dnd woods > Part One
Our characters all begin the campaign alone. They are walking along a road, each in their own time period. Although the ground upon which they tread is the ssame, their footsteps are separated by thousands of years. Each member of the yet to be formed party can hear singing, which seems to be coming from a massive oak tree. They are drawn, unexplicably, to touch the oak tree. As they do so, the land around them changes. Trees get smaller and smaller, the surface upon which they stand flickers from dirt to mud to snow.
The rate of change slows, and then stops. The changes to the immediate area are numerous and noticeable. The oak tree, which was standing in the players’ way, is now but a small sapling, and the playeres come face to face with each other for the first time.
“What happened to that tree? It would have made a good table,” asks John, holding in his hand a stick with a single oak leaf attached.
“That’s how you view nature?”
“Well that was like a typical day in England,” says Fungress, commenting on the cycle of weather that they have all just witnessed.
The party approach the town, which in their time was a city. They see the townspeople milling about and doing handicrafts. A brass instrument sounds, and several soldiers, followed by a platoon of soldiers on foot, pass through the town. At the sound of the instrument, the townspeople go indoors. Not, apparently, to their own homes, but to the nearest covered space, where they will be out of sight. The party try to gain access to the tavern, but the door is barred to them. They quickly hide; Zossi, Miss Piggy in barrels of apples, John in a minor illusion of his own casting. Kissa chooses not to hide, but persuades the mounted soldiers that her intentions are all legal.
The verbal altercation with the mounted soldiers introduces the party to the delicate politics of the land. Seeing how Kissa persuaded the soldiers to leave her be, the barkeeper at the tavern opens the door to the entire party.
Inside, the tavern is homely, but this is a quiet evening. It doesn’t take long for the party to notice two people sitting alone in opposite corners. On one side of the room sits a lady in black mourning dress. It takes little insight to determine that the reason for her saddness is the loss of a close friend or relative, perhaps a husband. On the other side of the room sits a man looking equally sad, but the reason for his saddness is not apparent until one looks closer and sees that his leg has been recently amputated.
The party speak first to the lady in mourning dress. They discover that she is Gladwys Clun, widow of Lord Clun’s younger brother. The couple were travelling together when he was killed, and now Gladwys requires protection on the journey home to Castell Clun.
They speak next to the man who has lost his leg. He explains how he lost his leg in battle recently, and that he wishes to petition Lord Mold for employment, believing that Lord Mold will look upon his situation with sympathy. However, he is not yet well enough to make the journey to Castell Mold alone, and wishes for the party to protect him, allowing him to make the journey sooner.
The party talk amongst themselves, and decide that they will offer Gladwys Clun their protection on her journey home to Castell Clun. Gladwys is delighted by the news, and gives the party 50gp to cover her expenses on the journey, and 2sp to each member of the party to cover their own expenses.
First thing in the morning, the party visit the town’s livery stables, to meet Dilys, who introduces herself as the stable groom. After mistakenly congratulating Dilys on her upcoming wedding, the party buy a pony for 30gp. They then head to the town shop to buy provisions for the journey, and spend a grand total of 20gp on food for a day on the road, plus a five tier wedding cake to be delivered at some time in the future. Finally, the party return to the tavern, where they met Gladwys Clun the previous evening.
“Good morning,” says Dafydd, in a much more cheerful tone than yesterday. He has apparently grown some respect for the party, since they arrived in the town and stood their ground against the patrol. “Your charge will be down in a moment.”
Indeed, Gladwys Clun appears at the top of the tavern’s stairway, dressed in the same black mourning gown that she wore yesterday. Dafydd begins to serve her breakfast.
“We must get on the road,” protests Zossimos, but Mrs. Clun insists on finishing breakfast first.
After breakfast, the party gather up Gladwys Clun’s luggage, and, directed by Mrs. Clun, head out onto the road.