Sunset: 1755
- 1195 Commandant (Marquis) Pran II of Gran March born
The Chase Begins
16 February
Kinnaka wakes panting and in a cold sweat. The horrors that visited him in his dreams fade quickly and completely, but leave the sick, discontented feeling with which he is so familiar. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he puts himself into a lotus position and calls on the small amount of magic he was taught; calming his shattered emotions as he lowers his heart rate. When he’s done he opens his eyes and looks out the window. The fact that the sun has barely broken the horizon does not surprise him in the least. It’s the rare morning that he does not greet the sun as it makes its first appearance over the land.
At this hour, the Keep is mostly quiet. Even the hammering and sawing sounds that accompanied him into slumber have ceased. Some, however, are obviously awake; the recently kindled fire bears evidence that at least one servant is active at this early hour.
Kinnaka doesn’t need to look at the pallet to know that Kentaro is still asleep. The one sound that permeates the early morning silence is the din of his snores. Roaring like an impaled dragon, they are sufficient to cause the water in a nearby vase to ripple. Kinnaka is at a loss to explain how he managed to remain asleep through the racket, though it does explain how the nameless servant managed to enter the room, light a fire, and leave without awakening him.
He glances at the half giant lying stretched out upon the pallet, but can’t really see him. His overlarge frame is rolled up tightly in a blanket, and his nighttime tossing and turning have left his head beneath the end table that sits next to the sofa that served as Kinnaka’s bed. No problem. He aims a kick at his partner’s thigh, and barely suppresses a smile as Kentaro sits up suddenly, banging his head against the bottom of the end table and upsetting the vase, which falls over with a crash. Somehow the vase does not break, but it does send a small shower of cold water over the large man, who is none too pleased with the unexpected deluge.
As Kentaro hefts his huge bulk off the floor, grumbling and beginning the process of waking up and preparing for whatever may come next, the elf steels himself to face another day of pain and raw emotion.
Before 8 bells, the pair pass through the eastern gate and urge their horses into a slow canter, a gait around 10 miles per hour that provides a good balance between speed and endurance. The road begins level, but after about a mile, starts the steady climb that ultimately brings it to the top of one of the area’s taller hills, quickly leaving the hill Fort Lehman is built upon well below them.Three quarters of an hour later, they reach the border marker, a thick post painted black and yellow on one side and green and silver on the other. It is not guarded, so they ride past without a second glance.
Almost immediately after entering the Duchy, the road turns sharply south, both paralleling the border itself and following the hill’s ridgeline. The Janaquil valley and the forest they know so well spread out below them to the east.
An hour short of midday, they leave the valley behind as the ridge splits. One branch heads to the southwest, marking the southern edge of the valley, while the road follows the other branch to the southeast, then shortly thereafter it turns south again.
By noon, the horses are ready for a half-hour rest break, and the pair are starting to seriously think about lunch, but as they rein in their horses, Kinnaka spies what appears to be a small town in the distance. He estimates that they can easily be there in 10-15 minutes, so he makes the decision to carry on.
Kentaro and Kinnaka reach the outskirts of a small town encircled by a wooden palisade wall. Here, too, are signs of improvements underway; construction projects no doubt intended to transform the town from a small frontier camp to an actual border stronghold. The most obvious of these is the beginnings of a stone gatehouse that currently sits in a position just outside the town’s existing wall. A wooden guard shack has been hastily erected temporarily in front of the new gatehouse-to-be. As the pair ride up, two soldiers in chain covered with quartered black-and-yellow surcoats and carrying halberds step outside the gatehouse and take up a position blocking the road. As the strangers get close, they are asked to state their business in Fort Gellner.
Kinnaka:
Jus’ doin’ a rittre shopping.
Kentaro:
Jus’ passin by
Guard:
Shoppin’? Hah, ye’ll not fin’ much o’ that in this town. ... Hang on. Which is is? Shoppin’ er passin’ by?
Kinnaka:
Both. We don’ intend too stay rong.
Tall guard:
I say they’re liars, Dedre. Kick their asses out!
Dedre:
Now, Qat, hang on. We can hardly kick ‘em out if we ain’t let ‘em in yet, can we?
Kinnaka:
You had probrems with guest latery?
Kentaro [whispering to Kinnaka]:
Bit a temper on him innt there?
Kinnaka nods slightly, but doesn’t otherwise respond.
Qat:
No, an’ we don’t intend t’ start t’day.
Dedre:
Qat, hold your tongue. Make the entry.
Qat grumbles, but complies. He pulls a clipboard out and starts writing something on it.
Kinnaka bows slightly:
Arigato.
Dedre:
Sorry ‘bout that, gennlemen. Th’ lad’s a bit green, ye see. First week on th’ job.
Kentaro:
S’alright. No harm
Dedre:
Thanks fer bein’ unnerstandin’. We’ll have ye on yer way in two shakes.
Kinnaka:
Get many guests? No, that new County born.
Dedre smiles:
Varies. Mostly it’s quiet. Maybe half a dozen a day. On a busy day anyway.
Qat, still writing, mutters:
Fucking boring, it is.
Dedre silences the lad with a glare and sends a “what can I do” look toward the others.
Kentaro:
I’ll bet yer thankful it’s boring sometimes though. Would ya really be wantin that much trouble here?
Dedre:
Yeah, way I hear it, in th’ big cities, guards is forever in fear fer their lives. This is a quiet town. An’ I hope it stays that way.
Kinnaka:
Yes, I understand. Hey, rook, have you seen a ferrow wif wird red hair go this way? He was serring saddrebags in rast rown.
Dedre:
Red hair? No, I’m afraid your outta luck there. Our shift only just started. Yer our first travelers today.
Qat looks up:
Got it, Dedre.
Kinnaka:
Again, Arigato.
Dedre:
Excellent. Thank you, Qat. You gennlemen are free to enter our town.
Kentaro [quietly, to Kinnaka]:
Ya think we ought ter ask some other guards ter make sure he didn’t pass? (to Kinnaka)
Kinnaka spurs his horse on, then as he’s halfway through the gate, he stops:
Shitsurei, I wondering. Where is nearest tavern. Is runch time.
Dedre:
There’s only two. Both on the Green Market. Ye got yer Three Sisters. That’s actually onna Market itself. Nice place. Decent food. Little pricey. Then there’s yer Crimson Pike. Actually just off th’ Market. Clean, food’s average, but cheap. Owner’s special. Gorrie. Ye’ll like her. Always time fer a chat wi’ anyone.
Kinnaka, moving forward again:
You most kind. Arigato.
Dedre:
Don’t make no sense bein’ rude t’ one an’ all, as I keep tellin’ Qat here.
Qat snarls, but says nothing.
As they take a few steps away, Kinnaka address Kentaro:
I thought best not tark too much in front of suspicious guard. Bored guards like inquisitive fox rooking at henhouse.
Kentaro:
Oh…guess I shouldn’t ta asked that back there. So ya think we ought ter or not? Maybe the barmaid would be better.
Kinnaka:
Yes, I bereive she wirr be herpfur. We tark to guards rater, perhaps. Best not too arise suspicioun. Which reads me thinking. Why we rooking for men. I thinking that we rookin’ for goods they serring, but missed them. We knew they headed same way and may run into them.
Kentaro:
Wait…um…da ya mean we don’t go aroun tellin others we’re lookin fer em? Jus sayin were looking ter buy wat he ‘as ter sell?
Kinnaka:
People want to know why. We need to terr them something. I figure goods to be buying is good story.
Kentaro:
Alright Kinnaka.
Kinnaka nods his head and starts toward the Market, and the inn. The Green Market, like most farmer’s markets, is on the main road, toward the center of town. As Dedre said, the Crimson Pike is easily visible just two buildings away from the actual market square. In look, it could be any pub in any town, anywhere in the Flanaess.
As they approach, a very young lad rushes out, obviously to take their horses, but he stops and stares slack-jawed at the two giants. He clearly wants to bolt, but something – fear of a beating most likely – prevents him from doing so.
Kentaro:
S’alright lad. Ya don need ter be scared o us. Have ya come ter take our hourses?
Kinnaka gets off his horse and hands the reins to the boy without comment. In response to Kentaro’s statement, the boy nods his head, but looks no less terrified. He barely retains enough presence of mind to take the reins from Kinnaks. As he does so, a fearful look flits across Kinnaka’s face, but the elf quickly composes himself and walks into the pub.
Kentaro sliding off his saddle and handing his reins over as well:
S’alright lad.
As Kentaro follows Kinnaka into the Crimson Pike, the boy takes the horses and almost runs through the breezeway toward a stable at the other end of a small courtyard.
The pub is small, but very clean. Most tables are taken with people eating lunch, but most seem to be nearly finished. An overworked-looking serving girl dashes about, collecting money, grabbing empty plates and dishes off the tables, and chatting companionably to the customers. A short, overweight woman stands by the bar, surveying the scene as if she were the Overqueen of Rauxes observing the return of a conquering army. A young woman stands behind the bar, but doesn’t seem to be pulling as many pints as one would expect.
Kinnaka finds a nearby table that is open, sits down and waits patiently. Kentaro follows.
Kentaro:
Guess we should be use ter that from the kid eh? Ah well. You Alright?
Kinnaka:
I am fine. Have seat?
As Kentaro works to fit his huge bulk into one of the wooden chairs without breaking it, the “Overqueen” steps forward and welcomes them. She gives the table, already spotlessly clean, a cursory rub with a rag tucked into her apron string, and then smiles broadly.
Gorrie: Welcome to the Crimson Pike, gentlemen. I am Gorrie, the proprietress. Prepare yourselves for the finest lunch to be found south of the Nyr Dyv, and possibly north of it as well. What’ll it be?
Her accent surprises them; it is upper class and cultured.
Kinnaka:
Sumimasen, Have you a hot tower to wash hands?
Gorrie smiles even more broadly:
Ah, a true gentleman! Of course, sir. At once.
Kentaro: Oi, the guards said this place be nice an they were righ’.
She pauses to call out to the serving girl:
Ingrid – hot towel for table 4. Get a move on, girl. [She then turns back to Kentaro] And with which guard did you speak. Not Havald, I’ll wager.
Kentaro:
Na. We talked ter Dedre and Qat. He seemed ter be fresh from cleaning an oil dreched penquin.
Gorrie clucks her tongue:
I’ll not speak ill of the lad. He’s young and impetuosity is the purview of the young, is it not? He’ll mature soon enough. Now Dedre, she’s a rare one. A flower in the thistles in this town. [She leans close and whispers.] Good heart. A most rare quality.
Kentaro:
Well we didn’ really talk ter them that much. Dedre seemed nice though.
Gorrie:
Ah, nice doesn’t begin to touch her, my good man. I know she’s not much to look at. Most men are only concerned with the surface appearance. But she’s a true poet. She’s got a depth of soul I’ve only rarely encountered in my days. And I’ve traveled a lot in my life.
Kentaro:
Er…wow.
Gorrie:
A beautiful summation, sir. Would that you had seen that with your own eyes, rather than through mine, but we are only able to see what our abilities allow us to see, isn’t that so?
Ingrid stops by, hands a hot towel to Kinnaka, who thanks her (“Arigato”) and another to Kentaro, who doesn’t seem sure what to do about it. After giving Kinnaka a chance to finish washing, she asks for their orders.
Kentaro [obviously relieved at the chance to change the subject]:
Do ya have anything in 1/2 gallon mugs or cups. Most glasses are a bit to small fer me. Butterbeer if ya got any.
Ingrid:
Most assuredly, sir. [To Kinnaka] And you, sir?
Kinnaka:
Koocho, Sakana …. Sorry. Green tea, fish, and bread, prease.
Gorrie [to Kinnaka]:
Ah, I’m most desparately sorry, sir, but we have no green tea. I can offer you a find local blend or Thistleberry tea, a halfling concoction that is both light and fragrant?
Kinnaka: Ah, I understand. I wourd rike the rocar brend. I also wondering if you know of some ferrow traverres that may have stopped this way in last few days.
Gorrie:
Very good. Ingrid will see to it. [She nods to the serving girl, who bustles away.] This I can tell you, sir. If they stopped by my tavern, I am most definitely acquainted with them. However, if they did not stop here, I likely am not aware of them. [She smiles] I really don’t get out all that much.
Kinnaka:
A rovery day missed is loosing A bit of one’s sowr. Ah, but I have rossed my share of zhem as werr.
Gorrie:
If true, sir, I’m afraid I have little left. So as much as I hate to disagree with you, I hope you are wrong. [She sighs] Ah, but I fear you are not.
Kentaro:
Ya seem ter be doing pretty well here tough. Ya fancy yer business or yer longin for more adventure?
Gorrie turns to Kentaro and laughs:
At my age, my good man, adventure is taking the steps two at a time. No, I’ll leave adventures for the young. I’m happy here.
Kentaro pulls out the drawing and lays it on the table. Gorrie notices the drawing and narrows her eyes:
Ah. So they’re in trouble are they?
Kinnaka: Ah, why you says that?
Kentaro: Ya know em?
Gorrie:
Well, I know them because they’ve been here and spent the night beneath my roof. They ate my food and joked with my staff. So I know them, but not in the way one usually means it when they say they know someone. ... As for why I say they’re in trouble, in my experience, people who carry the likeness of others are generally either associated with the law or are lovers. [She smiles.] I made the assumption that you aren’t the latter.
KInnaka looks startled at the last comment, starts to say something, but then stops:
I take it, zhen, that they are gone?
Kentaro:
This heres a bright one Kinnaka.
Gorrie:
Thank you, sir. [Then, to Kinnaka] Yes, they are gone. They came yesterday, spent the night and a fair amount of coin on my best ale, bless them, and left this morning.
Kinnaka:
Zhen we missed them. You might be knowing where they traver?
Gorrie:
I’m sorry, no. They did not confide such information in me. If you like, I can ask the staff, or perhaps you’d prefer to do that?
Kinnaka:
Arigato. You understand people here. We like geese in south. Only visit, but not stay.
Gorrie:
Tell me, sir. What did YOU think of Dedre?
Kinnaka:
Efficient. Friendly. Werr suited as a …um…welcomer to city.
Gorrie:
Ah, and that’s it? It occurs to me that as something of a poet yourself, you might have … experienced something more meaningful. [She smiles again.] Or maybe you’re too shy to say. Mmm. Perhaps. But be that as it may, I shall be happy to question my staff on your behalf. ... And this is just the time for it. Here comes Ingrid with your lunch. Until later, gentlemen.
Kentaro:
‘Twas good ter meet your aquantince Gorrie. Pleasure ter talk to ya.
Kinnaka bows his head to her. She smiles at them both, and shuffles off as Ingrid sets down the food, which, as Dedre promised, looks fair, nothing more.
Kinnaka looks at his partner:
Itadaki-masu.
Kentaro has heard this before, and knows it means something along the lines of “have a good meal”:
Aye. You too
After a quarter of an hour, as the two finish eating their lunch, Gorrie returns:
Ah, and how did you find the food, my good men?
Kinnaka:
Suteki! My compriments.
Gorrie looks initially confused, but smiles again:
You’re too kind.
Kentaro:
Did its job it did. Refreshed me for the ride ahead.
Kinnaka:
Gochiso-sama deshita.
At Kinnaka’s statement, she looks very confused, but like any innkeeper worth her salt, she recovers quickly:
Much too kind. ... Oh, and about our guests from yesterday, I’m afraid none of my staff admit to knowing their destination or direction of travel.
Kinnaka:
That shame. It seems we rossed zhem zhen.
Gorrie:
I think not. You seem like capable men. I have every confidence that you’ll pick up their trail before long.
The men thank Gorrie once again, then depart. They spend a moment discussing it, and decide to begin their interrupted search by heading to the South Gate and inquiring there. Suiting action to words, they head southward, and soon arrive at the South Gate. Kinnaka asks the senior guard if they’ve seen these people [shows the picture] leaving by this gate in the last 36 hours or so. The man says that regulations forbid him from passing on such information, and he can’t afford to lose his job. Money’s tight these days, ye know?
Kinnaka:
Ah, so. I understand. Vely solly to put you in zhis position. [He pulls out half a dubloon.] I need pay tarrif. You take care for me? [The man grins and reaches for the coin, but the grin turns to a frown as the elf pulls his hand back slightly.] Zhey go zhis way?
The man looks suspiciously at Kinnaka then mutters that he wasn’t on duty, but will check the log. He heads off to the guard shack, ducks inside, then five minutes later returns, plants himself in front of Kinnaka, smiles, and sticks his hand out. Kinnaka hands him the coin, which the man grabs, bites, and looks at carefully. He gradually grows disappointed that Kinnaka doesn’t rush him along, and eventually, he reports that the men left town about 10 bells this morning.
Kinnaka remembers that 1 bell passed some time ago, which, he calculates, puts his quarry just 3.5 hours ahead. The elf looks at his partner, nods, and they ride southward at a nice fast trot. After about a mile, the southern road begins steeply descending in a switchback pattern that equals a 10 mile-ride, but actually only provides about 5 miles of forward progress. The ride is further slowed by the steepness and the loose shale on the ill-maintained road. As a result, by the time they reach the bottom of the hill, a good two hours have passed. They pause briefly, listening to what sounds like the sound of running water. There is obviously a sizable stream or small river nearby.
Another mile passes before they actually reach the river, and when they do, they find that while it is only maybe 30 yards wide, it flows incredibly swiftly. The only way across is via the ferry that is currently resting on the other shore. Kentaro stifles a curse, but Kinnaka calmly tugs the cord that rings the bell mounted to the wall of a cozy-looking cabin on the far side.
No more than a minute passes before the cabin door swings open and the ferryman makes an appearance. The pair easily recognizes the fluid, easy movements of a man in fantastic physical shape. He has the ferry moving quickly across the river shortly thereafter.
Bismuth:
G’day gents. Name’s Bismuth. I assume ye’ll be wantin’ t’ cross th’ river? Two bits each.
Kinnaka:
That depends. Here is your four bits. Before we cross river, (he pulls out the drawing) men like this go this way?
Bismuth:
Oh, aye. That they did, ‘round about lunchtime er so. Friends o’ yers, are they?
Kinnaka:
We have some common … um….how you saw …. we know same peopre. (Kinnaka moves to board). You know zhem werr?
Bismuth:
Come again? ... Oh, wait, I see. Know ‘em well? ... On’y as much as I kin get to know sommun in a 5 minute crossin’, which is t’ say, not at all, o’ course. I on’y knows what they tol’ me, which wasn’t much. Headed t’ Ryell Pass, they were, which is no s’prise. [He laughs heartily.] That’s th’ on’y place this road goes! ... Entertainers o’ some sort. Woman – very pretty, she was – is some sort o’ fortune teller. Th’ lads juggle and tumble and that sort o’ thing. That man [indicates the red-haired man] don’t seem t’ do much. I gather he’s th’ business manager or sommat.
Kinnaka:
We headed to same town. No surprise for you. Hopefurry we see zhem in town. Rike to finarry meet zhem. Friends say so much about zhem. How rong is it to town of Ryell Pass?
Bismuth:
Oh, twenny mile, near ‘nuff. [Looks at the sun.] Doubt ye’ll make it afore dark, ‘less ye get a move on. That’s a long haul. Least th’ town ain’t walled. Ye won’t be stuck sleepin’ rough.
At this point, Kinnaka tunes out and lets Kentaro take over the small talk. That doesn’t last long, as the crossing is a quick one. Still, short as it was, their ferry ride has delayed them by about a quarter-hour, so that by the time they begin their pursuit again on the southern shore, Kinnaka estimates that they have about 90 minutes before the sun sets, and maybe half an hour more of daylight left after that. If Ryell pass really is 20 miles away, they will just have time to reach it as they lose the last of their light. If it is any further, they will be riding in the dark.
Fortunately, the nearly full moon and lack of clouds makes the decision easy. They can continue to ride even if they do lose the light.
Ten miles and an hour further on, they again reach the Duchy of Urnst/County of Greyhawk border, where the road begins to run concurrent with the border – or stated more simply, the road at this point IS the border.
They follow the border/road for another dozen miles (the last half of that in rapidly fading daylight, on a shallow descent before they finally catch sight of a large town, much larger than they expected, just on the County side of the border. Though the light has now faded completely, there remain just a few miles before they reach the outermost buildings, for as Bismuth promised, the town has no wall at all.