[center][h3]Rudinberg, Base of the Rudine Mountains[/h3]


[img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/36f60fad-2e98-4dd7-9c16-08fd1825e9bc.jpg[/img][/center]

Rudinberg, a South Chlotar township with a large Lampert community. For the past twenty years it has served as a refuge for exiled God worshippers of Lampertei. Some of the locals have pejoratively described the place as a ‘Lampertei enclave’ because of it. Though their allegiance is formally to Chlotaringen, not all of its inhabitants are unanimous in support of the northern King of Aaixen. 

Einhard and Marozia trot into Rudinberg on top of Einhard’s great stallion, the constant sparring of the last three days has left Marozia feeling completely sore from for the first time fighting a real opponent. Einhard takes a brief glance to see if he can spot Paladin Autchar, however the streets covered in slush and mud are largely void of people. It’s a rather gloom looking township. Marozia speaks up to Einhard, [i]“Master Einhard, I am quite hungry… rabbit is fine and all… I could just use an actual meal.”[/i] 
Einhard scratches his beard and replies to Marozia, [i]“Could use a real meal too, I haven’t seen any signs for an Inn or a Tavern though… Do you Lamperts call them something else?”[/i]
Marozia shakes her head, [i]“Not really sir, I have always heard this community was more ‘communal’, that travelers would find someone who would freely take them in. 
Also.. as a Paladin of the King, can’t you just ride to the Chieftain’s hall directly?”[/i]
[i]“Hmph, you’ve got a point there girl.”[/i] He scans the town for the largest structure, presumably where the local lord would live. Any subject of the King is obliged to host the King’s agents, after all. He would ask for directions, but there’s almost none of the locals outside.

The first living soul to tread upon their path is an old hunched lady covered in rags, a cloak of a fox’s skin and a scarf covering her hair. She trots through the muddy snow leaning on a crooked branch as walking stick.
[i]‘’Madam.’’[/i] Einhard proclaims with a regal flare as he rides up to the woman.
‘’Who lords over Rudinberg? For I much desire to speak with him.’’
 The old woman barely looks up, or gives much of a visible response for that matter. But she raises a shaky gnarled finger with a long chewn nail up to the great lodge up the hill. ‘’Yonder… The dwelling of Odo, Master Paladin.’’
[i]“Thank you ma’am,”[/i] Einhard remarks back to the old lady as he urges his horse up the hill.


As they rode up the entrance of the great snow capped wooden structure, they were quickly greeted by a stationed man on the nearby battlement.
[i]‘’Hail! You there, man on the horse. Are you Einhard Cloviscisca by any chance?’’[/i]

[i]“Aye I am Einhard, son of Mauger”[/i] Einhard replied. Following this, two more men dressed in fur cloaks and hauberks walked up to the Paladin.
[i]‘’If you’d follow us, Master Einhard, the Chieftain will be wanting to see you.’’[/i]  He and Marozia were lead through the palisade gate and to the great lodge’s front door.

 
[b][center]Inside the Chieftain’s Hearth[/center][/b]

Sitting at the table, the mighty Paladin and the little girl finally got to warm up a bit. Central of the great hall, a great hearthfire is blazing to stave off the mountain cold. Even several meters away you can feel its intense emission of heat. Marozia was right about the hospitality in this community. So far they’ve been received as royalty! Though in a sense, Einhard could be accounted for as Royalty being from Cauroman’s court.

[i]‘’It’s not everyday we get folks from far-away Aaixen all the way in Rudinberg. Har har har!’’[/i]

A grizzled man with a long brown beard sits opposite to Einhard, taking the opportunity to chug down a large pint of ale in celebration. He is apparently a household warrior of the chieftain.
[i]‘’And a Paladin, no less! And so soon after another Paladin came here. He’d informed us we could expect you.’’[/i]
Einhard gives the man a quick smile, [i]”It’s good to see we have such.. Energetic.. Warriors to guard our Kingdom from the south.”[/i]

The man, assuming it was a compliment, replied with a smile where he bares a wide array of yellowed teeth. He takes another gulp, then lets out a tremendous belch. The room smells of alcohol now.
Rubbing the droplets off ale from his lips and beard, the warrior leans in closer to Einhard.
[i]‘’Where you headin’, Paladin?’’[/i]
Einhards face begins to contort into a scowl, [i]“We are heading up the Rudins Mountains, as per Royal decree from the King.”[/i]

[i]‘’Scouting into the Rudines, eh? You and that little boy? You sure you want to send such youth towards certain death?’’[/i]
The man raises the mug towards Marozia, slightly intoxicated and and certainly inconsiderate towards her feelings. Marozia sinks in her chair, avoiding eye-contact with the man.
Getting no response from either of the dumbfounded guests, he continues.
[i]‘’Just like your buddy, Autcho. A risky endeavour i’d say. Old Dalgiserius’ wild dogs roam around every corner. There’s even talk of a dragon guarding the mountain tops… A Dragon, by God’s otherworldly thunder nipples!”[/i] He empties the pint with a final mighty swig, then places it down the table before them with a slam, letting out another belch. 
[i]“... No my good man, I’d not come anywhere close there. There’s better ways of killing meself! Har har har!’’[/i]


For long the hall was filled with the warrior’s roaring voice and laughter, when finally another voice spoke up -- with a tone a lot more downcast. 
[i]‘’Hrm. So it’s really true then?’’[/i]
The company around the table looks up. A short and gaunt man wrapped in a long cloak has quietly entered the hall from the back, followed by two warriors walking at both his sides. He has a face with pronounced cheekbones, a long blond goatee and dark, sunken eyes. Covering his forehead are several strands of disheveled hair from an otherwise balding scalp, with sickly pale skin and a burning red nose, a look of deep exhaustion. For a chieftain he looks somewhat miserable, and by the looks of it he has a serious fever. A shadow of past glory, yet nevertheless his warriors seem to respect him.

[i]‘’One Paladin coming in so soon after the other. It can only be a sign that [b]War is coming.[/b] King Cauroman must be serious about this invasion, then…’’[/i]
The chieftain appears sullen, Einhard’s coming has filled him with foreboding.
Einhard shifts in his seat some then replies to the chieftain, [i]“Do not worry much,  should Cauroman decide on this pass, the army will not arrive for some time. You will have time to prepare, chief… You never did tell me your name?”[/i]

[i]‘’I’d have thought one of the guards would’ve informed you?’’[/i] The chieftain looks towards his intoxicated household warrior seated at the table, who quickly shrugs and feigns ignorance.
[i]‘’Odo of Rudinberg, son of Raginhart.’’[/i] The chieftain finally says. [i]‘’..That is who I am.’’[/i]

[i]“Well met, I am sure you have been told I am Paladin Einhard, son of Mauger.’’[/i] Einhard motions towards the girl sitting besides him, understanding her nerves are keeping her from speaking up in this adult company. [i]‘’...And this here is my shieldmaiden, Marozia.”[/i] Einhard gestures to Marozia who manages a slight smile.

[i][b]‘’HUH?’’[/b][/i] The warrior sitting opposite him perks up in disbelief, his voice roaring through the hall. [i]‘’You’re clearly mistaken Paladin. That there’s a boy. You’ve had a bit too much to drink methinks -- to be speakin’ of yer own shieldbearer like that!’’[/i] He burps, and the smell of alcohol fills Einhard’s nostrils. Talk about intoxication.

[i]“Perhaps you have been spending too much time around other soldiers and no longer remember what a woman looks like”[/i] Einhard replies grinning, before Marozia jabs his side with her elbow. [i]“You can’t say much yourself, master.”[/i] 

They are interrupted by the loud sound of Odo’s sneezing.
[i]‘’HAGH-CHOO!’’[/i] He sniffs. [i]‘’Pardon… So, Paladin… The other Paladin, Autchar, arrived a few days ago. A welcome guest…’’[/i]
The chief snorts, his voice getting more hoarse the longer he talks. [i]‘’...He departed yesterday for the mountains. Am I.. correct to presume you will follow in his tracks?’’[/i]

[i]“After a good rest we will be heading out to catch up with Autchar.”[/i] Einhard replies. Marozia leans over to Einhard and whispers into his ear: [i]“Tell him the food was amazing.”[/i]
Einhard chuckles and says to Odo, [i]“-And no worries, your food was most wonderful as well.”[/i]

The chieftain feigns a smile through his aura of misery.
[i]“For the time being, Lord Paladin, you are welcome to remain hosted at my table for the duration it’s required, in order to carry out your duty to our King.’’[/i]

Having walked up the table to join the company seated there, Odo takes the seat on the largest chair prepared at the far end of the table. His two henchmen take the chairs adjacent to the warrior opposite to Einhard. One of them tall, blond and bearded as is typical of Chlotar warriors, where the other warrior is a bit shorter, lean and handsome with dark hair and… clean shaven. A rare sight. He doesn’t look like much of a bruiser.

[i]“Allow me to introduce you to my household warriors… Fulk you’ve already met.’’[/i] The brown-bearded man nods, trying in vain to keep himself from burping again.
[i]‘’The men besides me are Liudolf and Lai…Lai... Icholai.’’[/i]
[i]‘’Micho, great Chieftain.’’[/i] The darkhaired man says with a polite smile. 
Odo responds with yet another snort. [i]‘’Yes.’’[/i] Turning yet again to his Paladin guest, he asks.
[i]‘’So, Paladin, have you any lead into the mountains? What exactly ordered our King you do, if I may ask?’’[/i]

Einhard’s face curls into a stern grim look, [i]“If you have heard the story of my father, and I am sure every man, woman and child around these parts have, we have come to complete what was started.”[/i]

The chief's face becomes expressionless, it seems he does not understand what Einhard is playing at. 
[i]“... Something about a family heirloom...?“[/i]

The blond haired warrior, Liudolf, speaks up. [i]“If you mean to search across the Rudines, I advice you be careful, Master Paladin. Disaster is just around any corridor and waiting to leap from any crevice. A doom-bringer skulks these lands. A foul spawn of God. Tempt fate and he shall be drawn to you.”[/i] Liudolf clenches a fist. 
[i]“Raditsch. That faithless Lampert spawn.. A herald of woe. He’s the reason the Chieftain is in this miserable state--”[/i]
Odo raises a hand. [i]“Enough. Raditsch is not to blame for my condition. He is an unwilling victim as much as anyone of these dark powers.”[/i]

[i]“Wait so is this Radits-ch-sch-sch some kind of monster, like a cow-man or.. Or… A DRAGON!?”[/i] Marozia blurts wide eyed.

The warrior Fulk perks up with a chuckle. [i]‘’Nah little boy. Raditsch’s just a sad little man without friends. No one likes him. And for good reason. If you saw him, you’d understand why.’’[/i]

Einhard says nothing, quietly listening as he takes in the information with a disconcerting frown. He had to be honest with himself; he is but a stranger in a strange land. And the locals understand things that he doesn’t. For this reason even a little girl as Marozia makes for a helpful guide.

The third warrior, Micho, mingles in the discussion. 
[i]“Brave Einhard, pardon my interruption. If you are indeed seeking to retrieve the Millennial Horn, how do you mean to find it, exactly? Because it has been lost without a trace for a long time now.“[/i]

Einhard looks Micho straight in the eye with sternness.
[i]“Exactly how I do not know, but I know it to be near a charred ruin. And as I have been given this  task by the King himself, so it shall be done.”[/i]

Micho grins, shaking his head a little bit condescendingly. [i]‘’I thought so…
You see, I bring it up because our friend, Raditsch, has great knowledge on the ins and outs of the Rudines… He knows every little pass and trail. The precise Lampert patrol routes. Where their watchtowers are… what caves to avoid to evade the darklings...  If you’d take my advice, maybe finding him might not be such a bad idea.’’[/i]

Fulk and Liudolf raise their voices in outrage at Micho. [i]‘’Are you mad?! A God-bred Paladin  kissed by a thousand Virgins and Saints with a thousand Blessings cannot negate the doom of Raditsch!’’[/i]

[i]“I thank you for your concern, but I think I am quite able to handle this… Raditsch… Trust me I have seen greater terrors than a mere man.”[/i] Einhard says with a dismissive tone and a shrug of his shoulders. Marozia raises her voice at Einhard [i]“But what if he is a demon… or his wife is an ogre… or his son is part goat!”[/i] Einhard chuckles a little at Marozia’s excited terror, then suddenly sobers up at the thought of a goat man, [i]“Don’t worry little one, I will defend us from any monsters that lurk in the dark.”[/i]

The men around the table all look at Einhard incredulously.

Yet with the ruckus passed, the chieftain at last speaks up. [i]‘’Paladin -- Shield Maiden. I wager you two are tired from the journey. Liudolf will see you to a bed with a warm hearthfire…’’[/i] Odo glares at his henchman, who quietly mutters something to himself before standing up from his chair.
[i]‘’This way, honored guests.’’[/i]