to the golem and tell it that it should stop, or I will ground it for being so naughty. It does not listen to me, and sweeps Mr Tral over. Master Zianddin, who had joined us at the vault door, is also caught up by the golem and swept aside.

Mr Tral looks very hurt, I have to get to him.

Master Zianddin looks desperate and he is yelling: “I think this is a lost cause, Tral is gone, the door will not open and that thing doesn’t want us here!”
I heard Ms Jenks upset at the loss of Mr Tral. But Mr Tral was not gone, I could see him. I rushed to his side and read him scrolls to calm him, I read him “One Quiet Night in Metsu”.
It isn’t long before he stands.

The golem asks Ms Jenks for authentication of her works at the Golem Factory.
It does not go well, the others begin to leave. But I have another idea. Praying to the Mother, dear Mother. I focus all on unlocking that vault door. I become as quiet - as a mouse.

As they grapple with the golem I grapple with the lock. This is not the end of the story.

#### The Tale of Yuen Gui

Finally, a click! As the vault unlocks.
A starved human, with a wispy white beard, is inside the vault.
The golem explodes in a well of pink fire.
“If it has come to this much violence, I guess my time has come,” says Yuen Gui. We had found the man we had been told to sought. Master Zianddin is standing by, he begins to ask Yuen questions. I too, have a lot to ask.

Yuen Gui said that he had been in the vault for a long time and the captors attempted to starve him to death, what a horrible thing to do. As I struggled to pick the locks on Yuen’s shackles around his feet, Master Zianddin failed to see I was there and commented, “these shackles seem rattled by your awakened state”, and Yuen replied, “I could say the same for my door”.
Yuen Gui was the ambassador for Metsu, to Hygard. He is a Metsuken, but he does not look like the oily, blob people that we have seen previously. He says he is a “humble servant of his country”.
I introduce myself, and he realises I am not a spirit, but a fieldkin. I brush the dust off my fur.
“Why’ve you come so far?” he asks. Master Zianddin explains how far he has come and that this country had befallen a great fate by Hygard, he was sent to find out about this rumour.
“I can only tell you so much, for I have been in here for so many years,” begins Yuen Gui. “May I assume I am the first of my people you have been able to share amicable conversation with?”

Master Zianddin explains that he has not met any Metsu that look like Yuen.
“Is it your eyes that are clouded.” Yuen Gui replies. We noted the man was weak and needed food, he agreed with, “long meditation can only go so many years”.
We decide we need to go outside, take Yuen to see the sun. Master Zianddin helps him up. Mr Tral says “beard is Metsu” and “no blobs”. Master Zianddin helps anyone who has any wounds. I give some rice to Yuen.
“I suppose then we are still cursed.” Yuen had hoped that he would out-live the curse. The curse was from long ago.
“I had many visits to the city of Hygard, and much ground was made between myself and the King. The old King was agreeable until one day I came to Hygard and he had gathered together many Lords and an Advisor. He seemed strange to me, not so amicable. The King too had been plagued, thought that the Metsu were not human. That they were less. The Advisor had convinced the King to cast a spell so all would see what the Advisor saw in the Metsu people.” He explains to us.
Master Zianddin wants to stay and learn about the Metsuken’s rich culture. Much is written in the Temple of the White Serpant. Master Zianddin will have to learn their language, thankfully Yuen can speak and write common. A perfect translator. Master Zianddin wants to learn of their knowledge, and me too. We must help them against this evil sorcery that has befallen Metsu.
“If I could apologise for Hygard I would, your story will be heard.” is the last thing I say to Yuen.

#### Epilogue (a hurried addition written months after they returned):

As we enter the sun, I forget where Yuen went. But I hold his story.
Master Zianddin leaves to study the written scrolls in the temple with an unknown Metsuken. None can understand his words. The rest of us leave with Captain Gartok, as his crew had rebuilt a ship.

#### Three Heroes and the Map

It was quite a beautiful day. Hygard looked as happy as ever. As I scuttled on my way to work, carrying some books I’d borrowed the other day, I stopped by the library. Greeting the new librarian, who had become my friend quite quickly, despite his occasional grumblings. I settled down and began putting the books back on the shelf, and browsing for new ones. You can never have enough to read, I say.

The bell over the door gave a tinkle, as three heroes stepped through. I hid behind a shelf whilst they came in, settled themselves in and began to hunt. They spread out papers and maps, and well, made an awful mess.
But, my, how splendid they looked.The tallest, I recognised, as Handsome Greta, the witch-hunter from level seven, a renowned and respected individual. Beside him was a most beautiful knight, her white-silver armour shining bright as glass on a summer’s day, with complimentary blue regalia. And beside her, already with snout deep in a book, was a fascinating creature with black scales that glinted green, wearing ornate robes. The fellow was hunched over, nattering enthusiastically about the information they were gathering.
And that was when the highlight happened. Greta, lovely man he is, turned right to look at me in the spot I was hiding, and addressed me.

They wanted help collating the various maps they had gathered to create one single sheet, a world map, if you will. Of course, I was keen to help. And I added a little something special to that map, my knowledge of the island of Metsu. It’s just my little way of spreading the tale of Yuen Gui.

I do hope they like it.