Crownstone of Gaia: Wyrd Baldric.

[Aoem]

The beggar smiled as he reflected upon Baldrics question for some time, several concentrated moments passed while the beggar’s eyebrows twitched and his eyes rolled back.

" The lives of he and all his company are at risk, their mortality hangs by the weavers thread. Heh"

The blindman chuckled knowingly.


Over the hill and up the lane, Baldric could hear a singsong voice that could only have been Aweyn calling for him from up the way.

" Baldric! Where are you?"

[FatherDondo]

"Hmm? Oh! I was talking to this fellow here. I was thinking of doing some random acts in my Lady's name while I waited."

[Aoem]

Aweyn "Oh! I see," Aweyn called back from just up the lane. " What kind of acts would those be?" She chuckled and asked as she walked down to meet Baldric upon the lane, and stood there just outside of the beggars tent. " I enjoy when the random acts are ones of kindness!" Aweyn dipped her head and bowed to the blind beggar, who received her words with a smile, and the monkey danced upon his shoulders while clapping his small cymbals. Hehe! She chuckled and leaned over to toss a gold coin into the beggars cup. As she did so, Baldric's Wyrd eye caught a clear sight of the face of the shining coin which glinted in the sunlight as Aweyn tossed it into the cup. Upon it, Baldric saw the minted form of a golden Octopus with raised tentacles. "What sort of lady do you serve Baldric? Is she one that believes in fate?" Aweyn asked Baldric with a rather polite and curious expression, as she crossed her ankles and lightly dropped into a cross legged sitting position. Aweyn's fingers explored a pouch within her satchel for a moment before producing a small device that she clutched with her long fingers. A palm sized wooden box with a small coin sized hole in the face of one side, stained a deep brown was sanded smooth and shone with polish. The box had many small metal fingers' fastened parallel over the hole. Aweyn held the small device out in front of her and used her thumbs to begin plucking away at the small metal tabs, producing simple and pleasant metallic reverberations, which she played into a peaceful tone and melody.

[FatherDondo]

Hmm, that is... an oddly specific coin...

Baldric prattles on, oblivious to the contrast between what he's saying and the mellow tones. "There is a fellow going on an expedition, who I understand is in mortal danger along with his companions, and I was interested in looking into reports of missing children along the way."

[Aoem]

Aweyn " Ahh! Well indeed we must make haste. Forgive my lounging attitude, missing children on the measure. " Aweyn said as she politely finished her music and methodically wrapped up the bundle and stowed it within her satchel. " Right! Let us be off then." She stomped a foot against her boot heel in a show of haste. She waited for Baldric to show sign of making ready to depart. " Truth be told, i'm happy to be leaving here tonight. I don't fancy public houses." She winked and curled her lip pretentiously as she brushed some rouge dirt off of her cuff. The duo made their way from the steep, tight walled longhouse village of Gedit. Down the slopes of the southern face of the rocky foot hills, and below to the waiting forest edge, As they descended they saw the vast horizon line in the distance. The great walled wooden outpost town of Talhmor was sat far off. Nestled in the fertile ashland valley below. "Ahh, there it is Baldric! Tahlmor, my home away from home." She said with a bit of a disheveled smile. " Here take a look!" Aweyn said as she produced a large scroll case from her satchel and held it out in both hands before her.   * As Aweyn handed Baldric the map, she looked at the distance still to go and said. Let's make camp. "It'll still be a day till we arrive at Tahlmor. We can go in the Dark if you like and arrive sooner. I don't mind either way."

[FatherDondo]

"Don't worry, you're quite fine." Baldric takes a look at Aweyn's scroll. "That is a very impressive map. But yes, I'm not opposed to going in the dark. What do I have to fear?"

[Aoem]

Tahlmor The dawn light was cresting upon the lands as Baldric and Aweyn descended from the hilly pass in the northwest. They made their way into the lowlands. All the while, the imposing fortress known as Tahlmor grew larger upon the horizon line. Baldric had learned from Aweyn that the Gothic King, hired her family as a special form of protection. " You see Baldric, centaur herds used to roam these plains. King Charlemagne ousted them for his new vineyards and exotic gardens." She paused and took a deep breath. Then, Aweyn furrowed her brow as she continued to say, " Centaurs are very wary of magick, the king exploited this fear by using my family to drive them out." As they drew nearer, Baldric could see lush and abundant gardens on one side of the road. The smells which wafted to him were strange and exotic. Immense trees of various colors encircled a flourishing series of fields which bursted with crops. From stone fruits to fungi, Baldric could see more diverse flora than most had seen in a lifetime. " It's amazing what can be done with a little help from the arcane." Aweyn said with a grin. In contrast, from the other side of the road, a strange pungent rotted smell reached Baldrics nose. the road upon which they walked was lined on his right side by a long wrought iron fence line. A quick peer through the bars would reveal a morose looking stone chapel within a large field of hallowed grave land. The golden skinned elf gazed out upon the dark earth and grey headstone rows. "That place is ancient, it was here before we arrived. However, we've added to it... significantly." The pair then found themselves passing a few collections of houses, meager dwellings that belonged to field workers and simple tradesmen. " Our peasants are hardy peoples, they are dependable and receptive to the will of the king." The lithe elvish woman stated with an unmistakable tone of privilege. Nearing closer to the fortress, Baldric could clearly see a stone walled building with a large red roof. Smoke curled from several chimney's and the smells of roasted foods spilled from the windows. " That'd be Ruby Tooth's!" Aweyn called excitedly. The large tavern sat a several hundred yards away from the stout walls of the fortress. A large oak tree grew near the front step, where a large wooden sign hung on a a chain; depicting a smiling dwarf with a gleaming red tooth. As they approached the porch, Aweyn turned on her heel and put her palm out flat as if to call a halt. "One thing, don't mention Illithids to anyone."She said in a sharp whisper and with narrowed her eyes.

Tahlmor

[FatherDondo]

Baldric skipped a step at the sudden stop and his companion's outstretched hand. He began to ramble as ideas floated through his mind, "But we're hunting them. And shouldn't these people want there to be fewer of the cursed things near them? Or are they unaware of them being near them and you're worried about scaring them? Or do you think the illithids have eyes and ears here, waiting to report to them? Or-" He was interrupted by his eye rolling in its socket; he took a second to readjust it. "Ah, where was I?"

[Aoem]

Aweyn At Baldrics bubbling, Aweyn inhaled sharply and rolled her eyes, her foot stepped closer as she said."We must be discrete, i do not know how deep the deceit might go."She said in a vulnerable whisper as her golden iris's flashed warningly. The stillness of the moment was then interrupted by a clattering sound. From just around the corner of the building, the audible clamor of something wooden dropping upon stone sounded abruptly. Aweyn's eyes narrowed again, her neck tensed as her chin quickly swiveled to one side.

Stable Boy Some few paces away near the corner of the tavern, a young stable hand stood there with his jaw slightly open. His head was cocked to one side as he breathed rather loudly and stared at Baldric's eye. A wooden step stool lay dropped upon the ground by his side, the boy carried a large bristle brush with his other hand, and around his neck hung a thick leather apron. " Aye'v brush for yeh Donkey?" The boy managed to stammer, the concern in his eyes evident. By his positioning, Baldric could assume that the boy had heard something.