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As you cross the square this morning you notice beyond the wheel ruts and steaming dung that the first green buds of spring are beginning to show their heads through the remains of this winter snow, once sparkling white now sullied and brown. You reflect for a moment on how long you've dwelt here among these humans in Hommlet and how long ago and far away the comfort and refinement of your mother's court truly seems.
It was many months ago that you and your companions returned from the ruins of the moat house with treasure and a very gracious rescued captive. You were lauded as heroes and rewarded well. All the important men of the village gathered to hear your stories of a greater malevolence at work than the band of brigands the townspeople feared. When the possibility of the evil cult's resurrection was mentioned the great elder and the high priest of Cuthbert showed great alarm and resolved to raise a mob of armed men to investigate the ruins as soon as could be arranged but Burne and Rufus after speaking alone in hushed tones refused to commit their men to the search. It was clear that this was not the first time that these two groups were at odds. What began as a spirited debate quickly moved into the realm of heated argument concerning the authority of certain parties over the people of Hommlet. Several freemen took this opportunity to remove their own support of the mob, setting off another wave of fierce bickering. In the end you gave up on the town meeting and escaped out into the night only to catch a glimpse of the old druid Jaroo disappearing over the hill in the night. No one had noticed him leave either.
The next day you learned from Ostler that they had resolved to send a party before month's end. You and your companions took this opportunity to recover from your wounds and plan your return to the ruins. Alas as the last of summer's dying strength faded so did the resolve of the townsfolk. The expedition was put off for another month to better prepare but as that date approached an unexpected cold wind blew the first snow of winter down from the north and the townsfolk decided after a time that in fact it might be better to wait for the cold to pass for surely an autumn snow must be an ill omen and perhaps it would be better after all wait until the coming of spring undertake such a campaign. As the blanket of snow grew thicker the men of Hommlet became sleepy and timid and nestled by their hearths like so many dormice in their burrows. As winter wore on longer men grew more concerned with their waning larders than with a growing threat in the far off distance. So it is with mortal men that their time is so short they cannot see past this moment.
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Gavin, too, has grown sleepy by the winter fire, nearly forgetting his own quest: To seek out his father, Thomas the Rhymer, whom he has known only by reputation and whispers of gossip. Is it time to put aside this role of wayfaring adventurer for hire and take up his true quest? Is it time to set off in search of his father, the real man behind the legends? Time grows short, he knows, for though Gavin may have been blessed with a long life by virtue of his mother's elvish blood, his father is fully mortal and has but a short time to walk the Realms.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the winter men had on occasion arrived seeking employment at the tower on the hill but neither wizard nor warlord had been seen in the square for many weeks. It took Gavin by surprise then to hear a voice calling his name and see that the source was Henger, the wizard's chief apprentice trying to pick out a driest path across the field of mud.
ReplyDelete"Ho, Squire Gavin! My master does bid you break your fast with him this day! Will you come with me to the tower that you may pay him a visit?"
Having no other leads Gavin resolved to visit the wizard one last time. Perhaps something would come of the meeting but his dealings of several months ago had led him nowhere. Neither was the warrior Rufus of any help. Together these men commanded a small army of followers who quick to fly colors but slow to march. They had not lent support when it was asked for and now it seemed that they had their own favor to ask. Gavin had learned enough of men to know that their words were cheap but actions harder to come by. Passing through this tiny village for what might be his last time Gavin reflected that many of these folk would never see beyond this valley they called home. How tiny was the world in their eyes! Few could see that the world was vast and filled with sights beyond their imagining. It would seem that some of those who had glimpsed the fuller truth of the world were willing to turn away from it. Spying the hovel of the old druid Jaroo he reflected that this was one man in the town whose eyes were not blind to greater truths. Sadly Gavin had not seen him since the night of the meeting of the elders. He noted that no smoke issued from his chimney and the snow around his dwelling was untrampled.
ReplyDeleteThe wizard's apprentice led Gavin past the last of the stone houses that marked village proper and into the countryside marked by sheepfolds and simple huts of wattle. Taking the road up the ridge toward the tower, Gavin saw the stronghold grounds for the first time since the start of winter. He was surprised at how large the workmen's camp had grown these few months yet construction on the castle seemed unchanged save for a low wooden palisade which now encircled the grounds. Henger ushered him through the gate past groups of armed men in formation at their morning drills. There were many more of them than he recalled from his former visits. Up the narrow winding steps of the tower he was led into the wizard's private chambers on the top floor. Burne was in his library seated at a long table. Half the table was covered in dusty books, the other half was laid out with platters of cold meat, cheeses and loaves of bread. There were bowls of steaming broth and cups brimming with ale. The wizard looked up from his papers and, putting his spectacles down on the book before him, got up from his chair.
ReplyDelete"Ah, Gavin! I am so pleased that you accepted my invitation. Please sit and take some food before we begin. I have news that I think you will be most interested to hear."
"Many thanks for your kind invitation," says Gavin as he sits down at the table. "It is good to see you again here on the fairer side of winter. What news?"
ReplyDelete"It concerns the matter of your parentage, the details of which you have persevered to keep hidden. However, it would be unwise of you to think me ignorant to affairs in the world beyond my demesne. The plain truth of it is that your arrival aroused my suspicions as to your pedigree. Men who have never been abroad might take the strange quality of your speech, your bearing and your countenance for that of a man from a faraway land but I knew when we first met that you bore the visage and manners of the fair and ancient folk of the forest kingdom Celene. For when I was young I wandered far and saw many wondrous things and kept company with men of all nations and folk of all the races upon the earth. The gates of the great kingdom of Celene have been closed to mortal men since the time of our fathers' fathers and the very memory of that great kingdom has faded as do dreams upon waking but fragments of the true tale have been recorded in the songs of old and the dusty histories of sages."
ReplyDeleteGavin stammers a little, unsure of whether to deny what the old wizard suspects, in order to keep his secret safely hidden. Though he wants to trust in the basic goodness of Men, he's still not sure who to believe in. He's already had so much cause for disillusionment. After turning it over in his mind for a moment, he decides to try to plumb the wizard's real knowledge, instead of simply revealing himself immediately. After all, he might be bluffing to try to get Gavin to show his hand outright.
ReplyDelete'So, you have known elves?' Gavin asks, trying to keep a casual and conversational air as he reaches for another morsel off the serving plate. 'It is indeed rare in these times for mortals and Men to know one another. Were they friends? Colleagues? Fellow workers of magic?'
"Oh, yes. I have known the fay folk. They are a secretive people but there a few of their kind who are not content to watch from their hidden aeries while the sun turns round the world. Some princes of that race go forth and make their names among the nations of men by dint of their arts and lore. The lost knowledge of the elves is a valuable tool that can build an empire or a dangerous weapon that can destroy one should the wielder will it. Many years ago in the time of the Goblin Wars the elvenking Berinmor sent forth his fleet of silver ships from the misty isles of Mintarn to break the siege on the citadel of Candlekeep by the black host of the Necromancer of Tor Malkut. Had that sorceror gained the ancient secrets set down in the Tower of Sages he could have set loose the dark magicks imprisoned by the elvenkings ages ago. At the battle of Candlekeep my doughty companion Rufus and I fought alongside the beautiful and terrible elven warriors. More died that day than lived to receive their laurels..." At the mention of it the aging wizard's eyes grow cloudy and his hand quivers slightly as he strokes his long graying goatee. He seems to become lost momentarily in the remembrance of days long past.
ReplyDelete