Prelude: Of Friendship and Charters

[mackaber]

Lem moves closer to the Lord Mayor warily in the shadow of his human compatriot Calanthir but remains humble, some might call it clever, enough to keep his yap shut for now. He is uncomfortable around the big folk especially those wearing crowns and knows they wish not to be spoken to before they speak with one.

[Vardaen]

The Lord Mayor nods to Cal, as he's given the letter. "A difficult situation?" He takes the sealed letter with a puzzled look on his face. Then with the introduction of Tusker the mayor's look turns from puzzlement to outright surprise, then a smile creeps over his face, "Cartographer you say? Hmm, excellent." He nods politely to the silent halfling Lem.

Kullok and Jorina remain in the back of the group and sniffling, still sick Jorina keeps her distance so as not to get the Lord Mayor ill. Her guardian cleric with her at her side.

"Well then, let me see what my wife has to say about you all." He pops the seal with a sliding finger and unfolds the letter. A moment of silence is had in the hall as he reads the letter; looks up a few times as if to associate a face with a deed listed on the letter, and then returns to reading. He finishes and taps the letter to his chin thoughtfully. "Well it would seem that a 'Thank You' is in order for your heroic deeds at the river bridge." He bows deeply to you all, more so than etiquette requires, "I thank you all for saving my wife and daughter's lives."

Handing the letter to a nearby scribe, he leans over and whispers something to the man. At once the scribe hops into action and begins scribbling on some parchment.

"A reward then! My wife says your actions are deserving of more than just a simple dinner and a dry bed that I have already paid for and in fact I think I have just the thing. You have all heard of the Greenbelt to the south haven't you?" In fact you have, the Greenbelt is a swath of untamed wilderness between Brevoy and the River Kingdoms to the south. "This land is ripe for settlement and exploration. It is also troubled with bandit activity. With the political tensions between north and south Brevoy Rostov must know that its southern boarders are safe and secure from outside influences. So I have just begun to assemble teams of men and woman to scout, explore, map, and tame these southern lands. I am, fortuitously, seeking a group to tackle the northern Greenbelt itself. Teams have already gone into the Nomen Heights to the east, and the Hooktongue Slough, and the Glenebon Uplands to the west, leaving me with a need for heroic men and woman to tackle this last location. I can think of no greater reward than to grant your group a charter to explore and tame the Greenbelt itself under my authority. What say you to this most generous reward?"

[Trogdor]

Without waiting for confirmation from his companions, Cal takes a step forward and bows to the lord mayor. "We'd be honored to accept." This was just too good an opportunity to miss. One way or another, he'd make this work. Besides, they'd talked about the possibility of work from the mayor on the trip here and everyone seemed agreeable. "We're all at liberty right now, and would be glad to do our part in securing the southern border of Brevoy."

[mackaber]

Lem beams a bright smile at the Lord Mayors proposition clearly honored by the proposed task. He bows deeply to the Lord Mayor and responds, his voice high pitched yet soft: "A most kind proposition me lord and a wise one indeed. Surely you couldn't have hoped for a more able group for the task ahead!" he declares aalomost boldly.

[Vardaen]

The Lord Mayor Ioseph Sellemius shows his delight in your acceptace of the task. "Than I shall have a charter drawn up for you and delievered into your hands within the hour by one of my trusted subjects. We must attend to this matter in a timely manner." He moves back to his chair and takes a seat, "Just so we are clear on the matter. You shall be given a charter, as a group, to explore the northern Greenbelt, map it, explore it, and secure it's wilderness regions in good faith and standing with Rostland. Along with this charter goes the charge of eliminating any threats to Brevoy, espcially the bandits that seem to plauge the region. You are to do this under your own manpower and reasources, as things here, with Issia and the north make sending you more than some token assitance now and then difficult at best."

Jorina suddenly begings a coughing and hacking fit in the back of the room. Kullok shakes his head a bit disappointed at the girls frail state. He grunts and applogy to the Lord Mayor and the group.

"Travel southwest from Rostov until you reach a place called Oleg's Trading Post, that frontier trading post and old fort should make a suitable staging point for you. I will seek contact and updates from your there, using that place as our go between. Does that make sense? Yes I thought so."

He narrows his eyes as Jorina turns away from the group wheezing and coughing again. "Is she alright?", he asks of Cal, "Perhaps it would be best if she sought healers first. No matter, the chater will be brought to you soon. Now then, are there any questions or is this matter closed?"

[Trogdor]

"I have a few questions about the details, sir," Cal replies. "Methods of ensuring the identity of your representatives, and the like. But I'm sure that those can be answered by some of your aides as we wait for the charter." He waves his hand negligently.

"The only question I have for you is how you wish us to handle any bandits that we capture or who surrender. Do we need to send them north to be tried by a justicar or the like? Can we exact punishment ourselves? Have we authority to pardon them and recruit them to our efforts if they seem trustworthy? I suspect at least some of these issues will come up in the weeks to follow."

Then he glances at Jorina. "Our companion Kullok is quite skilled in the healing arts. He has been tending her these past few days. Like as not they will rest here in town for a few days before joining us to the south. I thank you for your concern, sir."

[Vardaen]

OOC

I edited a few of my previous posts to correct names and spellings of things. Nothing really changed, just cleared up sone confusion I was having of names of places.

"Jamroar, his name is Jamroar Falconsflight, and is a halfling. He will bare the chater, and so you will know him by the seal on the chater he will deliever into your hands. A good fellow, and a handy one to have about in a pinch."

The Lord Sellemuis considers the other questions, "You will have the authority to do what you see fit with any bandit you capture. As always justice by sword or rope is the punishment for bandity. Deal with them as you see fit, if you think you can convert them, then by all means. The right and power lays in your hands. If you start sending bandits to me for trial I'll find another group that doesn't need to be micro managed as much. I expect you to act in the best interest of Rostland, and to do so independently, like you did when you saved my wife -- no need to ask for permission."

He glances up at Jorina. "Perhaps she might do well to meet with some of the healers here before joining you. I could refer you to a good one." He snaps a finger to the scribe to have the man get the name of a good herbalist for Jorinna, barbarian cleric or not.

[Trogdor]

"Thank you, sir," Cal replies with a nod of his head. "We won't trouble you with details. I just wanted to make certain I understood things properly." He takes a few steps back. "And we thank you as well for your kindness towards Jorina. A consultation with one of your healers could not fail to do her some good." He nods to the mayor. "We shall return to our rooms and await Master Falconsflight. I look forward to sending you news of the bandits' defeat."

[Vardaen]

Lord Mayor Ioseph Sellemius then offers you a parting wave, "I look forward to your progress reports. Go, secure the wilds, and send me back a good map now and then. May the Two Dragon's protect and guard you." He nods his head to the group as you are dismissed from the great hall.

Adventure, fame, glory and the unknown awaits your eager feet beyond these halls....

OOC

So here ends the Prelude! I'll let everyone post once more a parting shot if you'd like. Act 1 will start in a new thread and I hope to start it today. A guest player will be joining us for a short while, perhaps longer who knows. We will pick up on the road to Oleg's Trading post.

Please check the OOC forum for this game as I'm adding more and more information there. Excellent RP so far all, this has been a real joy to read. Look 8 pages and no combat. That's going to change, I know Mr.Dawes is itching for a fight

[pygmaelion]

Attempting to stifle his beaming grin, Tusker bows again to Lord Sellemius.

Seeing that the Nobleman is still discussing the fineries of identifying the charter bearer, finding healing assistance for the silent cloaked woman, and giving the group permission to exact frontier justice on lawbreakers, Slough waits for the conversation to roll to a stop, then bows again, just to be sure.

A mental inventory begins.. He'll need Parchment... a large tube to carry it in, a dozen small tubes to send back progress reports, some ink, some silver ingots, a few quill pens, a few charcoal sticks, a brick of tree gum, some sealing wax, perhaps a few feathers, a fine hat for putting feathers in, some eyebrow wax (can't be meeting woodland ruffians and meting out justice without proper grooming), a little wooden hammer for making justice in the wilderness, a black robe....

Snapping back to the moment at hand, Tusker offers "We'll be pleased to deliver the Northern Greenbelt to you, M'lord!". The urge to grin becomes too strong, and an excited beaming smile flashes across the gnome's face.