When people think of excitement they rarely associte it with the combination of Lore Keepers and Ladies. Generally those two are mutually exclusive, well depends in the circles in which you roam. But tonight these worlds collide as the Lore Keeper answers some questions from a visitor at his door and reveals another piece in the puzzle.
For those who patrol the streets and deposit the charged Lanternstones, Morrowstones in the villagers view, it is an unpleasant night to begin their shift. But for those of us who create adventures from these situations it potentially is a great way to start ours.
So as you sit down to enjoy this read, make sure to get yourself a coffee or tea and get comfortable as its another bigger one.
Lore Keepers and Ladies
402WeLoKeLa
The man picked up his little wooden box, a bit heavier than when he put it down and stretched. He had been the keeper of the history of Morrowdeep for half his life and yet he always found the need to make a few extra coins from the visitors to the city. Many people in the city didn’t visit the old library any more and those that did were normally adventurers who were asking for information.
Shortly after lunch, and long after his unpleasant interaction with the stupid dwarf Hiljor, he had a group of adventurers interested in the catastrophes of the city. The Cave-ins, the disappearances, even the night where the animals in the mountain pass went mad and attacked anyone outside of their houses. It was a good week before the last of the creatures were slain by adventurers and the guard. He hadn’t willingly parted with this information but gold pays for what Gregory needs and so it did, admittedly, loosen his lips somewhat.
He fumbled with the lock of the Lore House, a library, and stumbled in after drawing his small lanternstone from the inside of his jacket. It wasn’t dusk yet but the windows in this building faced away from the setting sun which made it hard to see. As he moved about the room he placed the little wooden box on the corner and, after quickly looking around to make sure the coast was clear, bent down next to the little bench in the room. Moving aside a loose wooden board he pulled out a tiny chest and, hurriedly, he opened the wooden box and emptied the majority of the coins, coppers, silvers and a gold coin, into the chest before quickly replacing it and the board.
“Excuse me,” a voice said from the door. “Are you Gregory the lore keeper?” the soft voice continued. Startled, Gregory looked up and gazed upon a beautiful young woman that he hadn’t seen before. He was not sure if she had seen him transferring the coins to the chest or not.
“Well, yes I am. How can I help you my lady?” he said as he stood up, a moment too slowly. “You must excuse me as I had dropped my glasses.” he said as he grabbed a pair of glasses from the bench. Smiling, the woman walked forward and for a fleeting moment Gregory had an uneasy feeling of being hunted. But as the woman started talking the feeling passed “Sorry for startling you. I was wondering if you had any books or knew of lore on the town and on this mysterious stone.” She said as she pointed at the Lanternstone on the bench that shed bright light in the room that was nearly the same as a flame.
Gregory smiled. “We call them Morrowstones as they are dug up in this village,” he said proudly as he moved to a bookcase on the wall. “The wizards did some extensive study into the stones and we captured it all in the Journal of Azkabob, a dwarven wizard of some repute. Now where was it…” he pondered as he looked through a shelf that was nearly overflowing with books and scrolls. A moment later he stopped on an old book bound in a blued leather. “Ah here it is.” he said as he brought the book down and dusted it.
“I have heard them called Lanternstone, interesting that they have names too. Do you know what’s in the book?” a voice said from his shoulder as dainty fingers touched his arm.
Startled for a moment with that flight or fight, primarily flight, sense tingling he stammered. “I… uh… have read it, but it would take me a few days to go through it again. Why?” Gregory replied as he turned to look at the woman. The light from the Lanternstone causing her green and brown robes to look yellow in its light.
“Uh I am a very fast reader. Is there anyone else who would know of the contents of the book?” she said as she stood nearby smiling coyly.
“I don’t think anyone has read this book since it was written, apart from me of course.” he replied, noticing the woman’s face shift slightly from coy smile to something hungrier.
“Oh what a shame, thanks for spending the time to look for it for me and talking to me. I’ve been travelling for quite some time and don’t get to talk to people too much.” she said as stood up straighter. A sudden gust of wind blew into the building and caught the doors making them slam shut. Jumping, the woman moved closer to Gregory and grabbed onto his arm.
“Oh don’t mind that, it’s just the wind. It comes right up merchant lane.” Gregory said as he looked at the door in wonder.
Smiling and looking down to her hands on his arm she said softly “No, it wasn’t the wind. It was me.” she said as she drew a blade from her hip and stabbed the old man between his ribs. As he fell, unable to talk, she grabbed the book from his hands. “The Journal of Azkabob, by Azkabob Ironbrow.” she muttered to herself as she opened the book and began to read. Finding the information that she wanted she ripped it out of the book and left it on the bench.
As the lantermen strode the streets and deposited the charged Lanternstone into their holsters they checked in on the Lore House as the door was open. The sounds of bells and alarms rang through the town as Morrowsdeep as people rushed to investigate the murder of the lore keeper.
A bit of a bigger one, again, tonight with two new faces for the NPC list, one very quickly deceased. Don’t forget to come back each day this week as we continue with this adventure. We have a few more nights to go where we can, with some excitement, get into the multiple options and adventures we have to go through. But don’t forget to let me know how the last Zine was – a different approach with having a varied party level within the adventure itself. And lastly, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe
Brazen Wolfe Tabletop 