A BARDS TALE - Session 6: "One step forward, two steps back....." or "How much Tax? Here have it in bit coin!......".

 11/7/23

17th Day of Rainmoot: 1492 

Mission:  Find Our Lady's Heart

Campaign:  Tales from the Bard

Location(s):  AMN: Small Teeth Mountains, Goblin Hideout, Mere.

Present: Dramos Ethrane, Niall Tharivol, Ragul-Nur, Roscoe Tosscoble, Moonwhisper & (Talila Watercup), Plus Mule and 2 children.

17th:                                                                                                                                      Talila stood her watch, 3rd of 4. Moonwhisper would follow her for the last guard. Niall and Moonwhisper having already gone before. Talila hummed and thought. Thought and hummed. Enough, she said to herself. She carefully picked up her things, crept to the closed door and opened it. She slid through quiet as a mouse. She went no more than 2 steps before turning back. Although she had decided to leave she could not leave the others with an open door that could cause unknown troubles. 

Using her roguish skills she devised a way to close the sliding bar latch and secure the door behind her. She made good her journey and left no tracks for the others to follow. She was late and this delay had cost her.

BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG!

BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG!

Voice: "What's keeping you. You must have seen us coming. We 'aint got all day?" 

Moonwhisper was awake. What's that banging he thought. Then he realised, someone or something was banging on the door.

Moonwhisper: "Get up, get up, we've got company and I don't think it's friendly."

The others opened their eyes to see Moonwhisper donning armour and weapons as fast as he could. Then the banging noise registered and they too scuttled around arming and armouring themselves for what was to come.

BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG!

BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG!

Voice: "Come on. What's keeping you. Sleeping off a heavy night.? Well we 'aint got all day?" 

Niall crossed the corridor as an arrow slammed into his side.

Voice: "Oops, sorry, but hey aint that an Elf I just hit........by mistake".

Loud raucous laughter followed.

Ragul, realising they were speaking Goblin dashed around the corner and into the corridor opposite Niall. He looked at Niall, who nodded his head to indicate he was ok. Ragul shouted in Goblin.

Ragul: " Oi, enough of that malarky, you'll have some ones eye out."

Voice: "Then open the bloody door and hand over the packages, ew got a long journey ahead and we're burning daylight"."

Ragul kept low as he hurried to the door and began making noises as though he was trying to open it, whilst keeping out of sight of the open hatch.

Ragul: " Having trouble opening this damn lock, its jammed!"

He then began to kick the door again.

Voice: "Look, you got 5 minutes then we're off an' you get no payment. You can explain the why's and where fore's later".

Ragul heard footsteps receding as the 'voice' went back down the steps. Moonwhisper came up the steps and was about to shout out when Ragul shushed him and beckoned him closer.

Ragul and Niall went with Moonwhisper back to the others. They quickly briefed the others as to what had happened. By the time Niall had taken up the watch position and Moonwhisper and Ragul were on the other side all they could see was a wagon with a large circular tent on the back trundling off over the small rise.

Niall: "Shit, they've gone. Quick gather the others I'll try and see which way they're headed."

Ragul and Moonwhisper went back and gathered the others. By the time they found Niall he was studying the ground.

Niall: "I've searched all around, there is no trace of Talila. Either she's been taken by the 'visitors', unlikely, or she's gone off on her own, more likely. Any way it's a good hour to the old Dwarven road and the wagon tracks are easy to follow.

They followed the wagon tracks to the Old Dwarven Road. It was obvious by the signs that the wagon had come from the east, travelled to the hideout and had left heading west. A long discussion followed about what to do. 

1. Take the children to the capital town Gulluvia.

2. Take the children with them and follow the wagon.

3. Take the children back to Mere.

It was decided to head back to Mere as it was the closest friendly habitation they knew. It would take them the rest of the day but Moonwhisper spurred them on and they made excellent time arriving at Mere in the late afternoon, early evening. During the journey Ragul had fashioned two 'charms' for the children. Both depicted the same thing, the holy symbol of Moradin. He had put a small hole in each and attached the charm to a piece of string. He gave gave one each to the children, fashioned out of a silver piece.

As they approached the village Niall could see quite a bit of activity ahead. He called a halt.

There were armed people on the far side of the small stream watching them. Niall looked back and said:

Niall: "Humans and Gnoll's, don't know what is going on but they don't look menacing."

A guard had spoken to someone behind him. A Half-Orc then joined the group by the crossing.

He was tall, unshaven but no beard, he carried a double bladed axe resting effortlessly over his shoulder, his shield hung down by his side. Niall was under no illusion that this was fighter and a potentially dangerous opponent should things go sideways.

Moonwhisper: "Let's not provoke them, tell them we've been here before and we are friends. Keep weapons close but not in hand".

The large Half-Orc beckoned then closer.

Half-Orc: "State your business".

Niall: "Hail, we are returning back to the village to meet our friend, the blacksmith Toby Tosscoble".

Roscoe: "Looks like one of the 3 yearly tax collections, see the towns folk lined up and paying their taxes at the table, every 4 months the people of Gulluvia pay taxes".

Niall led the group over the stream.

Half-Orc: "Of course now you are here you can pay your taxes."

Niall: "We are not residents of Mere, nor of Gulluvia, we don't pay taxes. We have journeyed here because we heard there was a need for swords to fight the Orc invasion."

Half-Orc: "Ah, volunteers for the mercenary army. That's what I like to see. Well you can sign up here and journey with us back to Gulluvia. Pay is 5 silver a day."

Niall tried to maintain a semblance of diplomacy.

Niall: "That we may well do, in time, but we will stay here a while and journey to Gulluvia later in the 10 day."

Half-Orc: "Then.....my friend.....you will have to pay your taxes. Join the queue, move along."

The Half-Orc ignored them after that. They joined to queue. One by one the villagers walked to the table, where a well dressed man sat. The Half-Orc had resumed his position behind the table. No villager said anything they just paid and walked away.

Tax Collector: "My name is Baron D'Elandre, you may not know it but I command in Velders. Now that will be 4 pieces of gold please."

The Baron repeated the same sentence as each person paid their taxes. And Once they had paid...

Baron: "The Lady D'Mis, ruler of Gulluvia and protector of the people, thanks you for your contribution that will help pay for your continued protection."

When it was Niall's turn he handed over 4 gold coins. Roscoe followed suit. Dramos handed over 40 pieces of silver and the Baron took his time counting out each piece individually. Ragul handed over 4 gold pieces then Moonwhisper handed over 100 copper pieces and 30 pieces of silver. The Baron looked at him with contempt, Moonwhisper just shrugged his shoulders.

Moonwhisper: "All I have, sorry".

The group turned away but were stopped by a shout.

Half-Orc: "Hey, what about those two halflings, they got to pay up too."

Ragul: "Those aint Halflings, they are orphans. Came across their dead father awhile back, followed the blood trail to a Kobold hideout. We took care of them and their Ogre pet. Fund the children and thought it best to bring them here. We found their mother, she was dead too, and it wasn't pretty".

Half-Orc: "So they are, so they are".

He lifted them down off the mule.

Half-Orc: "Sergeant, take these orphans and put them in the Baron's wagon. (Turning to the group), You done a good deed there. We'll take them to Gulluvia. The Lady D'Hmis will ensure they are given a good home and upbringing. Future assured."

Baron: "Yes, they will b taken good care of, you have my word".

Niall: "Well if we have your word, that's good enough for us."

The others nodded their heads.

They watched the large tax collection convoy depart. Some 15 barbarians and 10 Gnolls were the escort, along with the large Half-Orc. The children waved as the wagon departed.

Ragul: "Pub?"

Roscoe: "Pub."

Niall: "And don't start any fights this time".

Moonwhisper: "Then tomorrow we can get back on the original task".

No one answered him.

PLAYERS INFORMATION:

Old Dwarf Road roughly follows the red dotted border line.

Note: Each hex is roughly 12 miles across.

Stories told in the Pub that night.

Gulluvia: A ruthless place filled with terror, especially to a young halfling like Roscoe.  The Lady D’Hmis rules the barony with a firm and unforgiving hand. To gain supreme rulership of the tiny barony it is rumoured that she poisoned her husband and killed her step-daughter, Argenta.

Dead Mule: A little shire and a  once peaceful place. Named by a group of Dwarven miners who settled here after their only pack mule died. Soldiers often camp outside the shire and do not welcome visitors. No one seems to know why they are here, but the soldiers often terrorise the surrounding area.

N’Sau: This small farming village is so small that there is no inn or tavern. There is a small general store which doubles as a tavern, of sorts, meeting hall and store.

Thorold: This lovely village prides itself on the fact that it breeds the best thoroughbred’s horse in all Gulluvia specifically for the Barony. Appears lawful but is just as chaotic as Gulluvia itself. The mayor is related to the Baroness and follows her laws and orders to the letter. The village is large and boasts 3 taverns, a general store and 2 smithies.

Mere: This tiny village is inhabited by halflings, though Humans, Elves and Dwarves abide here too. The village is also under the protection of Gulluvia, but because of its location, the Baroness has little to do with the village until time to pay its taxes. Which is every 4 months. Escaped prisoners and slaves who make their way here are given aid to enable them to travel northward to Amn. Mereians say nothing of this fearing it would increase the presence of Gulluvian soldiers. The village has 2 taverns, a general store and an inn.

Velders: Under the protection of Gulluvia, though this does Velders little good.  The Gulluvian guards fear the Wealdath Forest to the south. There is a trading post in the centre of town. Orcs and Goblins have been known to raid outlying farms.

Misty Swamp: NO one knows exactly what lies behind the veil of ever present mist that hovers over the swamp. Some old timers say that Dwarves who make Anterian Brandy live in the swamp near their secret ingredient, the swamp water. Others whisper of an evil wizard living there in a massive tower of black stone. The only thing people who live near the swamp will agree on is that most magic users and Elves had best stay clear of it or they will find that their magic spells will not function properly. 

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